Another long week

Time is flying!

This past week we got to deal with our dryer breaking...it still ran, it just didn't heat.  This is NOT a good thing since there are 5 of us in this family.  I worked all weekend so mom was kind enough to let me bring over the laundry and use her dryer on Thursday so we could get caught up before I went to work.  THANKS MOM!!!! 

I had actually a great weekend at work...nothing exciting just a good weekend.  Today I stopped by CVS on the way home and ended up getting $18.05 worth of items for only $0.05!  I was so excited!!!!  Then for Valentines Day Jason and I got the dryer fixed!!!!  Yay!  Now just to get caught up!  Oh, and I made biscuits and gravy for us for breakfast this morning.  It was yummy!  

Tomorrow I have to get up early for a class in Plano (postponed from last week due to the snow).  Then back to work Wednesday and Thursday.  Then, I'm on call Sunday (hopefully I'll get to stay home) then don't work again until next Thursday.  Jason's birthday is Tuesday, Tristan's 2nd grade program is Tuesday, and then we have middle school parent orientation for Adreyn on Wednesday...it's a busy week next week!

Jason is busy this week too.  But we aren't complaining :-)

Really????

Has another week already gone by???  It's been CRAZY here in N.Texas!  The kids haven't been to school since Monday...not because they are sick but because they've had 4 (yes 4) snow days in a row!  Tuesday we had freezing rain for about 12 hours followed by snow.  Then Wednesday it was just really, really cold (didn't get above 20 degrees) and the roads were a bit treacherous (Texas doesn't have salt and snow plows, you know!).  Wednesday was more of the same but they added in rolling blackouts to conserve energy (I never though I'd be thankful for living down the street from an ER and a hospital...I think that's why we didn't actually have blackouts at our house since we are so close to the "priority" places).  I went to work Wednesday...the roads weren't too bad...there were ruts worn in the ice so it was really pretty safe to drive (plus, I used to live/drive in Minnesota...I'm more worried about the other TX drivers than I am about my ability to drive in this stuff).  Got home easily Thursday morning, slept and then back to work Thursday night...still pretty easy to drive into work...other than the other drivers :-).  It started snowing while I was at work and we had accumulated about 3-4 inches by the time I got to drive home.  I got the joy of staying at work until 9am since we had a no-show at work and one other person who had some difficulty getting there (but made it by 9)  I got home around 9:30 or so...the snow had done a great job of covering up the ruts in the ice so once again no one could figure out exactly where to drive...haha.  Got home and started lunch for the kids (chicken and rice...it had to cook for 1.5 hours) while Jason was rotating the tires on his car (he needed to go to work since he had been home with the kids all week.  Jason left for work around 10 or so after many reminders from me to "drive safely".  at 10:45 I got a call from Jason that he was stuck in a subdivision and unable to get out (had to go uphill to get out and couldn't get the momentum he needed because of some crazy people who decided to go for a walk with their dog and baby and stepped out in front of him).  While I was on the phone with him he decided to try one more time (he was using his bluetooth...handsfree calling) and suddenly all I hear him say is "oh, no, oh, no, oh, no"  My heart dropped...but it was fine he just slid around a little bit!  He wasn't able to get out of the subdivison so I piled the kids in the car and off we went to pick up daddy.  Jason ended up walking 2 miles out of the subdivision to one of the main roads so that we could pick him up...we made good time and actually got there to the turn-off just as he trudged up.  On the way back home we got stopped while a truck pulled another vehicle out of the ditch...the one he was pulling out...it had just passed me going the other direction driving about 45 miles an hour.  It looked like he just slid off the road and sideswiped a phone pole...like I said...lots of TX people have no clue how to drive in this stuff!!!!  Glad that I wasn't close by when that happened!  We got home...had lunch and then I got to get to bed and sleep about 4 hours or so.  I'm looking forward to getting back to bed in a little bit and I'm really happy that I don't have to go back to work until Monday! 

It is pretty crazy that it is supposed to snow again tonight but should actually get above freezing tomorrow and sunday...but we are supposed to get more snow next week again...this is crazy weather for Texas!!!!!

Another family update

I'm writing this EARLY Friday morning to post on Saturday (I have another post scheduled for Friday morning).  Just thought I'd give an update on what is going on around here.

Rehanyn...Well, Ree has been doing great at school.  She has a smart mouth that has been getting her in trouble lately.  One of the things she has been doing lately is saying "what" whenever you say something to her so that you have to repeat what you said.  Tonight I told her something and she said "What?" I kinda snapped at her and had her tell me what I said and she repeated what I said word for word.  I told her that she needs to listen the first time and we weren't going to keep repeating ourselves.  She nodded and went back to the back room.  A minute later she came up to me and told me she needed to tell me something.  She said, "I wanted to remind you that I have a very special hearing problem, you need to remember that"  Her "hearing problem" is SELECTIVE HEARING!!!!!  She's a sweetie though so we love her anyway!  Rehanyn spent almost a week out of school with a bronchitis but she is better now...but a little addicted to cough drops.  Apparently cough drops fix anything.

Tristan...T got to go see his "favowite" Dr D today.  Tristan has missed 2 days of school this week due to the same stuff Ree had (she shared).  He is back on neb treatments and antibiotics for a sinus infection.  Dr D did say that he can go back to school on Friday though.  His school work is going well, I'll have to post pictures of his handwriting...that has come a LONG way this year.  He's also articulating much better.  Now to just work on his posture and foot shuffling.  I also want to start working on his hand strength.  I need to make an appointment for him with the developmental pediatrician we found...maybe we can get him diagnosed and find some new therapies for him.  I'm still leaning toward Sensory Processing Disorder for his diagnosis...it just fits best...we shall see.

Adreyn...A is doing well in school, as usual.  It's nice that school so far has been easy for her.  She loves being in choir and performing.  In the next couple of months she gets to go to the Middle School she will attend for a "recruiting concert" for the choir.  The Middle school is the one that hosted the group concert around Christmas and has an awesome music program.  Adreyn is LOVING the Kindle she got for Christmas...it's getting more use than her DS most days!  I love to see her reading!  Adreyn hasn't gotten sick yet...hopefully she won't!

Jason...Well, J is getting busy again with work.  Today he took his boss to the airport (M will be gone 10 days) and on the way to the airport got told that M was leaving him in charge of the business while he's gone.  While J has done this before it would have been nice to know in advance because Jason was planning on working quite a bit today (and had already organized his work accordingly) and instead had to spend lots of time making sure everything was in order and everyone was doing their jobs.  Jason had to go back to the doctor this week too.  He still isn't over the crud he brought back from Illinois.  He has a Z-pak and seems to be getting a bit better...he also got some of the good cough medicine (we had just run out).  He has been kind enough though to share the crud with me...

Tanya...I didn't get as sick as Jason did but just kind of have the tickle in my throat, stuffiness, and such.  Having the week off while Jason was in Illinois was good but I was glad to get back to work.  Work is finally slowing down a bit (the unit census isn't at max) so that is nice.  Today I had a work meeting for the Reunion Committee.  We've decided on a Camping Theme for this year...it should be lots of fun!  We brainstormed for about 2 hours and came up with lots of ideas.  The cakes should be pretty cute too.  I'm sure we will have at least 400 guests again...that has been our average the last few years...of course we were lots busier this year so may have more this year.  My New Year Resolutions (not really, but kinda) were to keep up on the laundry and dishes...Jason is helping out with the dishes part...so far we are doing pretty well...the laundry is a bit behind right now because I haven't been feeling well but I'm gonna get it caught up tomorrow before I work all weekend.  I can't wait until we get our Tax Refund this year because Jason has said we can get an upright freezer.  With this I can buy meat/groceries in bulk when they are on sale and freeze them and hopefully I'll also have room to cook ahead and freeze meals so that dinner prep/planning will go more smoothly. 

So, there is the update...nothing real exciting but there you have it :-)

5 question Friday

1. If you had $1,000 to donate to a charity, which would you choose?  Ummm, well, ME, of course.  Actually, I would probably choose the March of Dimes.

2. Snow days: Do you welcome them happily or are they a pain in your butt?  Well, living in Texas we don't get many but there are 2 snow days built into our school schedule.  I like snow days when they happen but I don't like that they push the last day of school back :-)

3. What talent did you wish you had and why?  Hmmmmmm, I don't know...I think I'd prefer to just NOT be clumsy and klutzy.  I like to decorate cakes, I like to arrange flowers, I'm fairly crafty, I can hold a tune (usually), I'm not sure what else I'd want to do...I'd just like to not be a klutz.

4. Are you a news, politics or celebrity gossip junkie?  Not into news or politics...I enjoy a bit of celeb gossip now and then...I check www.People.com daily :-)

5. What is your favorite "cocktail"? (Are you a beer person, a kiddie cocktail junkie, or perhaps your more the "Cosmo" kind?! Anything flies...doesn't hafta be alcoholic!)  Most favorite "adult" drink????  Would have to be a really good Strawberry Daiquiri or a Strawberry Margarita.   But, most favorite "anything" drink is Pepsi, hands down.

Sickies...

So, Jason came home sick from Illinois.  Rehanyn got sick on Monday and had to stay home from school all week.  Tristan has the cough that Rehanyn had...he's managed to get to go to school though, it's worse at night.  Jason is still sick.  I'm starting to feel kind of yucky, and Adreyn, so far, is okay.  Here's hoping we are over the worst of it...we can only hope!

5 question Friday

1. What movie could you watch over and over again and not get tired of?  I know it's crazy...but my all-time favorite movie...the one I watch whenever it is on TV (and I own it) is Dirty Dancing.  I LOVE that movie...I mean, it's PATRICK SWAYZE and he's DANCING!!!! 

2. What's your biggest pet peeve right now?  That the school system decided that even though the kids just went back to school less than 2 weeks ago that it's time for a 4 day weekend again...I mean, REALLY!!!!!!

3. If you had to describe your best friend in five words or less, what would you say?   Happy, joyful, loyal, compassionate, loving

4. If you did not have to worry about money or go to school what would you do for a living?  I would cut back my job to working just 1 day a week (yes, I love my job and wouldn't want to leave...plus if I left and wanted to come back a few years later that would entail more school...and I'm DONE with school).  Then I'd relax and enjoy my kids and make sure that they were set for college and able to do all the fun things growing up that we sometimes can't do now because of money constraints.

5. What is your one "splurge" item, that you will always buy, no matter the cost?  Hands down...BOOKS...I love books, I love to read, it is my little get-away when I need a break.  I've talked before about my kindle...I love it, I have sooo many books on it (over 250) and it fits easily in my purse (think of trying to lug 250 books around with you LOL).  A book can help you pass the time when you are bored, stressed, etc.  I love books and I love that so many books are free on the Kindle Amazon site that if I need a new book I can always find one...usually for free...but if I NEED a book (LOL) I'll be buying it!

Hockey Game

Adreyn's choir sang at the Texas Tornado hockey game on Tuesday night.  They did a great job!  There is video below.

Tristan was so intrigued by the Mascot and then was ecstatic when Grandma took him to meet IKE and he was able to get IKE's autograph.  He loved this picture and the autograph and stared at it so much that the pages of the book it was in started falling out.  I took the picture and autograph and framed it for Tristan and he was so proud of it that he took it to school to show his teacher and class. 

Adreyn and Rehanyn also got to get their pictures taken with IKE but Grandma and Grandpa have those pictures so I'll have to wait to post those. 

Enjoy!!!!!

Alone and busy :-) LOL

So, Jason left on Saturday for a week in Illinois.  So, I've been a "single" mom for a few days and I'm soooo glad I only have to do this for a week.  The kids are doing well, and they aren't really any more work than usual, but it is nice to be able to share the work with someone else.  I'm glad I was able to take the time off of work to stay home with them...It would be much more difficult if I was working nights and on my own!



Here's my FaceBook Status from yesterday...my kids are so silly!

Tanya Halbmaier

sayings of the day: Adreyn "okey, dokey, artichokey", Tristan "Mommy, you are sooo cute!", Rehanyn "Being a mommy is ALOT of work, huh"

So, tonight we are going with Adreyn to a choir performance.  They will be singing the National Anthem at the Texas Tornadoes Hockey game in Frisco.  Mom and Dad are going with us, it should be fun.  Tomorrow probably won't be fun though as we will be getting home late tonight.  

Jason is doing well and getting to reconnect with some old friends.  I'm looking forward to him coming home!

5 question Friday

1. What is your current favorite book, and why?  I don't have a favorite book...I am an avid reader and generally read anything I can get my hands on.  That is why I love my Kindle.  I have over 250 books on my Kindle.  I can read a book in about 3 hours usually (if I'm uninterrupted), I read really fast!

2. Do you go to the dentist regularly?  nope...yes, I know that I should, but I HATE going to the dentist....

3. What is your worst memory from High School? I don't really remember high school...I've blocked alot of my teen years apparently

4. What do you hope to be remembered for in your life? That I was a good mother, wife, and nurse.

5. Are you superstitions or do you have any superstitions? Ummm, I'm a nurse...I think nurses top the chart for superstitions.  at work, if I don't have a bed ready and turned on at all times then I will pretty much be guaranteed a stat delivery with a baby who doesn't do well.  If it is a full moon we will be CRAZY busy.  If there is a big barometric pressure shift there will be lots of premies born.  If a mom comes in with a huge multiple paged birth plan the baby will definitely be admitted to NICU.  If a family has a different last name with lots of consonants it will definitely be a NICU baby.  And the list goes on and on, and on :-)

not happy

I'm not happy that my sister and her family are going back to Australia on Friday and I don't feel like I got to spend enough time with her.  My kids are going to miss their cousins!!!!

I'm not happy that Jason is going up to Illinois for a weeklong trip and I'm gonna get to stay home with the kids.  I mean, I'm glad he gets to go visit family but I'm not too sure about this single mom thing. 

I'm not happy that we had a huge phone argument with Verizon this morning...uggg....we are soon gonna get a new internet and cable provider, I think!

BUT, I am SOOOOO HAPPY that Tristan's school ARD meeting went well yesterday.  We got good reports from all the therapists and his teacher had great things to say too!!!  YAY!!!!!!!!!