Busy...Busy...Busy...

If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.
The more things you do, the more you can do. ~ Lucille Ball
My life just wouldn't be the same if I didn't have at least 3 projects going at one time. I suppose I thrive on the list making and checking things off as I go, go, go. So many things to do - most of the time it just feels as if there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything. The worst thing for me is starting something and not being able to finish it. It's SO hard for me to stop - but I do have to sleep and sometimes my kids just want to be held. THANK YOU Jolene for reminding me - they are only little for such a short time. So, I'm working on finding balance. Even though the end result of all these projects and things I do is for my kids...we have to enjoy getting there. I resolve to include them more - (even though messes might occur) and to take time out when they need me even if it's just to hang out watching TV or playing a silly game.

On to the projects....
I love the planning, scouring for that perfect it thing, making it special for someone else that I love and care about. Holidays give good reason to create and have fun.

Halloween - it's not just about the CANDY!
( Though I do love those mini Milky Way bars.)
It's the start of the cool weather, the bright orange pumpkins I get to put out in my little wheelbarrow and how super cute my kids look in their COSTUMES!
Not to mention it's my birthday month and the month that I tend to do better at remembering my friend's birthdays as well.
I tried to come up with some theme where I could dress all 3 of the kiddos to match - however nothing seemed to fit this year.
(You'll have to wait to see what we did come up with after Halloween -
I'll post pictures.)
It's such a blessing to have a husband that appreciates all the effort I put in to making things special. Seems he's always having daddy duty while I'm busy feverishly crafting something. Either that or he's been enlisted to help.


This last week we had a lesson in giving to kick off our holiday season.

We made these cute little BOO BAGS - (a white bag with black eyes & mouth made to look like little ghosts) We filled them with candy, cookies and even special root beer then delivered them to some special friends.


It was so much fun - we'd sit in the car with the engine running while Raistlyn would get out - ring the door bell - leave the BOO - then run and hide. It was quite hilarious - hopefully our friends enjoyed their little surprises as much as we enjoyed giving them. Even neighbors got in on the action because we delivered one to the wrong house - hehe!

Now I'm putting the finishing touches on costumes. Me in all my perfectionist manner - things have to be just right - the felt I cut for Caide's is 1/2 an inch too short. DARN. Have to go buy more felt.
After Halloween it's back to planning for Raistlyn's #7 birthday party. Like I said....busy, busy!

Poor Little Guy

Poor little guy...that's exactly what you would say if you saw him.
Black eye.....stitches.....limping around with a runny nose.
That's Caiden.
Saturday morning I'm alerted with "He's going to need stitches" I look around the corner to see Adam carrying Caide with a bloody left eye. He had been playing around with big sister on the trundle bed and took a little tumble - knocking his face somewhere along the way.
Poor little guy.....
Adam headed over to Care Now (because it's open on Saturday) I packed up the girls and followed.
They got him right in and proceeded to strap him down into one of those little papoose things - wow....was this hard to watch. He was crying and saying in his sweet little voice "mummy" I wanted to cry myself. I held his quivering hands while they put 3 stitches just below his eyebrow.
A few hours later he's feeling good as new. We went to visit the Grandparent's Patterson to work on Halloween costumes. Raistlyn didn't want me to tell Grandma what happened - she felt somewhat responsible...what a sweet heart. We had a lesson on "accidents happen" with her after that.
Later that evening, while changing a stinky diaper I found a strange "bump" on the top of Caiden's inner thigh. He didn't want me to touch it but I could tell it was looking similar to what we thought had been a spider bite on his leg the previous month.
Sure enough Sunday morning his leg was swollen and he was in terrible pain.
STAPH INFECTION NUMBER 2!
This time we knew what to do...it had to be drained. We soaked him in a hot bath and went to inflicting intentional pain on our little guy. For his own good of course. Monday he went to see Dr. Mac to get a shot of antibiotics and a culture taken.
Gotta find out why this keeps happening to him and what we can do to prevent it!
Adam was brought to tears having to watch Dr. Mac drain the pustule again.
Caide spent the rest of the day laying on the couch watching TV.
Ibuprofen to the rescue.
He felt alot better with a dose of the yummy pink stuff!
He's on the mend and back to his old cute self...still has a bit of a runny nose though.

Could the news be any better?

Utter shock. Almost unbelievable.
A miracle?
Luck?
A blessing?
Whatever it is....it is such wonderful news.
I have a new found love for Unions.
Adam has been reinstated at UPS.
After many worrisome and stressful days (105 days to be exact) our persistantacy has paid off. What a relief. Tremendous weight has been lifted and I no longer have to be secretly resentful towards my wonderful husband.
It all started back in May when Adam decided that he didn't really want to work at UPS anymore. The hours stunk, he didn't get enough sleep and the people he worked with were evidently just a drag to be around - not to mention the injuries and wear and tear on his body.
Long story short, we found out via a denied dental claim that his employment had been terminated after 11 LONG years of service with the company.

Adam doesn't work at UPS for the "money" - it's just part-time work so the paychecks don't amount to much however, the benefits are phenomonal!
We get FREE medical and dental insurance for our entire happy little family - and it's GOOD insurance. It's cost us just $800 (in deductibles) to give birth to two children and when Adam was in school finishing his degree UPS paid for a large majority of it through tuition reimbursement. He has continued to work there all these years for these and a few other wonderful benefits.

The official termination date: June 27, 2007.
Insurance cancelled.
Wife 7 months pregnant with baby #3.

I have to go back a bit and say that before we got wind that Adam had been terminated he filed for and was receiving Disability benefits for a shoulder injury. So, how can you be terminated while you are receiving Disability benefits you might ask?
We did too.
Evidently they have really poor communication out there at the airport HUB.
After many fruitless conversations with the DFW HUB HR Manager - Tom Mullins, we filed for COBRA insurance to at least cover us until the baby could be born- $937. just to get us through the end of September and I'm the only one covered.
I'm not too concerned at this point because I'll at least have insurance to cover the costs of the birth.
We then filed an official grievance with the Union asking for Adam's job to be re-instated as if it had never happened. After all, this is worth thousands of dollars to us at this point and it's their fault - right?. We didn't hear a peep, couldn't get a return phone call, we were about to give up! Hire a lawyer? We were mulling that over.
So, me in all my persistance decided that I just couldn't go forward without getting an answer from someone - YES or No - just give me an answer!!! I called the Union Rep - left a message - no return call. Next day, called HR guy...sat on hold 20 minutes - and then lo and behold he FINALLY picked up!!! He said he had just got an email the previous night telling him to reinstate Adam. I about screamed! Who knows if that was the truth...they probably just sat on it thinking we would just go away. Adam will still be out on Disability so for right now he still doesn't have to go in to work - YEAH! He'll be paid back wages through the Disability Fund - not really UPS wages - but it's money just the same to us. We'll get our insurance back - the hospital bills will get paid and I can now take my kids to get their immunizations without having to take them to the county health department. AND...I'll get back the $937. I paid for COBRA.
Now we'll just wait and see how long it takes for all this to take affect.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?