The Resilience of Children and Folding Clothes

Seriously? Is this what my life has become?

I logged onto my MySpace page a few minutes ago. The last time I'd updated it was last weekend when 12YO had the stomach flu. I posted that I was getting tired of the smell of Lysol...or something like that! I wanted to update my update. I didn't want to whine or complain because I just hate it when I know there's a long-term whine out there for all the world to see. So, I just typed in the first non-complaint that came to mind: Leann I Am needs to fold a load of clothes....WOW, I just realized how boring I am!

I didn't want that one line to reflect my whining or complaining, but I think it ended up like that anyway! I'm not complaining about laundry. I don't actually mind laundry all that much, believe it or not! It's the one household chore that I don't usually feel overwhelmed by. The rest of the chores can kiss my arse, but the laundry is okay.

I could have updated my update with the fact that I'm flipping exhausted. 3YO has a slight cold, which turns into a wicked cough at night. She coughed ALL NIGHT LONG. I stayed out in the living room with her, so she woudn't disturb the rest of the house. She woke up from a late nap yesterday pretty feverish, so I gave her one dose of ibuprofen. I've started using her albuterol inhaler every four hours to loosen it up. I hardly got any sleep at all. Neither did she, but you would never know it by looking at her! She is dancing and singing and playing as if she hasn't been up half the night coughing.

Seriously! How do kids do that???

Meanwhile, I'm trying to talk myself out of brewing a second pot of coffee, A.K.A. 'Nectar of the Gods.' Wednesday was a pretty long day for me. I brewed a pot of coffee in the evening that no one ended up touching. Letting an entire pot of coffee go to waste is wrong on so many levels, so I took it upon myself to drink half of it. By myself. After 9:00 at night. An hour or so later, I found a burst of energy I don't usually get. I cleaned my kitchen, put the food away, straightened up the living room, etc. I was bouncing off the walls until about midnight, then I went to bed. It was then that I realized I am not one of those people who really cares if they fall asleep or not. Just the act of lying in bed and doing nothing is relaxing to me. I could stay awake and stare at walls all night!

The caffeine must have still been somewhat in my system the next morning, because I hopped out of bed and bounced around the house like I'd slept really well, even though I don't think I had! I had some more coffee and worked in 6YO's class that morning. I bounced through my errands after that, amazed that I still had so much energy. I came home and had some lunch.

Then, it hit me. (Or I hit it, depending on how you see it!)

I hit my wall at about 3:00.

I suddenly felt like I hadn't slept in DAYS. My eyes became heavy, as did my whole body. I had to lie down...NOW! I think I caught a 15 minute or so nap that afternoon and pretty much dragged through the rest of my day.

As of now, I've folded that pesky load of clothes and it's beckoning me to put it all away. I'm just wondering if I have the time to squeeze in a quick nap before I have to take 12YO to her softball practice. Probably not. I'm watching 'Say Anything' for the second time this week. I've just been in the mood, I guess. I often forget how unusually attractive John Cusack is! I need to get ahold of a copy of 'Better Off Dead.' That's one of my favorite John Cusack movies! David is rolling his eyes at my choice of movies.

BOYS!!!

Anyhow, I guess it's time to actually start my day. But first, maybe I should update my status update on MySpace. I must have something more exciting to talk about than folding stinkin' laundry!

Or do I?

Sick Kids, New Rugs, and Curly Fries

Here is another addition to my growing 'rug collection.' I don't REALLY collect rugs, but they are having such a great sale that I can't help but want more. Once I got my purdy rugs down on my living room floor, I realized how old and yucky the ones in my kitchen were. Nothing makes something look older than something new does!

I like the colors and think I'll be able to work with them in my kitchen. I am working on fixing a tablecloth that I had to cut in order to make it OVAL. Why on earth do they not sell oval tablecloths very many places? I mean, I think that I, personally, have seen enough oval tables in existence to justify someone actually manufacturing a few tablecloths the same size and shape.

THROW ME A FREAKING BONE, WILL YA???

Since I'm pretty sure they don't exist, I bought an OBLONG tablecloth and am cutting it into an oval myself. I'm not what I consider to be especially competent on a sewing machine, but I'll do what I can. I'll have to wait until the kids are asleep to start sewing, because there just might be quite a bit of swearing while I fight with my sewing machine. And maybe some liquor...I'm not sure yet!

12YO is still sick, but improving. She started out today much like yesterday, with lots of moaning and whaling. UGH. I forced her to eat TWO SALTINE CRACKERS and take some Tylenol. (I know, I'm evil that way!) She's still pretty achy, but most of that is probably from being so sedentary for the past two days. David went to her first softball practice this morning. There was supposed to be a parent meeting. He said that it wasn't really anything he probably needed to be at, but he went anyhow. At least he got to see how the new coach does things. Dealing with junior high girls canNOT be the easiest job and last year's guy didn't do so hot. I think he meant well and I can't hold him personally responsible for anything, but the girls never really felt like a TEAM and they didn't support each other like a team should. Needless to say, we lost a lot of games and there was a lot of blaming and finger-pointing amongst the girls. That's pretty typical for junior high girls, but STILL...

I got to sneak out and run some errands for a couple of hours. That was nice. I got my rugs, some thread, and yarn. (SHUT UP! I know I have too much yarn already...but can you really EVER have too much yarn???) I have so many projects and designs in my head and they need to come to life! While I was out, David cranked up the deep fryer and made the girls some deep fried bean burritos (Okay, CHIMICHANGAS, whatever!) and some curly fries. He loves that stupid deep fryer! The first one died and I got him this one for Valentine's Day. Those of you that know what his cholesterol levels have been are probably thinking that I'm trying to kill him. Honestly, he usually only uses it like once a week when he makes breakfast and doesn't eat much of it. He prefers to make bacon in it because...well, let's face it: Bacon is AWESOME in the deep fryer!!! I'm learning that pretty much everything is better when it is deep fried.

And I'm struggling with the size of my thighs...I just don't get it!

*giggle*

Since having a couple of curly fries earlier, 12YO is begging David to make more.

I think she might make it!

I'm gonna go and see if I can figure out a game plan for dominating my sewing machine. Really, it's a nice machine. My mom got it for me for Christmas a few years ago. I just really need to learn how to sew. Again. I mean, I did take home econimics once upon a time...