Robin's Nest

I spent the weekend doings some things that I wanted to do. That included paying someone to watch the baby for half of the day. I just felt "off" a bit. But that didn't stop me from going to a "Pure Romance" party that one of my former co-workers had invited me to. It was a lot of fun and nice to get out without feeling guilty about leaving DH to wrangle the children. After the party my car wouldn't start so I walked to my daughter's house. She took me back to my car to see if we could get it started. No luck. So we went shopping and then she drove me home. I spent Sunday and all of Monday worshipping at the porcelain throne. The last time anyone in my home was this sick was about this time last year. That is when the littlest one ended up in the hospital for 3 days. That was a completely different house but the circumstances are not all that different. Luckily, with all the snow that came in overnight the schools were closed.  Good thing as the

With Halloween just days away Thanksgiving can't be far behind.  Of course that leaves you know what closer than you are probably prepared for. At least it does me. I haven't even purchased or made costumes for the kids. The plan was to go to Goodwill this evening because Tuesday is military day. But the best laid plans of mice and men and moms... Luckily Wednesday is old people day! So we are good! Speaking of Goodwill, I went there with the little that I was babysitting on Monday. We found a coffee table! Okay it was not a coffee table and it was too big for our little living room. But we bought it anyway. I had too! What else could I have done? It came with six airplanes! Who could say no to six airplanes in a too small living room? Obviously not me! So now in the living room is Jay Jay the Jet plane play table and six airplanes. Today was one of my two days off from babysitting. Not much got done but I did make biscuits and sausage gravy from scratch. It didn't b

It is Saturday and that may not seem all that important, but as a child it meant no school and all the good cartoons on television... all morning. Surprisingly, as an adult it still means no school but why would I care? This is why... Because number 9 and 10 don't have school. Today is the first day that I realized they don't rush to the television for cartoons like we did. Of course with Netflix and no real local channels available without connecting to cable they haven't been introduced to them. But still they hardly sit through an animated show anyway. Most of today has been the 9 year-old acting out and trying to melt down. It has not been a fun day per Se. We were supposed to go have banana splits with a friend in celebration of her new refrigerator. Hey one needs to celebrate when one can! Yet three out of five people in this house do not want to do the work required to get ready to go. One out of five is not willing to do it all herself.  Finally, about 1300, t

Today was an unusual day, even for my world. Yesterday after physical therapy I actually and some relief from the pain. So deciding that the kids were tired too, we turned in early for bed. It was then I realized that the relief was very noticeable. As I drifted off to sleep I was kicked in the side by a seven-year old climbing into my bed. That was the beginning of a very long night with little sleep. Within an hour the nine-year old was up and couldn't get back to sleep so she had to talk... and talk and talk. Finally about midnight she dozed back off. Within an hour DH decided to finally come to bed and was actually very quiet in doing so. It was the silence of the television that woke me up that time. Somehow the lack of hearing the music to "Jaws" seemed wrong. I looked over to his side of the bed and sure enough he was asleep. I got up and checked on the couch child and covered her back up. As I returned to my half of the king-size bed it was obvious the younger

It is Fall! Yup cold mornings and hot afternoons. I like this weather. I do not like getting up to put "nails" on the girls. They are cute enough but they don't stick well. Then the tears start and, and the "she took my nail when it fell off!" "I can't find it!" Not to mention they cannot do anything that involves using their hands, including pulling up their own pants. Ah they are out the door and off to the babysitter's...er I mean school. I do enjoy the little bit of time they are gone and I have high hopes for accomplishing some things today. Tomorrow is the baby day so if I want to sew it must be started today. She is a very good little girl but I didn't quit work to babysit full-time. I intended to learn something new and apply it to my life. Well I did do something new.. I did all the "well woman" doctor visits that had been neglected for the last 10 years to include labs. That was disappointing... but at least I k

For some reason I make appointments for myself and something comes up and I don't get to keep the appointment for whatever reason. Tomorrow I had a scheduled appointment and poor DH just melted down insisting that he had told me of the most important meeting ever for weeks and I needed to be there. So in order to keep the peace the appointment has been changed. Going out with friends is not a regular activity for me. So when I was afforded the opportunity to go the a real restaurant I jumped on it! Of course in the middle of meal is when I received the desperate call requesting my presence at the "important" meeting that I have no memory of being told about. Enough whining for this evening. Wait, no it isn't my cell phone was acting wacky all weekend and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. So back to the phone store today to get it "fixed". It works again, who knows for how long but at least I was able to get some messages today. I enjoyed

There I've said it! I have been pretty good about the bone broth lately. I have also been good about making homemade chocolate pudding for the lunchboxes. Yes, I know I can get four cups for less than a dollar from Wal-Mart. I also can get an instant mix for under a dollar and make it "myself".  But there is something satisfying for me to do it all myself and have the kiddos say they "love it"! Betty Crocker I am not. But I digress, when one makes pudding from scratch it must be taste tested by the cook. That's where I fail. I taste too much of it. After all I don't want the kiddos to get to school and not have really good pudding in their lunch! As I continue on in my sabbatical from working I feel I should "channel" Betty every now and then. Alas, with babysitting for a child so that her mom can get on her feet, my day is pretty busy just keeping up with her. By the time my kiddos get home I need a nap! In my youth I babysat, a lot... I h

Today started very early and came in like a freight train. Kids didn't sleep well and today is picture day at school. Am I ready? No, spectrum kids do things on their own schedule not the school's, not yours. I woke at 0520 and remembered that they had wore the outfits that were originally set aside for this picture day. I also remembered that I had no yogurt for lunches. So I made a Wal-Mart run. It was nice to be focused and not have kids in tow. But I did have a timeline. So wandering the store is not really an option. I checked out with yogurt, milk, cookies, 2 shirts to go with the pants I had already picked up, elastic, straight pins, and 3 teacher gifts I found for Christmas. Oh and a Sprite. That impulse purchase should have been left behind. :( But no worries, it won't go to waste.  Oh I also picked up 2 small chips for the kids lunches. So that's how I run my card up so fast! And wander on a time budget! I got home and made breakfast, packed lunches,