hiatus

I've taken a hiatus from the Blog Hunter column. I know I needed to do it for a variety of reasons but I still feel a little strange. I am not sure when or if I will carve out the time and space to do that again. I wonder if anyone will even notice the column is missing? In time maybe I won't even notice, and the Blog Hunter will be just a footnote in my history.

Hiatus, it sounds like such a fancy word. What I really should have said is that I'm taking an extended time out. There's the mommy talking......

Maybe just a shift, and just like an older car, it can be hard to change gears once you've been in one awhile. Clearly this is not a mechanic talking.

Lysol bomb

I have been joking with everyone I meet lately that my house needs a "Lysol bomb". What put me over the edge was finding out DD#2 had step throat. I like to use antibiotics only when needed but upon hearing this latest addition to the family petri dish I quickly mentioned my other kids sore throats and tummy aches to the nurse to ensure their very own 10- day regimens. After remembering our early morning cuddle in mom and dad's bed with the germy girl I promptly called my own doctor as well. It wasn't too hard of a sell to get a RX for my husband and me. Mention the word strep and people run screaming away from you. Now the question is, will this work? Can we kill all bacteria in a 10 day period and drive other viruses far far away?

As long as the kids keep leaving the house and breathing near other children I'd have to say no but I can always dream . But for now the hand washing speech will have to do. You'll know things have gone down hill if you happen to drive by a house with a huge plastic bubble drapped over it with Lysol printed in big, bold, blue letters.

flu babies

They ALL have the flu. The school week has been 1 out of 5 for DS and 2 1/4 out of 5 for DD#1. She came home early Wednesday after repeatedly trying to tell her teacher that her throat hurt during Mass. She can be a bit ummm, dramatic and so her tears were brushed off by all until the school nurse took her temperature and it was near 100. She came home, perked up and I was left wondering just what was going on as her temp was normal each time I took it with my trusty ear thermometer. By the end of the day every child was pasty feverish mess.

After a night of feverish children with DS and DD#3 throwing up, a group pediatrician visit was in order the next morning. Again at home with my trusty ear thermometer DD#1 had no temperature. Of all the kids she looked the best and I wondered if I had called it wrong keeping her home with the rest. But I reminded myself that temperature was not always an accurate reflection of how she felt. She always has been one tough cookie. As a baby she would get ear infections that only became evident in hindsight as I would take her to the pediatrician after not being able to soothe my grouchy angry baby.

So I about fell over in the exam room after explaining DD#1's history when the nurse said, " yup she' s got a temp of 100". Guess what not so trusty device of mine is headed to the garbage can? At least the batteries inside will be headed that way! And the kicker is this, she didn't even say "told ya so". It might have been easier if she had b/c right now I feel terrible for misjudging her this week.

Did I mention DH is returning home tonight? Some guys have all the luck.

play time

Well we are one week into the school year. Thankfully the meltdown of last week was just the first day. DS#1 and DD#1 are getting into the routine of things, while DD#2 and DD#3 are taking over the house during the day. Right now they are making a choo-choo out of three wooden chairs and a plastic baby doll changing table. I've been summoned. So before they drag me away I will plug my newest blog. www.dairy-free.blogspot.com Only one post is up but go ahead and tell me what you think.

back to school '05

Oh boy....I walked my kids into school this morning and DD#1 melted down in the classroom when it was time for me to leave. She was excited about going to school until right until we walked into the school doors. The kids had to wait in the hallway a little bit and that was my first clue that this wasn't going to be easy. I feel bad for her and I feel bad for me. She gets herself worked up and I don't think I'm very good at helping her to calm herself. She is young for her class and that doesn't help matters. So I had to leave her outside her classroom with the school counselor crying and didn't get to give a wave to my son outside his classroom. Ugh. NOT the way I wanted them to start the school year.

So I will do my best to keep myself on HER side and not feel aggravated. This mothering thing is not all sweetness and light, lemme tell ya. But I know in my heart that the more accepted she feels the sooner this will pass over. I don't know if she' ll think that I understand her behavior but hopefully she'll know that I love her no matter what.

Mothering is not for wimps. Hopefully I will have a cheerier post tomorrow.

the fun begins

Wow! I am posting tonight from the fancy schmancy computer that was passed on to us from my Dad. Blogger works so much better with a newer browser.

Let's try putting a link in. I am taking up the blogging challenge over at http://www.fwmn.blogspot.com Eventually I will get this and the other blog in the making looking cool like the other blogs, but for now you'll just have to put up with my haphazard self improvement. What we really need is a "blog spa" in which you could just log on and get spruced up.

So ends day two.

summer break

It looks like I've taken a summer break right along with the kids. Apologies to anyone who has stopped by here in the last few months looking for something new because you didn't find it here!

How about a back to school resolution? New posts each week!

Now for catch up, my youngest daughter (now to be known as DD#3)broke her arm the weekend before the Fourth of July. So she has been unable to swim until last Friday when her cast came off. We are escaping the Midwest heat and heading up to the lake today.

DD#2 has a wicked milk allergy and I'm finding she's not alone. As a service to her and others who are done in by dairy I am creating a dairy-free blog. More to come on that in the next few weeks.

DS and DD#1 begin school in almost two weeks. It's very busy with the four at home and I'm sure I've been grouchier than they would have liked. Granted they also would like to have ice cream at each meal..... but still nothing like a grouchy mom to ruin a good time.

Well DD#3 has turned on "the jump song" so I need to run and go dance with girls.