Such Personality and Sense of Humor

Lanie is developing such a great personality and sense of humor!  It is so much fun to see what she thinks of next.  Last night we were sitting in the living room and she picked up a knit hat that was just the ugliest think I have ever seen in my life and she started playing with it.  Covering her head and face and poking her nose through one of the stitches and was laughing and giggling so hard she couldn't even talk.  She would then place it on her head and grab her purse and say she was going to Shop N Save, Schnucks, Fam Doll or K-Mart.  She was so funny.  I know, you had to be there to see the humor! 

Thanksgiving is over and I am very greatful.  It was not the fun time that  was hoping for...but what is a holiday without a bit of drama.  I am just really getting tired of it.  I won't go into the details but I am not looking forward to Christmas.

I was glad to get back to work.  I have so many files on my desk I don't think I will ever get through them all.  I am not scheduleing a whole lot of clients this week so that I can get through the ones I have going.  I need to do some denials and then hopefully get some answers to my letters!  I just keep plowing through!

In the meantime I love coming home to my little Lanie Lou.  She is always the bright spot in my day.

Update on being a better mom

After my last post I have truly tried to be a better mom to Lanie.  I have been working on being more fun and not yelling so much, and I think I am doing ok.  I still sit in the chair a lot in the evenings but at least I am playing with her now, reading a book to her or watching Dora with her.  She is really getting into Dora much to my distaste!  But I do it with a semi-smile on my face.

I took the best picture this Saturday while we were at the park...

isn't that great?!  She looks like she is just really gonna fly down that slide!

This is Lanie in her favorite Cardinals shirt.  She wears this one especially for Papa.

Yes, she puts her feet on the counter top! See I am a bad mother!

I made her into a kitty Saturday morning before I had to go to work.  She loved it.

We are starting to get ready for Thanksgiving.  I cleaned both bathrooms this weekend.  I washed, dried, folded, hung up and put away all the laundry.  Lanie, Grandma and I put up Christmas lights.  Let me tell you how fun that was!  While I was on the step stool, Lanie climbed up to where I was, with her face in my but and grabbed my pant legs to hold on.  I had to rescue the pants more than once!  It was fun though, Most of the time.  She is very excited about the Christmas lights and Santa bringing her toys. We are going to go to the mall the day after Thanksgiving and see Santa Claus. 

"Mentors of Miracles"

I just read a blog that really made me stop and look at what I am doing and how I am raising Lanie.  The woman writing the blog talked about how MOM's are Mentors of Miracles and how each mom has been given the privelege of teaching her child (her miracle from God) about Him. I know that I do not do as much as I could to teach Lanie about God.  We do say our prayers and I try to take the teaching moments whether they be at home or in the car or wherever, whenever anything comes up that lets me slip it in.  I try to be mindful of those moments because those can be some of the most special moments.

I am going to take that a bit farther now and think about how God would want me to raise Lanie.  There are so many times that I have been short with her, that I have yelled at her because she had done something that I did not want her to do.  I cannot count the times that I have swatted her butt because she got into something that she was told not to get into, or poured something on the floor that she was not supposed to do.  I have to realize that she is only 2 1/2 years old.  She has so much exploring to do, so much to learn, so much to see and do! 

I think about her in the pre-mortal existence, up there just waiting to come down here.  Did she know that she would have so little time with her momma and that she would come to be with me and Grandma and Papa?  I can imagine her waiting up there, eager to experience all that she had seen from afar.  Anticipating all the fun she would have on earth.  I wonder if she knew that she would have a cranky old woman raising her!  Sometimes that's how I feel, a cranky old woman and that Lanie deserves someone much more fun!  And how does God feel about the way I am raising her?  Am I being the role model I need to be?  Am I teaching her what she needs to know?  Am I doing a good job?

Lanie is my miracle and I really want to do all I can to raise her to be the amazing woman God has intended her to be. She survived that accident because she is special and she is meant to do something special with her life. I want to be part of that!  I want her to look back on her childhood and have happy memories of me not memories of me yelling at her. 

I am going to try to cut down on the yelling, try to be less of my mom I guess.  I just don't want to be yelling all the time. Now I am not saying that it will be all rainbows and unicorns but I am going to work on it!

Houdini or Cirque de Sole?

This child is either Houdini or a performer in Cirque de Sole.  She climbs on top of the fridge, she gets through locked doors into Grandma's room and she can find stuff to get into no matter how well I hide them!  I just don't get it.  Someday she will tell me her secrets! I watched her climb the refridgerator!  She empties her toy box, drags it into the kitchen, turns it over, climbs on it, grabs hold of the handles and pulls herself up putting her little feet flat on the front of the fridge and walks herself up.  This girl is a definite problem solver.

She is starting to get into Christmas now.  She knows that Santa Claus brings toys and she says they are just for her, Levi and Mason.  I guess no one else gets toys this year.  She is also learning Santa Claus is coming to town (to bring Lanie toys).  She adds on that last little bit each time! 

I dread decorating for Christmas.  She is going to be into all of it! Nothing will be safe. 

Halloween fun

I go to Halloween!

Little Miss Lanie had so much fun last night with Papa and Grandma going Trick or Treating.  I told her to bring home some Laffy Taffy or Smarties for me and she did!  She even remembered.  She came in the house saying..."Taffy, taffy for you!" That's my girl! She eats the suckers, Grandma eats the chocolate, Papa gets the Bottle Caps and I get the Laffy Taffy and Smarties.  What a family!

So now that Halloween is over I get to start teaching her Christmas songs.  I know, I know!  There is Thanksgiving in there but I don't have any Thanksgiving songs to teach her, plus, it will take 2 months to get a Christmas song down! And this year I am going to take her to the mall to see Santa!  Her first Christmas we had Santa come to the house and last year we didn't take her to see him because we figured she would just cry.  OK, it was really because I was too lazy to brave the crowds at the mall!  But this year I am taking her! 

Ok, so I have added a couple of blogs to my reading list that I love to follow, Josh Weed and It just gets stranger.  These are incredible blogs and I really suggest that you read these. It just gets stranger is one of the funniest blogs I have ever read!  Have fun!

Halloween...

Saturday evening was Trunk or Treat at the Y.  Both girls were dressed as Vampires.  I was able to paint Hannah's face but Lanie would not let me do hers but she looked so cute without it.  Too bad they had to wear coats because they were both adorable! 

Lanie has been learning:

Trick or Treat, Smell my Feet
Give me something good to eat.

If you don't, I don't care
I'll pull down your underwear.

She has been working on it for the last 2 weeks.  Saturday she changed the words to the second verse:

If  you don't, I don't care
I'll pull down my onesie!

We laughed so hard!  She is just so funny.

I didn't get to go because I am still sick and it would have been very bad for my cold to sit out there and pass out candy. But Lanie had a great time and we let her eat more candy than she should have but all was well. She had eaten a great dinner before they left and it was a special day so I do not feel like a bad mom for letting her eat 10-12 pieces of candy!

She also had a great weekend of potty training.  She only wet her pants once and she also poopied in the potty twice.  All in all it was a good weekend.

Gymnastics may be coming to a close...

For at least a little while, we may have to opt out of gymnastics because Highway 70 express lane is closed for the next 3-4 weeks and I just can't seem to make it home until after 6:00 every day.  Gymnastics or "nastics" as they are known to Lanie, starts at 5:45 and is over at 6:15.  She would basically not get there until the stickers were being handed out!  And although she likes stickers it won't make up for the fact that she is not playing with the rest of the kids.  She would be late for 4 of the 6 classes.

She has found great joy in playing in her room now.  We do have to lock all upstairs doors but it is nice to have her play on her own for a few minutes at a time.  I wish I could keep her out of the kitchen though.  She can find so many things to get into in there.  She can empty a package of wipes in about a minute...a box of kleenex in about 45 seconds.  We have a lock on the pantry door and locks on all the cabinet doors but she still seems to be able to find things to get into  and she can reach all the counters so if there is anything on the counter, she will get it.  And she is so fast!  OMG! 

Ok, so I gotta go.  Have a great day!

It is that time of year again...

I went home sick on Thursday and spent most of Friday, Saturday and Sunday either in bed or in the chair in front of the TV.  I have been coughing ever since.  This weather is so insane... 40 degrees one day, the next 80 degrees!  Right now I am sitting at my desk sweating my butt off with the fan blowing directly on me and stopping about every sentence to take my hand held hot flash fan and try to cool off just a bit.  I rest my arms on the desk and then find they are sitting in a pool of sweat!

I looked back on my past two posts and realized I forgot to tell you about teaching Lanie how to say Trick or Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat.  I told her to go tell Papa and grandma and this is what she said, "Trick or Treat, smell Hettie's feet."  We laughed forever on that one! 

She has expanded it since then.  She now sings the second verse also.  She is getting very excited for Trick or Treating.  We were supposed to go to the pumpkin patch last Saturday but everyone was too sick.  This Saturday is Trunk or Treat...We will be taking pictures. 

Speaking of pictures, this was taken the week before at the park.  She can really climb that rope ladder and she also loves the rock climbing wall.  I have a little monkey!

World Class, Grade A Melt Down!

Yesterday our beautiful little Lanie decided to have a World Class, Grade A Melt Down for about 4 hours.  We could not do anything to make her happy.  If we said up, she said down, if we said day she said night...you get the picture!  She cried over everything and wanted to be with whomever she was not with.  She yelled at me, threw things at me and spit at me!  This is not my normal Miss Lanie! 

She ate her dinner very well so she got a cupcake but ended up feeding it to the dog and wanted more.  I, of course, told her no.  That sent her into a tail spin-running around the living room, screaming, stomping, throwing toys at me, telling me she would get a cupcake and on and on and on.  I put the cupcakes up higher so she could not reach them so she went downstairs and terrorized Papa and grandma for awhile.  Nothing helped!  We just started passing her back and forth between us.  When one had enough we would pass her on to the next person.  We finally made her go to bed at 7:00.  She was asleep within 15 minutes.  She then woke up crying at midnight.  I went in her room and she was crying saying, "I'll be good, I want to get up, I'll be good, I won't be bad, I a good girl."  I explained to her that it was the middle of the night then took her to bed with me.  It took her 2 1/2 hours to go to sleep although she was quiet and laid there nice and still.  I dozed off a bit but not much.  She finally fell asleep about 2:30 and I put her back in her bed. 

Whew!  I hope we don't have another night like that for a long, long time!

Noisy Cycles and Lallowee

Lanie got her Halloween costume this last weekend and very excited for Lallowee.  Just wait til she finds out she gets candy at Lallowee!  I am trying to teach her to say Trick or Treat now.

She is also very excited about Noisy cycles.  This is a motorcycle for all of you who do not speak Lanie.  She had me call her Uncle John last night to talk about Noisy cycles.  Uncle John promised to take her on a ride this summer when we go see them.  She also talked at length to Aunt Beth.  So now she has two more people to talk about.  She went to bed last night and the last thing she said to me was "I love my uncca John-- and noisy cycles."  She is so flippin cute!

Here is a note for Diane if you are reading this...I miss my BBF! We all miss you around here-there is no replacement for you that is worthy of the title!

Ok, gotta go, too many files to work on!

So Adorable!

Yesterday evening I picked up Lanie at the Y as usual.  Pappa put her in the car and she said, "Hi Honey".  I smiled because that is what I usually say to her.  We then went to Schnucks to get my medicine and of course a cookie.  Every person we passed Lanie waved and said "hi man" or "hi lady" or "hi baby".  It was so adorable!  We then got home and were sitting down to dinner and a motorcycle passed and Lanie said, "noisycycle".  I asked her, "What was that?"  She said, "A noisycycle.  I don't like noisycycles!".  What can I say, she comes up with the cutest things.  I know, I am probably the only one that thinks she is adorable and cute but thats ok.

Update on the Gymnastics class

I wrote on Monday about the Friday Gymnastics class being successful.  I also wanted to let you know the conversation we had in the car on the way home, because it is important!

Lanie:  I no push kids today.

Me:  I know, I am so proud of you.

Lanie:  I no sit in time out.

Me:  No, you did not!  That is so good.

Lanie: I a good girl now!

Me:  Yes Lanie, you are a good girl.

I was very proud of this moment because I feel like she understands the difference now between good and bad behaviour.  No I do not have blinders on and understand that this does not mean that she will never push another kid or get put in time out.  Heck, it doesn't even mean that she won't push another kid this week but she knows the difference and that is a success!

As for the time out...she got put in time out last night!  She does seem to love that corner. :) 

No Time-Out in Friday night gymnastics

I don't have a lot of time this morning but I wanted to make sure this little note got out there: 

This was the third Friday night gymnastics class and we got through it without Lanie pushing anyone or having to be in Time-Out.  I feel like there is hope at last! 

Saturday morning Lanie and I went to the park for 2 1/2 hours and had a blast.  Lanie played with some kids there and did very well.  She was a little upset that one little girl had "babies" with her and they did NOT belong to Miss Lanie but we got through it. 

I know its short but I will write again later in the week when it is not so crazy here!

Ok, so what is next?

Last night I let Lanie go outside to play as usual.  We have a large back yard, with a privacy fence and it is secure so I don't have to worry-and she comes in and out of the house about every three to five minutes anyway.  But last night when I went out to check on her I didn't see her.  I called her name because I figured she was around the corner of the house.  No answer.  I called a little louder and I hear this tiny voice say, "I here". 
I replied, "You're where?"
She said, "Right here." and then I see two little feet under the privacy fence.  Lanie decided to go visit the neighbor...by crawling under the fence into the back yard-and then could not get back through!  I ran next door to knock on the neighbors door but she was not home!  I ran back figuring that she got over there, surely I could help her get back. She was already out by then AND in the house and up the stairs.  I came in the front door and saw her at the top of the stairs covered from head to toe in mud! No, I did not get a picture.  I wish I had but I was afraid that would encourage the behaviour! Needless to say, she doesn't get to go outside by herself until Poppa gets that hole fixed. 

I thought I would add some pictures that I have taken recently.

Isn't that a cute smile?

We made meringue cookies and she licked the beaters.

This is a new dress that I got at a garage sale for .50 cents. 

 

These two outfits show her creativity...Oh my eyes!

That's my girl!

Time-out in Inchworms!

Yes, Friday Lanie had to sit in Time-out in inchworms class!  This child does not get to spend enough time with other children and just does not know how to interact with them.  She keeps pushing other kids!  I don't think she does it to be mean, she just does not understand that she needs to take turns and that those kids are in this class too.  She is the center of our universe so I think that she thinks she is the center of everyone elses universe too.  I have threatened to put a leash on her and then anytime she looks like she is going for another kid, pull back on the leash!  Ok, I know this is not good and I won't do it but I can dream about it! 

Lanie also runs all over the gym.  This gym is the size of two basketball courts and there is a center curtain that divides the two full size courts and then plactic pylons that seperate the area where we are from the other side of our gym.  She runs all over to ENTIRE two sides of this gymnasium.  There is NO WAY I can keep up with her.  It is impossible-This is where the leash would come in handy.  The child is WILD!  She even conned a little boy into following her example this last week.  The dad just looked over at me and shook his head.  What could I say?  "My child is the leader of all evil." I just smiled and shrugged my shoulder as I chased after my beautiful little girl!  :)

Staff Meeting Day-I have the afternoon off!

When CAASTLC has a staff meeting Temps do not go to them so we have the afternoon off-without pay of course.  But that is ok with me because I get to go to lunch with a work buddy and sometimes we even go to a movie but we are not today (Mostly because there is nothing at the cheap theater I want to see).  Lanie is still going to Susies so when I get home, I get to relax, maybe even take a nap!  How cool is that?! 

Lanie and I had a discussion last night about her doing as she is told. Ok, it was one sided but I am hoping that when she is put in the corner and we have these little talks afterwards that it will somehow sink in.  Maybe I am just wasting my breath but I like to think that it will eventually sink in.  She does tell me "I want to be good", "I want to be nice to Hannah", "I don't want to hurt Sandy".  So I do have hopes!

My BIL can go to any store in our area and will run into someone he knows.  My dad used to always do this too.  He had a saying that I remember, "Strangers are just friends I have never met.  Anyway, I have never had this experience...until today.  I went to QT for a granola bar and ran into a guy I used to work with at Tarlton.  Totally blew my mind.  We talked for a few minutes and then parted ways but it was just really nice to run into someone I knew. 

Almost time for another Inchworm class...

Tomorrow is inchworms again.  I am curious to see if Lanie remembers what she did in the class last week.  We talked about it last night and she remembered Brittany, although I do show her the video almost everyday of Brittany helping her with a somersault. 

Last night she was also complaining of a stomach ache quite a bit.  I thought it was maybe because she had not had a BM but I asked John and she said she had had two.  She did eventually go to sleep and was asleep still this morning when I left for work so I don't know how she is feeling this morning yet.  She was still playing last night but complained about her tummy and I was up a few times during the night with her, which is very unusual as she will sleep all night most nights. 

I have had a fairly busy week this week.  I have had 5-6 appointments every day all week and everyone has shown up so far!  I probably just jinxed myself by typing that but it is just so nice to be busy with weatherization clients for a change...and to have everyone show up!  I usually have at least a 5% no show rate.

Lanie's First Gymnastics Class

I took Lanie to her first Gymnastics class on Friday at the Y.  She is in the "Inchworms" class for 2-3 year olds, so she will be in this one for 3 sessions.  This, of course, was her first time and I was not sure what to expect.  Picture twelve 2-3 year old kids all clinging to their moms and dads-well, all except Lanie who is running around, playing on all the equipment, laughing, singing, dancing and having a grand old time by herself.  Everyone else waits for the teacher-but not Miss Lanie Lou!  The teacher has them sit on the floor so they can stretch out before they start their strenuous routine.  Lanie can't even sit there for 2 seconds and she is up running around!  I finally get her sat down just in time to get into line so they can "take turns" doing somersaults with Brittany (the teacher).  The reason that "take turns" is in quotes is because Lanie does not know how to take turns...neither do the other 11 children it seems.  So we spend the next 40 minutes trying to take turns on each piece of equipment.  I was amazed at how well she did on the balance beam...all the other children were holding moms hand as they carefully walked on the beam, falling off every other step.  Lanie got on it without my hand-and almost ran to the other end without falling off once!  She was also the only one who would climb on top of this little pyramid thing and jump off by herself.  The others held their parents hands to jump from one level to the next but not Miss Lanie Lou.  She climbed to the top (about 2 1/2 feet off the ground) and jumped to the floor.  No fear in that child! We had a fun time but it wore me out!

Also, Lanie is calling me Mama again.  She calls me Hettie at times still but it is mostly Mama now.  We had a talk the other day and she said I was her mama now.  Made me cry but also made me smile.  She is my baby girl!

I am so happy it is Friday!

For a short week, this has sure been a long one!  We had Monday off for Labor Day but this week really dragged.  We are all just run ragged!It should start slowing down some now that we are out of water funds.  I have 6 Weatherization folders on my desk to get done today and at least 30 to call on to make appointments.

This weekend Lanie and I are on our own.  We are going to make Meringue cookies.  I have been wanting to try those out for a long time so this will be the weekend we do! I think I will also make potatoe soup too or cream of broccoli soup.  I need to make a grocery list so we can do some grocery shopping this evening after I pick her up from Susies. 

Lanie's sweet smile!

3

Before Fudgecicle

After Fudgecicle!

She really loves her fudgecicles!  She calls them popcicles though.  I have to send her outside to eat them so that I don't have a heart attack trying to keep things clean.  It stresses me out to watch her eat them.  If I just see the after effects I am ok and knowing that I don't have to go outside and clean up the mess makes me much happier. 



STILL Trying to Potty Train!

I have just spent 3 days trying to potty train a 2 1/2 year old!  It was an abysmal failure! The only time she would actually go in the potty chair was when she first got up in the morning.  The rest of the day she would pee in her panties.  I bought her big girl panties, a princess potty, she gets stickers and treats when she goes potty.  We do the potty dance and clap and praise her when she goes.  I don't know what else to do!  If anyone reads this and has any suggestions, I will try just about anything!

I was actually ready to come back to work today.  I was so tired of saying, "do you have to go potty?"  "Please sit on the potty chair."  "Tell me when you have to go potty."  and all other variations on this theme! 

Speaking of potty, I didn't get to go to the potty until 3:00 this afternoon, I have been so busy!  There are so many of my clients that have not shown up in the past three weeks...at least 3 people a week!  Granted I have plenty of walk in Water clients that take their place so I have still been busy but I really want to be doing weatherization clients. 

We did not do anything this weekend Labor Dayish. No BBQ's, no one came over, we did not go to a park.  John didn't even get out of his pajamas yesterday.  I didn't take the car out of the driveway all weekend.  We are such boring people!  Next weekend Nonnie and John are going to Sedalia to see his parents.  Lanie and I will stay here by ourselves.  I actually love these weekends that they are gone, when it is just Lanie and me.  We have a lot of fun and I don't have to fight with her to go downstairs.  I guess I will have to let the boys out a few times though. 

My Job is Starting to be a Pain!

Don't get me wrong.  I enjoy the fact that I am employed but right now it is really hard to get up for work when you know you are just going to get yelled at every time you speak to someone!  We are out of funds for electric and gas and people are not happy about it.  I think we have been fairly lucky because this is the first time in 10 months that we have run out.  With out mild winter this year, we did not use all the LiHeap funds so it stretched further than normal and with the horrible heat this summer we got extra monies to help.  People got very spoiled 

I know that it is rough, I know that some people cannot pay their bills but if even half of the people that could pay their bills Would Pay Their bills we could actually help the people that REALLY need it.  And those that come in need to be a bit more patient, a bit less rude and do their best to help themselves.  This morning I was ready to throw in the towel before 8:30!  I have not gone up to reception except during Lisa's morning break and during her lunch.  I have drawn the line in the sand!  I need a day away from those people and I am taking as much of my day back as I can.  I actually did 2 Wx clients today!  Woo Hoo!

Anyway, I have lots to catch up on so gotta run...Can you beleive it...nothing about Lanie in this one!

What Can She Put Up Her Nose Today?!

I took Lanie to the Urgent care 2 weeks ago because she put stuffing up her nose (from a stuffed animal).  Last night when I picked her up from the Y John told me she was stinking again-not the diaper, the nose.  So when I got home I laid her on the table and looked in her nose.  Sure enough, there is something there. 

I said, "Lanie, you put something up your nose again!" 
She said, "I go to doctor, I get stickers!"
I then replied, "You are not going to the doctor, I am digging it out and you are not getting a sticker." 

She was not a happy camper but I got the tweezers out and reached in and gently pulled out a piece of something...I don't really know what it was.  It was small and rectangular and looked like a piece of cardboard or a piece of Gizzy's dog food.  I did not dissect it or smell it to find out....ewwww.....gross!

We had a long conversation about NOT sticking stuff up the nose.  She also reacted for the first time to an ambulance going by.  They go by our house quite often and I know this was not the first time she heard one but it is the first time she reacted!  She wanted to know what it was, what was happening.  I told her that someone was probably hurt and the ambulance would take them to the doctor.  She was fascinated by that.

Also, when I asked her if she wanted cheese, she said, "No, me done with cheese."  She would not eat cheese for me for 2 days.  Nonnie said she did eat it today though. 

Such fun with a two and a half year old!

Doing the Happy Dance!!

Today my neice and her son left!  Woo Hoo...happy dance time!  Our house is back to just the four of us plus a cat.  I'm not at all happy about the cat and I have voiced my opinion and have told them that I will not be cleaning litterboxes or having any responsibility for the cat! 

I cannot wait to get home tonight.  It will just be me and Lanie and we get to get back to our routine and not have to worry about anyone else.  I want to start making that room into a playroom for Lanie.  I'm not really sure how I will do it but I am going to start working on it.  I need to figure out how to keep the closet doors shut first or just take everything out of there, but even then she will crawl onto the shelves or break the doors.  They are rickety sliding closet doors that are not in very good shape in the first place but I really do not want them broken. 

I will try to start cleaning house today unless John got ambitious and started today...then I will work on whatever needs to be done.  I also need to start working on my room.  I really want to get it at least cleaned if not decorated as I want it to be.  I have a lot of Lanies clothes in there that no longer fit her or she has not grown into.  I have more of her clothes in my room than I do of my own!  I also need to clean Lanies closet.  That will be a fun project.

I Am Really Hoping For A Peaceful Evening

Ok, so the girls left last night, but not til about 7:30 so did not have much time to enjoy it after putting Lanie to bed and doing dishes and stuff. So tonight I am hoping for peace.  Levi and Toni are still there but Levi can watch t.v. in his room or go downstairs with his mom.  I just want to spend my evening with Lanie and ignore everyone else.  That will be nice :). 

Today has been very, very busy.  I was at the receptionist desk for 4 hours so have not had a whole lot of time to do my work.  It will be like that for the next 3 days because the Receptionist is on vacation.  Next week one of my fellow CSR's is on vacation and we are starting the 100 neediest families and the following week is the start of water help.  It is going to be busy around here for awhile, that's why I want peace at home.  I cannot survive with chaos all around me.

The Girls Leave Tonight

This is gonna be short and sweet!! The girls are leaving tonight to go stay with their dads!  I am so excited, the only thing that would make this sweeter is if Levi and Toni were going with!  I told John last night that this may call for a shot of Tequila!  I may survive another week or so.

I Am Always Angry

As the title says, I Am Always Angry!  I wake up angry, I go to bed angry and am angry all day long.  I cannot seem to get out of anger mode and if I do happen to smile or laugh, the anger is always there just under the surface.  I do not like feeling this way and need to somehow get out of this because it is killing me.  My stomach is constantly in knots and I am always eating.  I have a permanent frown on my face and am starting to scare clients!  I googled "How can I not be angry" and got a list of 10 ways to calm my anger but it just makes me angrier reading it because I keep thinking, "They don't know what it is like to have my 2 neices and my nephew living in their house, destroying their property and constantly bickering!

The good news is, the girls are leaving tomorrow!  I hope and pray with all my heart that it happens.  Toni has a second interview on Thursday so hopefully she will get that job.  She also got a check yesterday that could help her get an apartment and should receive another one soon.  I am praying that my sanity holds out!

It is pretty bad when you would rather go to work than stay home!

This entire month has been a test of my patience and sanity.  My neice and her children moved in with us on July 1st and I am so ready for them to be gone.  They have pretty much destroyed everthing in our house and I just do not know how much more I can handle and really do not want to be tested on it.  Not only are they destructive but they do not mind, do not think that the rules apply to them and treat Lanie like an unwanted dog.  I, in turn, am turning into a first class *BITCH*!  I seem to yell all the time, have a constant frown on my face and just cannot seem to enjoy anything anymore.  I would rather be at work than at home.  I would rather go hungry than go out to breakfast with them.  The only reason I don't go look for a second job is that I really do need to be home with Lanie in the evening. 

The girls leave on Thursday or Friday of this week but we will still have Levi and Toni.  Toni has an interview today so hopefully she will ge the job and be on her way to getting her own apartment.  Maybe she will even take a shower today!  What a relief that will be.  Their room stinks like body odor and cat litter box.  What a joy!

Ok, have to leave this on a positive note:

I am having a hard time finding anything positive to put in here today.  I find it very difficult to be positive at all right now.  It is even hard to be happy around Lanie-at least for any length of time because the three hellions interject into our time.  The only time I truly get alone with Lanie is if I sneak her off to the grocery store with me or when it is story time at bed time.  I do love sitting on the floor and reading her stories at bedtime.  She is so cute and is memorizing the stories because she will say them with me.  This weekend instead of putting kisses in her pockets, she is putting them in an envelope and takes them out and eats them.  So incredibly cute! 

Hiding Kisses

This weekend was a good weekend...even though it was noisy!  I was not prepared for the noise level that three little girls can make.  There is not a moment of peace and quiet between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and it just drives me crazy!  Even after I go to bed I hear running, jumping and slamming of doors downstairs.  It just never stops!

Lanie was feeling a bit put out this weekend because her Cuzzies were being mean to her.  They are just now all that baby friendly and try to keep her out of things by yelling and pushing her.  She doesn't like that too well. 

She also picked up something new this weekend.  She hides kisses in her pockets.  When I ask her to give me a kiss, she says she can't because "they are hiding in her pockies".  I then ask her to take one out so I can have one.  She pulls it out of her pockie and then puts it in her mouth and then is able to give me a kiss.  It is just so cute! 

I think I am really ready for the two girls-Jordan and Natalie-to go to their dads for the school year.  I really thought they would be more help and more fun than they are.  And they are if you can drag them away from the t.v.  Everytime I need help or need to get their attention I have to go open their door and holler at them because they have the t.v. so loud that regular talking is not to be heard above it. 

Isn't she just the cutest little girl?  I just love her so much!



Forgot to post pictures!

I forgot to post pictures of my nieces new baby and her boys! 

 Baleigh-1 Week old

Baleigh in her blessing dress 

 Devon and Mason-best buds

Mason is so cheesy!

My Mind Tends to Wander

I have not been all that busy at work and it gives my mind time to wander.  I'm not sure that is always a good idea.  Sometimes I think constructive thoughts and am able work out little problems but other times it just opens the brain up to all kinds of musings and day dreams.  I have a hard time being happy in the present.  I always look for something better or happier.  I strive for better things and while that can be good, too much of it causes me to not be happy with where I am now.  I somehow need to strive to live in the here and now and be happy with what I have and where I am in life right now. 

When it comes to enjoying the here and now with Lanie, I can do that.  I am enjoying each stage she goes through and also keeping in mind that they will not last forever-that goes with the good and bad things.  I look back on when we first got her and all the milestones she has hit and surpassed.  I remember just holding her, looking at her, kissing her little fingers and toes and wanting to savor every precious moment with her because I was so afraid that someone was going to take her away from me.  My life quickly started revolving around her.  Everytime I go anywhere with or without Lanie, I think about her.  What does Lanie need?  What can I get to make her smile?  Wouldn't that dress look so cute on her?  I can't wait to get home to her.

At dinner every night I encourage her to eat all her dinner.  I don't make her clean her plate but I do encourage her to eat and if she does not eat a sufficient amount I put it away and she will eat it later when she gets hungry.  She does not like that because she wants a popcicle.  Last night she ate very well and she got her popcicle.  She was a very happy camper. 

She was playing outside for a while and somehow broke the sprinkler.  I had not even noticed that she was wet so I don't know how she did it.  It seems like things get broken magically around our house.  Oh and messes get made magically also.  Our house is such a total disaster area right now that I really hate waking up in the morning and looking at it.  I clean up everything at night, pick up toys, throw all the stuff away on kitchen counters, put food away or in the trash that has been left out-everything but doing the dishes.  I fee that they can be done by the people at home all day long.  And then I spend my entire weekend cleaning! 

Toni still has not found a job.  She hasn't even gone looking again since the one day 2 weeks ago.  She has a bus pass that she has only used 2-3 times!  She paid $72 for it and it is not being used.  What a waste of money. 

Ok, sorry for bitchin...back to the original premise of today's blog.  I keep dreaming of a better life, a bigger-better house, better car, more money...whatever.  I play the lottery about once a week and day dream about all the things I will do with the money if I win.  I have a very active fantasy life but I think that is keeping from being happy and satisfied in the now.  Or if I just try to be happy in the now will it depress me too much to function?  I have always fantasized about bigger and better, prettier and skinnier.  Even when I was young I would fantasize about growing up, having beautiful things...and I was always skinnier and much better looking than I am in real life.  I think that is why I moved around so much when I was younger.  I had "The grass is always greener" syndrome that my youngest sister still has.  I don't move around so much now because I know that the grass is not always greener anywhere else.  Better the devil you know than the one you don't know is now my motto!

Miss Lanie is really growing up!

It has been a little while since I last posted but really, nothing has been all that exciting.  My neice and her two daughters have moved in with us for a short time...at least we hope it is a short time.  We went out last weekend and I bought $118 worth of school supplies for them!  Holy Cow!

It seems to be going ok for now.  It is strange to have them in the house because we are in a routine of how we take care of Lanie and it involves locking doors, putting measures in place to protect stuff and her and it is hard to teach others to do the same.  Lanie has spilled 2 pounds of yeast on the floor, emptied kool aid on the floor, spilled dog food, cat food and lord knows what else!  It is almost impossible to keep her out of the bathroom now, not only because they forget to lock it but also because we are trying to do the potty training thing. 

The other night I took her up to bed at 8:30 but I always give her about a 1/2 hour before I come back and read to her.  Her room was a mess and had toys everywhere so I told her she needed to clean it up before I got back up to read her a story.  I figured she would just play and nothing would get done but when I came back up she had picked up all her toys and put them in the toy box!  I was totally amazed.  I praised her like crazy and told her what a good girl she was. 

We read every night and recently have gone back and forth between two books, I love you forever and I'll always love you.  She chose I'll love you forever last night.  I cry everytime I read that book so I decided a few days back that I would leave out the part where the son rocks the mom and sings her the song.  I did and did not cry at all.  Lanie keeps waiting for me to cry now.  She touches my eyes and says "no crying?"  I tell her, "Not this time!"  She loves it at the end end because I pick her up and rock her in my arms and sing the little song, "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as Long as I'm living my baby you'll be."  I sing it about 4 or 5 times and then she is ready to go to sleep.  I put her back in bed, kiss her on the lips and on the head, she kisses me back on the lips and on the head and out goes the lights and she sleeps the rest of the night.  I am so greatful that bedtime is not drama time!  We are not so lucky at dinner time though!

I am always so amazed at how she is growing, how much she is learning and all the little things along the way.  I always knew that I would love a child that I was able to raise but I never knew how much until Miss Lanie-loo!

Father's Day Weekend

This weekend was Father's Day and Lanie and I practiced all day Saturday to say Happy Father's Day to Pappa.  When it came time to give him her gift she tossed it to him and said, "Here!"  We all laughed and thought it was so cute-of course. 

She dressed in her Cardinals dress in honor of Pappa-he is the biggest Cardinals fan around.

She also decided to get into her closet yesterday and do fingerpainting by herself!  What a mess but dang, she is just so cute it is impossible to get upset with her for long.  She had it all over her face, hands and feet...everywhere she did not have clothes.  Notice also the four layers of clothing...her jammies (put on backwards with a safety pin so she cannot get out), a short sleeve t-shirt, long sleeve t-shirt and a fleece jacket.  She loves to dress herself!

Another Birthday

Sunday was my 53rd birthday.  I spent the morning cooking to take dinner over to a co-worker who just had a baby.  I actually spent almost an hour there with 2 co-workers and Lanie.  I get very nervous with Lanie because she is into everything.  It usually bothers me more than anyone else but that is just the way I am.  I had only intended to stay an hour and we almost made it that long!  It was a nice time, I got to hold the baby and I actually hung out with friends.  I need to do that with out Lanie so I can spend more time with them. 

John grilled steaks that evening for dinner.  We also grilled bananas and strawberries and they turned out very yummy.  The girls loved them.  It's fun to try something new. 

Oneita had her baby on Friday evening.  Bayleigh Irene, 7 pounds, 12 ounces.  She is a beauty. 

They are now at home and healthy and happy.  The boys are thrilled with their new little sister.

We will go up next weekend to see them all.  I am looking forward to it.  Not looking forward to the drive but oh well, opposition in all things!

Post Memorial Day BBQ Blahhhh

This past Memorial Day weekend was a nice time to just relax and spend time with the family.  My BIL BBQ'd every day...on Saturday we had hot dogs, hamburgers and cheesy brats.  Sunday we had BBQ Chicken with a side of pork steaks and Monday we had ribs and beef steaks, brats and hot dogs.  It was a meat filled weekend and I have been recovering since then.  I crave salads and light meals. 

Lanie got a new surprise this weekend.  My BIL was able to get a used pink Barbie Mustang car that runs on battery. 

She loves it.  I think she likes the horn and radio more than being able to drive it. 

Here she is on her new tire swing that Papa made for her.

She also likes sitting in the trees with the birdies!

I get to go home early today!

Today is a staff meeeting for my workplace, but since I am a temporary employee I don't have to go!  Woo Hoo!  I get to go home just in time to put Lanie down for a nap and take a nap myself.  Today is a gift from the Gods.  I would love to take Lanie to the park today.  Maybe we will do that after a nap. 

There is nothing going on this weekend so maybe I can get some house work done.  My BIL's parents may be moving up here in the near future so we need to organize and reassign the computer room as their bedroom.  That means we need to remove a bunch of stuff. 

One of my collegues is leaving today to go on maternity leave.  We will miss her. She is such a fun person and great to talk to.  I told her that Lanie and I would come visit her after the baby is born so she can meet Lanie and I can meet her two little boys. 

I would love to have exciting things to write on here but I just don't so have a great weekend.

Happy Mother's Day

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day because I did.  My little girl (through Grandma and Grandpa) got me a basket of teas and stationary, and a balloon because she needed something to play with too.  Grandpa bar-b-qued AND did dishes after dinner.  It was wonderful. 

I do believe we have ended the poop painting.  Yesterday Lanie was in the back yard and she had a bowel movement in her diaper.  She did not take it off and paint in it and she had the opportunity to do it.  I was a very happy camper!  She has been finger painting on the deck and soap painting in the bathroom so maybe we have satisfied her artistic side and she does not feel the need to poop paint.  Again, I am happy.

Here is Miss Lanie with the balloon that was attached to my gift basket.

She is such a sweetie.  She kept saying "Happy Mother's Day" all day long and giving me kisses and hugs.  I had a really good day.

Not very busy at work

We are not all that busy right now at work and that makes for very long days.  Last week I did not have any weatherization clients and only about 12 food clients.  We are out of water funds so those clients do not even occupy my time.  I know that if it weren't for my supervisor going on maternity leave I would probably be let go as I am only a temp.  But with her leaving they have to have the two of us just in case Wx picks up...which I am so hoping it does! 

I took last Friday off to spend a little time with Lanie.  We had good days on both Friday and Saturday but on Sunday she was not feeling well.  Her back teeth were hurting and she was running a fever.  I think her 3 year molars are coming in. I spent two hours on the floor in her bedroom Sunday night rocking her and singing Rock-a-bye-baby.  She would not let me sing any other song and if I tried she would put her hand on my mouth and say "No, Rock-A-Bye Baby!"  I finally got her back to sleep and then I went to bed and she slept until 8:00 Monday morning, Nonnie said.  She felt fine all day yesterday according to Nonnie and was very playful last night.

This weekend is Mother's Day-my second one.  Last Mother's Day Thomas put a damper on it but I am hoping this Mother's Day will be fun.  Hannah will be here and I really did not want that but I will deal with it.  Nonnie and John won't want to celebrate because it will remind them of Tanya but I will celebrate in my own mind!  I know it sounds crazy and thats ok.  I accept that.

I am in the process of looking for a blessing dress for Baleigh.  Oneita wants one for her blessing and also for the temple sealing.  I really wish they would wait for the Temple Sealing because I just don't either one of them are ready. 

Looking for Training Panties

I cannot believe how hard it is to find cloth training panties.  You can buy them on line but then the delivery charges are outrageous.  I had to call three different Baby's R Us stores to find one that had them in stock.  I had already called 4 Walmarts and none of them had them.  So Lanie and I will make a trip to Baby's R Us tonight and get the training panties we need because I am somehow going to get this child potty trained! 

Work has been quite slow this past week and I am really trying to keep busy and at least look like I am doing something.  I try to get every client I can that walks through the door but we just don't have many people coming in.  They come in for Electric and Gas bill help but not water, food or weatherization and those are the only ones I can help them with!  I do what I can, hope they will keep me on through my supervisor's maternity leave and go from there. 

Poop Painting Problem

This weekend my beautiful little girl decided to "Poop Paint" again.  I was at the end of my rope and didn't know where to turn for advice on how to stop this or if I had the only child in the world who ever did this.  I turned to google.  It led me to a web site that not only gave me some sound, logical advice but also gave me a sense of comradery because there were lots of parents who had posted the same questions.  The sound, logical advice was to let her finger paint or be creative in a messy way and see if that helps.  I went home Monday and Tuesday nights and let her finger paint in the bathtub/shower with pudding.  I didn't have any finger paints and did not have the money to go buy them.  I did however, have some butterscotch pudding in the pantry that no one would eat and decided that would work just fine.  At first she thought it was a trap and that I was going to spank her. I convinced her that it was ok and she decided that pudding painting was so much fun!  She loved it and also loved cleaning it off the shower walls.  The second night went well along with coloring in her color books using mess free color markers (BTW- big rip off-They do not write on anything but the paper that comes with them but they barely mark on that!)  She bites the tips off of those though so I have to watch her like a hawk. 

I also let her play in the dirt Monday night which was a big step for me.  I don't like messy so this has been a testing experience for me.  But I am really trying to let her be little, get messy and just have fun.  I will pretty much do whatever is necessary to keep her from "Poop Painting" again.

Still not feeling well.

I am still not feeling well.  I keep coughing and coughing.  I can't sleep more than a few minutes at a time because I wake up coughing.  Trying to talk with clients is a joke.  I can't even get through an intake without having to leave 2-3 times so that I am not coughing in their faces!  Thank goodness I do not have many scheduled this week.  I am wore out from no sleep-I think I am going to try to take a nap in my car during lunch today.  We'll see how that goes. 

Just not feeling well and am having a hard time being positive so I am not going to write anymore today.

I am sick...again!

Since moving into this house (18 months ago) I have been sick about 4 times and each time has lasted a long time.  I got a cold the day after Thanksgiving and it lasted for 17 weeks.  I still had the cough from that cold and now I have another cold.  I don't know what I am doing that is making me stay so sick.  I looked up COPD online today.  I do have all the symptoms except hard to breathe especially after excercising.  That really is no different most of the time.  There are a few times now that I am so congested that I have to concentrate on taking deep breaths.  Lanie also has a runny nose again and Nonnie is getting sick too.  I would really love to move and get us out of this house because I really do think there is something in this house that is causing this.  I have never been so sick so often before.  I bet there is mold in the basement or something. 

We worked on Lanie potty training again this weekend and Nonnie said she would work on being more consistent with her during the day and I will be more consistent in the evening and hopefully we can get her trained soon.  We had a pretty good weekend this weekend though.  Lanie was a happy camper most of the weekend and I did not do a whole lot of yelling.  I feel that it was a positive weekend. 

I got Lanie's hair up in a pony tail this weekend.  She calls it her Pone.  Here is the front view...

the back view

and now it comes out!

Started an excercise routine last night

Last night I started doing Turbo Jam again.  I enjoy it because of the music and the fact that it is low impact and I can actually do it.  Lanie was watching me last night and she was trying to do the same moves I was doing and then I could see the light go on in her little brain saying "Oh screw this"  and she started running circles around me as I did the routine.  She was so cute and when I collapsed in my chair aftter 14 minutes, sweat pouring down my face, breathing very hard, she plopped down on the floor, took her blanket and started wiping her face just like I was with my towel.  We had a good laugh and now I can't wait to do it with her again tonight. 

I wrote yesterday that I was looking for a way to make extra money.  Today I was looking at the online ways to do it and was pretty depressed after googling a few of the more prominent programs.  I did sign up with a Mystery shopper thing.  That might be kind of fun-but I am concerned about the gas getting to and from these stores.  We'll see how it works. I don't think that blogging to make money is going to work for me.  I can't even get people to read my blog so that keeps me off the paying list. 

Just another day in paradise.

Good morning all. (Like there is actually someone reading this!)  Yesterday seemed particularly long but it was worth it when I came home and Lanie ran to me to give me a kiss and a hug.  She is just so flipping cute.  Just look at that cute little face.  See the roses in the vase beside her.  She loves them and asks us to let her smell them...which she blows on them instead of smelling them.  Just so cute! 

We had a pretty good evening last night and she ate well with no fighting.   We played outside on the slide before we had dinner.  All in all a good evening with my baby girl. 

I have got to figure out how to make more money.  I am seriously thinking about doing the online work.  It will cost me $200 to get into it so I am really afraid that it will be wasted money and that would kill me.  I cannot afford to lose money when I am trying to make it.  I cannot seem to get ahead or even catch up.  I am 2 months behind on my Laclede bill and the Water bill is due now and I can't pay it.  I take intakes on people who make more money than I do so they can get their water and electric bills paid but I can't get my own done!  It is a very frustrating aspect of my job.  I cannot take a second job because I need to be home with Lanie but if I could do something at home that would not take me away from her maybe that would be the answer. 

Too Much Sugar!!

The Easter Bunny brought way too much candy and Grandma let Miss Lanie Lou Chickee Poo eat too much because she was bouncing off walls last night.  The child was in perpetual motion and could not stop.  She absolutely did not listen to anything she was told and could not stop doing what she wasn't supposed to do.  She does not get candy again until she is 47 years old.

Oneita and Travis were here for the weekend with Devon and Mason and we had such a good time. It was Mason's birthday and he wanted a blue cake so we made a blue cake.  He got to put the food coloring in and he thought that was so much fun.  You can't tell but there is a spiderman candle on the cake along with the #4 and then four regular birthday candles.  We also sang him all four birthday songs and he thought that was pretty special.  

Ok, so you know the trials we have had with Lanie painting with her poop.  Well, Papa got a picture of it the other day.  He said she was just laying in her bed rubbing poop all over her like it was lotion-singing as she went.  This picture is blackmail material for when she grows up!  

We played outside alot while the cousins were here and had so much fun. She tried so hard to keep up with the cousins.  She ran after them, played on her tricycle with them.  She colored Easter eggs right along side of them. I did not get pictures of that as I was too busy keeping her from drinking the egg dye but Oneita got photos so I am hoping to get them from her. Lanie really "got into" the blue dye.  

She really enjoyed her cousins though.  She would wake up from her naps or in the morning saying..."Cousins" and running down to see them. 



Getting ready for Easter weekend

Today my niece and her family are coming to our house to spend the Easter weekend with us.  They should already be there but I am stuck at work and cannot get out of here until 5:00.  I have not seen them since Christmas so am looking forward to visiting with them and playing with the boys.  Mason turns 4 on Thursday so we are celebrating his birthday here this weekend and he wants a blue cake.  Nonnie and John picked up the cake mix and frosting today so I will make that tonight.  We will also fill easter baskets tonight.  I picked up some regular old egg dye at Walgreens today but am still looking for the Paas Color Swabs.  I will try to get out to Walmart tonight for those and for Mason's Birthday present.  I also bought some brushes so we can paint with food color.  We will have fun no matter what we do...as long as we keep a positive attitude and not expect perfection from the children!

I was going to make some sugar cookies for them to decorate but I did not get to it.  Oh well, I think we have enough to do to keep them busy...or at least keep me busy. I hope I can get pictures this weekend and then get them downloaded so I can add them to my next posting. 

Oh what a pain in the tushy

My sciatic nerve is acting up right now so I literally have a pain in the tushy.  Lanie decided that it is really fun to poke at my tushy and watch me jump! I would bend over to get something and she will poke my right cheek really hard and laugh.  She also laughs at Nana when Nana uses a tennis ball on her back to work the muscles.  I think this child has a sadistic streak in her.

Here is a picture of Lanie when I picked her up at Day Care yesterday.  She loves her shades and think she looks so cool.--even with them on crooked. 

Here is just another one of her being her cute little self.  I really love taking pictures of this child.  She is so photogenic and looking at the photos brings a smile to my face even when clients drive me crazy!  (oops, did I say that out loud?!)





First BBQ of the season!

We had our first BBQ of the year this weekend. It was so good.  I made Macaroni Surprise which is a normal Mayo/mustard macaroni salad but I put fresh veggies in it like Broccoli, cauliflour, carrots and sugar snap peas.  Oh man it was good-I made a huge bowl to last a few days.  I even brought some to work with me.  Lanie loves it and eats it by the handful-literally. 

Nana bought Lanie 3 new pairs of summer shoes; gellies, crocks and flip flops.  No little girl can live without them in the summer. She loves them and keeps changing them throughout the day.  She even mixes and matches.  She is just such a cutie!

Nonnie has started up smoking again.  She said that it was because it is March and that is Tonya's birthday month.  I can understand that but she cannot let that get her off track, not to mention that I really hate waking up to the smell of smoke in the middle of the night.  That is just so irritating because I was really get used to not smelling it.  She said she is going to have the accupuncture again this week.  I don't think she wants Oneita knowing that she has started smoking again.  I really hope she does it this week because I really don't like the smoking thing.  She tends to not watch Lanie as well when she is smoking because she goes downstairs and leaves Lanie alone for too long and then Lanie gets into stuff she shouldn't.

Looks like we get to move after all.

We had decided that if our landlords would fix our plumbing problem, we would not move because we basically like the house and the area is exactly where my sister and BIL want to be but the problem with the plumbing is an ongoing one and we will have to have the drain snaked about ever 12-18 months.  The LL finally agreed that this is not our fault but the way the pipes are laid out so are willing to pay to have this done.  So I had to stop looking for houses to buy because I knew that Nonnie and John would not do it for at least 3 years.  But...we just found out that there is someone looking to buy up the whole area where we live-about a four-six block radius so we get to move.  It is also rumored that the owners are being paid to have the renters re-located so hopefully that means they will pay for movers for us.  I get to start looking at houses again..woo hoo!

Below is Lanie's first meal of Ramen Noodles.  Her birth mother used to love these and it looks like Lanie does too.

Ok, I didn't get a chance to talk about my weekend without Lanie.  This is my first weekend since we got her that I had more than about 12 hours without her and NOT working.  I did really miss her though! On Saturday I cleaned carpets in her room and mine and then arranged and cleaned my room - which I had done barely nothing to since Thomas left.  Well I cleaned it when I moved back up there after he left but that was about it.  I still want to put stuff on the walls.

I then spent my entire Sunday reading The Hunger Games.  Let me tell you that is a good book.  It kept my interest from the very beginning and I could not put it down.  I finished all but the last chapter by Sunday night but had to go to sleep so finished it on my lunch hour Monday.  I would really love to see the movie but since I will not be getting away from Lanie for the next few months for even a movie I guess I will have to wait for it to come out on video or on demand.  It was really great to have that time to myself.  I felt so rested and relaxed on Monday and Tuesday but by today it has started wearing off and I am feeling a bit tired.  I didn't sleep well last night though.  I kept having strange dreams and waking up and then going back to the same dreams.  Crazy!  Yesterday I had 11 clients I was really tired by the end of the day and thought I would sleep but I just didn't.

Last night when I picked up Lanie she was in a crabby mood.  I don't think she had a nap.  But she played outside before and after dinner, then had a bath and fell asleep in my lap by 7:15.  She was a tired puppy!