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I'm just sitting here (should be sleeping) listening to the sweet hum of my children snoring.  Gosh I'm going to miss this when they're older!  They are both such cuddle monkeys that I don't know what I'll do when they're too big to cuddle.

Random Thoughts

1. I am so happy for MckMama that Stellan is out of the hospital.  We can all only hope that he stays healthy until he is old enough for his pacemaker.  Pray for them - www.mycharmingkids.net.
2. I am also happy that the late April snow has passed us by.  Now for some sunshine and temps above 60...please!
3. I am thrilled at the rumor of a Sonic coming to town...and when I mean coming to town I mean just across from my office!
4. So if you have older boys who are obnoxious and speak obscenities, please do not let them play at McDonalds playland.  
5. If you smoke, keep your cigarette butts in your car.  Why shouldn't they be considered trash?  If you don't want your car to smell like smoke, well then just don't smoke.  My kids don't need to find them on the ground.  
6. If you have a dog and we don't and if we have grass in our yard and you don't, please don't encourage your dog to poop in our yard.  We buy fertilizer at the store and are not in need, I'm sure that was the thought.  
7. If you are my husband who is leaving for four nights and four days on a fishing trip, please be sure to leave sufficient spending money on the counter before you leave.  

Not so fast

We certainly enjoyed our glimpse of spring yesterday!  My white legs enjoyed seeing the sun, even if the sun didn't enjoy seeing my white legs.  Perhaps that's what scared it off and it's replacement of clouds, rain and 36 degree temps took it's place.  But I will say it's better than 40 below and blizzards anyday.

We were fortunate not to have any floodwater come too close to our home.  There is a set of railroad tracks just beyond our backyard and the field on the other side did fill up with some water but never enough to worry about.  The river managed to creep up on the highway on the way to town in a few places but that was the extent of it.  We are thankful and are very pleased with where we decided to build.  

Madison is eagerly counting down the days to the end of the school year.  I can't believe she is going to be seven!  Just as hard to believe is that my little prince charming will be three in August.  

Due to the flooding our trip to San Diego was cancelled.  We were really looking forward to going as it was also going to serve as our anniversary trip.  I was duly excited as I have never been to California.  But we'll get there sometime.  Instead we celebrated in Texas....Roadhouse, that is.  

Our new hobby is watching Batman cartoons - thanks daddy!  Reagan used to LOVE Scooby Doo and has now temporarily switched to Batman.  He has two little Batman guys, oh and Blue Beetle, and a Batman larger than he is from the circus.  

Other than that, it's business as usual in our house.  Just anxious for the sun and warm air to stick around!  

Water

Yup.  Our life seems to revolve around water whether we want it to or not.  They shut off our water tonight as the City lift stations could not keep up here in Horace.  I find myself creatively getting teeth brushed, monitoring toilet usage and REALLY wanting to wash my face hoping they turn the water back on soon.

On the other hand, many are saying no water.  It has been pouring since about 5:00 this evening which is doing nothing positive for the flood efforts.  We are not really sure what to expect out here as we did not live here in 1997 and there was not a development here in 1997.  We are hoping that the Sheyenne Diversion will protect us as it is supposed to and this worry will all be over in a few days.

I didn't really realize the magnitude of the situation until I was coming home from the grocery store yesterday.  They had shut one side of 52nd Avenue down to use for dump trucks.  They were hauling dirt into the middle of a field to build a dike.  Knowing this dike is half way between us and West Fargo made it seem real and serious.  Not living on a river we don't see levels rise.  The Sheyenne River is a few blocks from us but is supposed to be regulated by the Diversion.  

Last night Ben went to help fill sandbags.  They had approximately 300,000 of the 2,000,000 needed sand bags filled.  Inmates are helping.  Concordia College cancelled classes tomorrow so the students could help.  I am so proud of my Cobbers!!!  

Ben is working on packing up his important papers in his office - just in case.  He thinks we will be fine and I certainly hope so.  But just in case, we are trying to save what can't be replaced.  We have his office, a guest/play room, an unfinished office, the game area, tv area, kitchen, two bathrooms and maintenance room down there.  He did such a great job finishing it that I really hope we don't have to do it again.  It would be a major set back in our hopes of putting our home on the market this spring.  

This brings back a lot of memories that I didn't remember I had.  In 1997 our house flooded and I remember much of the same anxiety.  Of course it is magnified now as we are the ones paying the bills.  I think the worst is just not knowing.  Not knowing how much more rain we will get.  Not knowing if the Red River will crest above or below 40 feet.  Not knowing if the Sheyenne Diversion will do it's job.  Not sure if these railroad tracks in out backyard will actually do some good.  Not knowing a lot.  I guess we'll just take it one day at a time and be thankful because there are people we know who already need help badly as they flood forecast worsens and their homes are in trouble.  I would have thought that the City of Fargo would have gotten it's act together after 1997 instead of going through this again.    I guess we are the ones who live in the bottom of an ancient lake.  Where else is the water to go?  If it's not our problem, it's someone else's problem.  

But all that aside, we'll watch Mother Nature the next few days to see what the future will hold...

Julie's School of Medicine

So, I'm not a doctor.  Never have been, never will be.  But as a mom there are certain things you learn that are really not rocket science but must be to some people in the medical profession.  Let me explain....

Our little Mr. Reagan has had a cold for a few weeks.  Nothing major, mostly runny nose and a little coughing.  However this past week it has gotten worse.  After he coughed through three or four nights, had a fever for a few days and got sick twice on Saturday from coughing, I had had enough and decided to take him to the pediatric walk-in clinic on Sunday morning.  I had no idea what was wrong.  

To my surprise the dr looked in his ears, told me one of his tubes had come out and he had an ear infection in that ear.  Thus explaining the irritability and the high temperature.  So becomes my dilemma....do I fill this prescription that he just gave me or do I keep giving him Motrin and take him to the chiropractor on Monday.  In the past an ear infection went away with an adjustment and some Motrin.  But being a weekend and being he was so miserable, I decided to fill the prescription.  First mistake. 

We made it home and I gave Reagan the first "taste" of his medication.  Not even close to a full dose.  What did he do?  Threw it up because he coughed so hard from the awful taste.  Lovely.  $37 for a medication which he won't take.  So comes my question that I think is not rocket science...when you have a two year old needing medication, why in the world would you prescribe something that tastes so terrible and is three times as much as what this child has had in the past?  Perhaps it was a punishment for the mother of this child as the child was quite fussy during the entire exam.  I don't know but I was ticked, my child was still not better and I just threw $37 in the garbage.  One would think that a doctor who is the head of the CHILDRENS hospital and who has been with this hospital for over 30 years would have a better idea of what medications kids will take.  

Is part of this my fault?  Sure.  I should have remembered what the last medication Reagan had for an ear infection was.  The problem was that we had been treating the ear infections for so long without medications that I didn't remember and I didn't think to ask.  So the moral of the story is, keep a note in your purse of not only your child's medication allergies (because after the first child, you can't keep them straight) but also keep a list of what meds work for your kids and what ones don't.  

My problem is that we try so hard to avoid the medications and antibiotics that when they do need them it is few and far between.  Which I suppose is a good thing until this mommy needs to remember one of them.  

End of the story - Reagan got a chiropractor adjustment today and I called his normal doctor and got a better prescription which was a third of the cost.  

Special Requests

I like to think that I am not needy.  However, tonight I must be because I have a few requests.

1.  If you are talking to my husband on the phone and hear one or both of my children screaming bloody murder in the background for more than 30 seconds, please excuse yourself and insist that he help with the screaming, tired chillins to prevent a frustrated mommy from having another panic attack.  

2.  If you are driving behind me during our North Dakota winters and I can't see your headlights in my rear view mirror, please back off.   Getting hit again by a stupid or uninsured driver does not sound that appealing.  

3.  If you drink the last of the milk in the house, please remind me before I am driving home with wet socks/shoes in a blizzard.  

4.  Since school is closed, please also close the office so I don't have to use vacation time.  

5.  If you are considering moving into the house next door, please no unleashed dogs, don't drive on our lawn and please finish your yard this summer so my kids don't get muddy every time it rains.  Please don't cut my daughter's hair either.  

6.  If you are going on vacation in the next few days...somewhere warm...please take me with you.  

7.  If you work for XBox, please stop inventing new games for awhile.  Or else invent ones that a certain adult male in my house does not like.  

Can you tell it's been a stressful day?  Thanks for listening.  Tune in later this week for a much more upbeat post!

Another week down

I am thinking I should disconnect the internet at our house.  I am now addicted to Ebay as well as Facebook.  I have sent a week looking for a Scooby Doo comforter for Reagan and found a handmade Scooby Doo quilt and matching personalized pillow for 29.99!  How great is that considering everything else I found was between $60 and $100.  I happened to ask her if she had any High School Musical and she had one piece left so Madison will be getting one as well, although she doesn't know it yet.  I am very excited for them to arrive.  I can not believe all of the things you can find on Ebay and how nice this seller has been.  

We did get our groceries last week although both children joined me.  It went better than expected but it is certainly easier and cheaper shopping without children.  Perhaps I will start online grocery shopping again.  

Madison brought home a pink slip this week...for spitting on a boy.  I still haven't heard the whole story but she went to bed early with no snack or tv.  So I'm letting it go assuming she learned her lesson and will not do it again.  He must have done something to really tick her off because she is not a spitter.  

Reagan's teacher at daycare is gone for two weeks so I am hoping the mornings go smoothly.  He is very attached to his Miss Tricia and doesn't do so well when she is gone.  

I am hoping to get some new pictures of the kids up soon.  Ben bought me a new camera today so I'll have to try it out.  Madison is thrilled as she gets the one I used to have.  

Well back to cleaning the house.  We are having Ben's parents over for dinner tonight and my mom tomorrow.  

Saturday Craziness

Walmart.  I am convinced it is the main American evil.  I hate going there but I have too.  Yes you save money.  However, one's life is shortened with each trip.  Tonight for example...

I took the kids to Dennys for an early dinner.  The food was great and so were the kids.  It was wonderful.  Reagan sat in a chair and behaved himself the entire time.  No crying, no food on the floor and no running around.  I thought we had it made.

Then comes Walmart.  Change atmosphere.  Reagan helped push the cart.  He didn't want to sit where he was supposed to and he was ready to leave even before we walked in.  So you hurry around the store and get what you need and about $50 of what you don't need only because you are in a hurry and you will meet any need of your children just to get out of the store.  

So we made it home, still without groceries.  Thus leaves us with tomorrow's project.  

This week's happenings

1.  Ben left us to attend business training in Boston.  

2.  All went well without dad, until mom got the flu Wednesday night.  Fortunately the kids were sleeping through the worst of it so I was ok.  Had to call my mom at 6:00 am to see if she would come and take Madison to school and Reagan to daycare.  I slept until 4:00 on Thursday afternoon.

3.  Back to work on Friday and then sleep over with mom and the twins at our house.  Oh, and the late February winter storm.  A few of us are anxious for the snow to leave.

4.  Sunday while Ben and Madison were gone, I was taking a shower when Reagan decided to jump in, fully clothed.  He has never shown an interest in getting in the shower, especially while dressed.  It was rather funny and I managed to get the camera before it was too late.  

5.  Looking back I realize how wonderful Madison's toddler years were!  Reagan is a joy but he certainly is a handful.  He is in his cute, smart age where he is cute while getting in trouble.

6.  I think I may have to look for a second job to feed our son.  Today's menu for the 2 1/2 year old:  Breakfast:  2 bowls of cereal.  Lunch:  Pepperoni, bologna, soup and mac and cheese. Supper:  Chicken nuggets, french fries, three tubes of yogurt.  After dinner snack:  Three packages of fruit snacks.  

7.  Madison looked smashing this morning in her little black skirt, matching top, black tights and Mary Janes.  I forgot how darling she is when she gets dolled up.  I realize how tall she is getting as her jeans finally fit in length although she still does need to work on growing a butt to hold them up!  Thank heavens for adjustable waist lines.  

8.  I got a Wii Fit today!  I am super excited about my late Valentines Day gift from Ben!  Madison is just as excited.  Is he telling me I need to lose weight?  

What have I learned this week?

1.  I truly enjoy my days off when Madison has school and Reagan has daycare.  Ok so it's the first one as we were closed on Monday but it was a storm make up day for schools but it was wonderful!  I had all my errands done by 10:00 am, had lunch with mom, got a haircut, went shopping, stopped by Andreas and picked up the kids by 4:00.  

2.  My son's stomach doesn't like milk that much.  We had him tested as a baby and they said he wasn't allergic but after we took him off milk, except for a glass at lunch and a little at supper, he is not congested, his eyes don't run and his nose it clear.  Check out www.milksucks.com.  I am not saying milk is terrible, I'm just saying that some kids (like Reagan) can't tolerate it well and doctors will go head over heals prescribing 20 different medications to fix it when all you have to do is decrease the milk intake.  They get plenty of calcium in their diet from other foods.  Problem - he LOVES chocolate milk and sometimes will not drink anything else.  The solution - he doesn't know when I water it down.

3.  Reagan is bump prone.  No matter what he does or how careful I feel like I am, he always seems to get a new bump on the head or black and blue mark.  I guess that's life with boys.  

4.  I love meatloaf cupcakes and the rest of my family hates them.  You make meatloaf like you normally would (I like to use Stovetop instead of bread crumbs) and put it into a cupcake pan.  Top with melted cheese or BBQ sauce.  Yummy.  More for mom I guess.  Footnote - I lied, I was making them as I was typing this post and Reagan is eating one like it is candy. 

5.  When Reagan's tummy doesn't like milk, it's not a good idea to let him sleep in our bed, on a dry-clean only comforter.  Enough said.  

6.  Whenever I make instant mashed potatoes, I always boil over the milk/water.  Always.

7.  Terrible twos are more terrible the second time around.  Especially when your oldest child is there to think everything he does is funny, not terrible.

8.  Most contestants on Wheel of Fortune are either really stupid, really loud or should just go back to bed.  

9.  I love butter and am terribly afraid for the day when I can't eat it like I do now.  

10.  I love Tupperware and am very excited for our order to get here Wednesday or Thursday!  Clean pantry, here I come!

11.  I think Ben should take us to Hawaii next year for our 10th anniversary and our 30th birthdays.

Random Thoughts

Well, there's nothing new or exciting to report.  Sometimes mondane is a good thing.  

I have contemplated going to the grocery store at least four times today but keep finding a good reason not to go.  The flyers have some great sales but taking Madison and Reagan to three separate grocery stores isn't really sounding too exciting right now!  I am guessing they will be quite busy with the possible ice storm approaching.  I am hoping school/work is on as I have tons of work to do this week.  

Madison is very excited for tomorrow as it is the 100th day of school.  I can't believe she is just about done with first grade.  We are anxiously watching the changes with the new kindergarten bills in the legislature.  They are looking to change the enrollment date to those being born before July 1 rather than before August 31.  Reagan was born August 10 so this would affect him.  I hope that we can have him tested to start kindergarten when he is five rather than waiting until he is six because I do think he will be ready.  I don't agree with catering to lazy parents who don't help their children learn when they are little.  Please don't misunderstand me, some children just aren't ready regardless of the interaction of their parents.  I just think that there are a lot of children who would be ready if they had support/encouragement from their parents.  If Reagan can't test into kindergarten when he's five that will be four years of preschool for him, that's a little much. 

On Friday Ben and I were able to attend the West Fargo Chamber Big Event with others from my office.  It was great food and the entertainment was fantastic.  It was Dueling Pianos from St. Paul and those two guys knew how to keep an audience entertained.  If I would have known about them nine years ago, I would have had them at our wedding rather than a DJ.  Ben won some great silent auction items so that was a plus.  I'm hoping one of the attorneys I work for doesn't fire me tomorrow - I drug him into the conga line!  

The highlight of my week was an awesome Tupperware party.  Thank you to all who ordered.  Tupperware has some great host incentives so I am anxiously awaiting my Tupperware package, hopefully this week.  I love Tupperware.  I am addicted to Tupperware.  Don't steal my Tupperware because I will find you!  This weeks project:  clean the pantry to make room for the new arrivals and throw out any old/non-Tupperware containers.  Can't have that contamination with the new fabulous items. 

Have a great week and a Happy Valentines Day!  I smell the Tator Tot hotdish so it must be time to feed the family.  

Vegas Baby!

Paranoid me waited to post anything about our trip until we were on our way home.  You never know who reads these things.  

Ben and I flew to Las Vegas on Monday for the International Builder's Show.  It is a large conference and our second year attending.  Last year the show was in Orlando and we took Madison with us.  To her dismay, no Vegas for little six year old!  

The weather was great, mid-sixties.  A little cool for shorts but beautiful none the less.  When the sun was out it was great but did cool down very quickly when the sun slipped behind the mountains.  Our view from the condo was of the Stratosphere which was spectacular at night.  

As I sit here at the airport (5:30 am Vegas time) wondering why in the world Ben scheduled such an early flight, I realize it is much less congested flying at this time of the day.  After all, we are getting on a plane at the time most people are going to bed.

We managed to get in quite a bit of eating, shopping, walking, three movies, eating, more walking, more shopping, Freemont Street and Phantom of the Opera.  Did I mention walking and eating?  We saw Gran Torino, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Defiance.  After Gran Torino (which I loved) the other two just didn't quite do it for me.  Benjamin Button was long, but good, and Defiance was a little to intense for my liking.  

Our best meal, hands down, was at Gallaghers in New York New York.  We had a fabulous steak dinner, Ben's king prime rib tipping the scale at 28 oz, for a total tab of over $150!  Fortunately we sat through a timeshare presentation so the majority of that was covered.  

Last night we went to Phantom of the Opera with our friend Carol in the Venetian and ate at a great Italian restaurant beforehand.  

Our suitcases did make it under the 50 pound limit, thank goodness, or it would have been another $75.  Mine did grow by about 15 pounds since we've been here.  

I am very excited to be headed home and miss Madison and Reagan very much.  I was ready to come home the second day we got here!  No offense Ben, I just miss my kiddos.  Hopefully our moms don't need a vacation now after a week of babysitting.  

As Ben arrives with Cinnabon, I say adios Vegas and I'll just about home Madison!  She's been counting down the hours for the past 2 days.  Not to mention asking how many things we bought for her.  After missing a full week of work, it's back to usual tomorrow morning although I just want to stay home with the kids.  

Bedtime is the dumps

Well, I like going to sleep but a certain younger child of mine does not, not to name any names, Reagan.  The problem started when I went back to work full time and didn't have the heart to put the kids to bed as early as we used to.  Lately Reagan has been up until 10:00 or 10:30 most nights and very crabby.  Then this past week or so he has been waking up in the middle of the night two to five times screaming and kicking for anywhere from two to five minutes.  It makes for a very tired Reagan and very tired parents.  Might I add sometimes sore parents depending on how close in proximity his feet are to any part of your body when the kicking starts.  Yes he sneaks into our bed every night but I am so tired I don't care.

Well after a week of this extremely interrupted sleep and being as tired as I was when he was a newborn, I gave in and called the clinic.  I am pretty sure there is nothing physically wrong with him so I wasn't crazy about the thought of wasting 2 hours and a trip to the pediatrician.  I didn't want to take him in and have them give him drugs that he doesn't need.  I was blessed to talk to a wonderful nurse on the telephone who after listening to me quite patiently said that she thought Reagan was having night terrors from a lack of sleep.  As she described them, he could be put in the dictionary.

So begins our next life battle, which we thought would be potty training, but is now bed time enforcement.  8:00 is lights out for little man.  No lights, no television.  He is really ticked about the no television portion of the new program but it only took about 20 minutes of him being really ticked at me tonight and he is now sawing logs.  I so hope this works and think it will really improve the night for all of us, except Madison who can sleep through a tornado.  

I guess I just forgot what it was like to have a mind-of-their own toddler who loved to cuddle next to his mom at night and watch tv way too late for their little self.   Getting rid of the bottle at night and the pacifier will have to wait until this bedtime issue is resolved.  

Please wish us luck as we tackle day #2 of being better parents tomorrow.  

Addictions

I am addicted to....

My children.  I love being at home with Madison and Reagan.  We don't necessarily do anything exciting but I love spending time with them.  Ok, I like Ben too but I don't know that it's an addiction.  That didn't come out right.  

Tupperware.  I love Tupperware.  I am a little protective of it and will not let it in the dishwasher.  I am having another Tupperware party in hopes of getting some great new products.

Mary Kay.  I love ordering Mary Kay.  I love their make up and no longer use anything else.  

Scrabble.  I spend about 30 minutes each night playing Scrabble online through Facebook.  I truly stink and most of my words consist of four letters but someday I might win.  

Taco Bell bacon tacos and Mountain Dew.  Enough said.  

Movies.  I love watching movies after the kids are in bed.  This is a very rare happening since they tend to stay up as late as I do. 

Shopping.  I love shopping, more so for other people but if I'm in the right mood I'll shop for myself too.