House of Estrogen

Simple Woman's Daybook, November 2, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... it is a nice, crisp fall day.  The forecast called for rain and gloom, but it is actually quite nice out.

I am thinking... that I can't believe it is already November! Where has 2009 gone?

I am thankful for... the girls tracking out of school this Friday! Three full weeks of no homework, no projects, no backpacks, no forms to sign, no show and share, no sneakers for PE, no bus to catch... I think I may be more excited than the girls!

From the kitchen... Halloween candy. Can I just serve that for dinner?

I am wearing... jeans, a soft, cozy green shirt, and a long sweater with clogs.

I am creating... Christmas cards.

I am going... to be selecting a winner for my blogiversary giveaway on Wednesday evening. Be sure to leave a comment if you haven't already!

I am reading... Bedknob and Broomsticks, by Mary Norton to Elise and Nina. I know I read this or had it read to me as a child, but I really don't remember much of it, so I am enjoying reading it again. I finished Anderson Cooper's book. That was an excellent book. With all the tragedy he has witnessed and experienced first hand in his life, I don't know how he isn't curled up in the fetal position rocking back and forth muttering gibberish. I know I would be.

I am hoping... that I can find an H1N1 vaccine for Elise. With her asthma and ITP, I really feel like she is at a high risk for complications.

I am hearing... the refrigerator humming.

Around the house... not a speck of dirt on the kitchen floor because JC got down on hands and knees and scrubbed it yesterday "Cinderella style" (as he put it).

One of my favorite things... Five Guys burgers and fries.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... a new gymnastics class for Elise (she has decided to swtich from tumbling to gymnastics), Daisy and Brownie meetings for both girls, doctor appointments for all three girls at two different doctor offices today, and volunteering in Nina's kindergarten class.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  Gabriella, Sharpay, and a very hesitant little piggy!

 
 

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, October 26, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... reds, oranges, yellows, golds... I'm loving the fall colors!

I am thinking... that I really had not intended to start my day spending 3.5 hours at the pediatrician's office this morning. Between Elise's platelet check, Addie's doc appointment for her 103+ fever, and a nurse from the office getting taken away by ambulance, it was a long, exhausting morning.

I am thankful for... coworkers who also have small children, so they are understanding when it comes to sick kids.

From the kitchen... I've been pigging out on my chocolate spider cookies all day, but dinner will be flank steak with rice pilaf and salad. 

I am wearing... jeans, a sweatshirt, and fleece socks.

I am creating... a tidier playroom. Yesterday, we pulled everything in the playroom out to the middle of the room. The girls were each given one shelf. Any toys they wanted to keep in the room had to fit on their respective shelves. The rest will go away. We haven't finished the task yet, but it is coming along well and hopefully we'll end up with a more manageable room.

I am going... to pick up the girls in carpool today, not for any reason other than it gets Addie and me out of the house!

I am reading... Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival, by Anderson Cooper. For what its worth, this is not a long book. I keep listing it week after week because I seem to read two pages each night before I fall asleep! I'm reading at a snail's pace these days.

I am hoping... that Addie starts feeling better soon. She is so miserable. 

I am hearing... "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team" on TV. I was born and raised in Dallas, so I guess I have an odd little spot in my heart for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders!

Around the house... things on the floor needing to be picked up that I can't reach because I messed up my back. Ouch.

One of my favorite things... leftover flank steak sandwiches (like I'll have tomorrow!)

A few plans for the rest of the week.... tumbling for Elise, the fall festival at the big girls' school, trick-or-treating, or maybe none of that if everybody gets sick.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  House of Estrogen pizza and movie night

 
 

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, October 19, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... clear pretty skies... a bit warmer today.

I am thinking... that I am not AT ALL ready for potty training, but Addie peed in the potty for the first time yesterday, so she may be ready before I am!

I am thankful for... bad weather in the mountains that cancelled the Brownie camping trip. Although getting to see the leaves this time of year would have been a real treat, Nina woke up Saturday morning feeling rotten and running a 102+ fever. She spent most of Saturday in bed, and I just can't imagine how we would have managed that hours from home in the cold in a tent.

From the kitchen... apricot glazed chicken, mac&cheese, and asparagus

I am wearing... a Sanitary Fish Market long-sleeve tee, my new jeans, and Birks.

I am creating... a few Christmas ideas... shhhh!

I am going... to volunteer in both Elise and Nina's classrooms today, although poor Nina won't be there as she is still sick at home.

I am reading... Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival, by Anderson Cooper.

I am hoping... that Nina feels better soon and the rest of the family doesn't catch her bug. It turned into croup last night. I hate croup.... really hate it. It doesn't make me panic. I know how to treat it. I know exactly what to look for to determine when we need to go to the ER. I can be calm, cool, and collected in dealing with it, but after Nina came just breaths away from a tracheotomy from it when she was two, I have a very healthy respect for croup. That year, the ER docs and her pediatrician all agreed it was one of the worst cases they had seen. After going through all that, croup is not my favorite childhood illness to deal with. It is the one I feel most confident in tackling, but I still hate it. Anyway, she is on Orapred now, so hopefully tonight will be better.

I am hearing... J.C. putting away dishes.

Around the house... a few Halloween decorations popping up. Nina is painting pumpkins right now!

One of my favorite things... Fels Naptha and OxiClean, without which, my children would wear stained clothing every day.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... soccer, tumbling, volunteering in the kindergarten and third grade classes, Daisy and Brownie meetings, Moms group meeting, and the fall festival at Addie's school.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  my oldest and her Dad.

 
 

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, October 12, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... darkness.

I am thinking... that I'm up way too late.

I am thankful for... J.C. arriving home all in one piece after another weekend of kamikaze mountain biking at Snowshoe and that the girls and I survived another girls' weekend at home.

From the kitchen... not sure about today, but we had Trader Joe's pumpkin pancakes over the weekend - YUM!

I am wearing... jeans, a long sleeve tee, and flip flops.

I am creating... maybe some nice photos? Or maybe not? I downloaded the 30-day free trial of Lightroom 2 from Adobe... need to play around with it and see how I like it.

I am going... to volunteer in Nina's kindergarten class for the first time today. I can't wait to see Nina in school and see what her class is like.

I am reading... Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival, by Anderson Cooper.

I am hoping... that the swelling, pain, and itching goes away soon from the fire ant bite I got yesterday at the park. Right now, my foot and ankle are so swollen, you'd think that I had broken a bone!

I am hearing... the washing machine washing all of J.C.'s muddy biking clothes.

Around the house... Addie wandered off with the plastic axel thingee that holds the toilet paper on the toilet paper holder in the downstairs powder room. I have no idea where she took it, but it must be somewhere in the house.

One of my favorite things... goat cheese. One of my friends from work who I eat lunch with regularly noted that if there is an item containing goat cheese on the menu, I am almost guaranteed to order it. I hadn't realized that until she voiced it, but I think she's right.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... soccer, tumbling, volunteering in Nina's kindergarten class, dinner prep place with a friend, heading up to the mountains for Elise's brownie troop campout (only if the weather forecast changes. I'm not going if the forecast for rain ALL weekend persists).

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...  my hardworking gardeners.

 
  
   
 
 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, October 5, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... rain - so dreary after my sunny weekend at the beach. Better to have rain here on a Monday than Saturday at the beach though, so I shouldn't complain!

I am thinking... about how when Elise complained that she couldn't deal with hearing the words "throw up" or "vomit" any longer, J.C. and the girls were clever to come up with a new word.... Voldemort... as in, "So, Elise, how is your belly feeling? Do you feel like you might have to Voldemort again?" 

I am thankful for... a husband who is willing to take on single parenting for a weekend without any complaints even when it involves lots of Voldemort! He is a good man.

From the kitchen... huh? kitchen? You mean I have to start cooking again? How about pink Lofthouse cookies for dinner?

I am wearing... jeans, a Santa Fe long sleeve tee, and flip flops.

I am creating... a chart for Elise to make sure she is practicing her typing each day. I need to come up with a reward system.

I am going... to the grocery store, I suppose, to deal with the "from the kitchen" section above.

I am reading... Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood, by Ann Brashares - perfect beach reading!

I am hoping... that Elise's platelets don't tank with this virus she had over the weekend. She had a big nosebleed last night, but I'm trying not to read too much into that. She had her first normal platelet count in a month on Friday! Yea!

I am hearing... noises in my garage making me nervous. There shouldn't be anyone out there. I should really check on it, but the thought of that makes me more nervous.

Around the house... I've started switching out the girls closets from summer to fall clothing, but I need to finish that job.

One of my favorite things... moms' beach weekend!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... soccer, tumbling, Nina's Daisy Scout meeting, two doctor appointments for myself in one day (ugh), an underwater pumpkin patch event at the pool, and my first intro to Pilates class.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Our big computer died, so I don't have access to most of our pictures right now, but here is one that happened to be in my camera.

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 28, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... a bright sunny day.

I am thinking... that I've been a little down in the dumps lately. Sorry for the lack of blogging... just haven't had it in me.

I am thankful for... soft playground surfaces, and Elise having a decent platelet count when she fell off the bar at the playground on her head Saturday!

From the kitchen... stew meat and carrots in the crock pot.

I am wearing... pajamas - two layers of them because I was having chills earlier.

I am creating... nada. No time for creativity this week.

I am going... to stop by Starbuck's on my way to work this morning. Maybe a pumpkin spice latte will raise my spirits!

I am reading... just finished Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou. It was a nice read. As a bit of related trivia, I took a course in college taught by Maya Angelou entitled "King and Charismatic Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement." I worked harder in that class than any other course I've taken before or since. She commanded respect and had extremely high expectations, so we delivered. Period. Every person in that class was prepared for class every single week, even if it meant all your other classes suffered. It was an amazing class. When she talked about Dr. King, she talked about her personal interactions and discussions with him. When discussing Malcolm X, she relayed conversations the two of them had had. We were learning about history from someone who had lived it. She even had Coretta Scott King come as a guest speaker in class one day. Amazing. When Oprah came to town because Dr. Angelou was hosting her birthday party, we got to hear all about those festivities firsthand. That class was a once in a lifetime opportunity, for sure.

I am hoping... to feel better soon. I'm a bit under the weather right now.

I am hearing... spoons clanking as the kids eat their cereal.

Around the house... I need to tame the laundry.

One of my favorite things... eight ounce soda cans. J.C. snubs them by calling them "Pepsi shots", but they are just the right size for me!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... rough week... soccer, tumbling, two meetings at Elise's school, a big, important demo at work, book club, being the helper-mom at Elise's brownie meeting, and with any luck heading out on a moms' beach weekend, providing I survive the week up to that point.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Elise - when did she get this big? Third grade... Holy Moly, time flies! It seems like just last week she was starting kindergarten!

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 21, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... pleasant fall weather this morning... the little nip in the air felt so nice while walking to the bus stop.

I am thinking... that our wedding anniversary came and went two days ago, and neither my husband nor I remembered or acknowledged it. How depressing.

I am thankful for... Elise's platelet count being much higher than we were expecting on Friday. She had had 4 nosebleeds in 48 hours along with a little bit of petechiae, so we were expecting the worst, but her count was 2-3 times what we were anticipating! Yea! It still wasn't in the normal range, but at this point,a safe number is a good number, normal or otherwise. I'm guessing it had been lower on Wednesday or Thursday but had come up some by the time she got blood drawn on Friday.

From the kitchen... tacos, I think.

I am wearing... a purple tee, denim shorts, and my beloved cherry ribbon flip flops that have been lost in the chasm of my closet for over a year!

I am creating... Elise's 8 year letter... I'm a little late on that.

I am going... to clean this dump of a house today. It is a disgrace!

I am reading... Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou.

I am hoping... for sunny weather in Snowshoe this weekend, so my husband can take his trip. (No, not really, but he is blaming me for the rain last weekend because of my blog post hoping for rain, so I'll humor him this week.)

I am hearing... the refrigerator humming.

Around the house... stuff I cleaned out of my car and now needs to be put away.

One of my favorite things... Addie's giggle... it is like a cackle... cracks me up!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... soccer, tumbling, Nina's first Daisy Scout meeting, volunteering in Elise's classroom, fall festival at the kids' school.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... enjoying the park on a nice fall day.

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 14, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... GORGEOUS blue skies... just a perfect fall day. I definitely need to spend some time outside today.

I am thinking... about a grocery list. We desperately need groceries.

I am thankful for... Elise's birthday party being behind us!

From the kitchen... not much... see above about the grocery list.

I am wearing... a Primo's Bar and Grille t-shirt (Dallas Tex-Mex... mmmm!), denim shorts.

I am creating... not much... feeling a bit overwhelmed and overworked right now.

I am going... to have lunch with Elise at school tomorrow for her birthday.

I am reading... Letter to my Daughter by Maya Angelou.

I am hoping... it is very rainy this week in Snowshoe, WV, so that my husband will be home this weekend. Otherwise, I need to track down a bunch of babysitters for various events. Selfish? Yes, but I'm OK with that.

I am hearing... I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas... love that song.

Around the house... birthday gifts - Barbies, craft kits, books, etc.

One of my favorite things... my toddler's new saddle shoes for fall!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... busy week - soccer, tumbling, Elise's birthday, her 8 year physical, going through a corn maze with Elise's Brownie troop, going to the Cirque Dreams show with Elise's Brownie troop, tennis clinic for the big girls.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Nina had her first soccer game this week. She loved it. She had a HUGE smile on her face the whole time. It was fun for us watching her have such a great time!

 

           

 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Simple Woman's Daybook, September 7, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... looks like it should be another nice pleasant day... fall is in the air.

I am thinking... that this track-out has flown by! Between camps, the beach, and dealing with Elise's ITP, the three weeks out of school ticked away quickly. I think the girls are ready to be back in the school routine though.

I am thankful for... year-round school. The three week breaks every nine weeks are just right... enough time to enjoy the break from school without going stir-crazy. The cheap off-season vacations are a great perk too! I'm surprised more school districts don't offer year-round school.

From the kitchen... something on the grill tonight for sure - maybe salmon?

I am wearing... pajamas.

I am creating... picture posts for the blog from our vacation.

I am going... to tackle cleaning up my dining room today. It is stacked high with things to be returned, things to be put away, and new fall clothes to be hung up. It needs help!

I am reading... People magazine... gotta catch up on what absurd place like the beach or a dude ranch Kate Gosselin has worn her high heels. I finished My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult at the beach and loved it - can't wait for this month's book club meeting.

I am hoping... the girls finalize Halloween costumes soon. I don't want to be scrambling around the week before Halloween unable to track down whatever they are wanting. Right now, they are waffling between Sharpay, Hannah Montana, Lola, and Hermione.

I am hearing... Addie digging through markers looking for the best one for writing on the wall, and Nina singing The Best of Both Worlds, by Hannah Montana.

Around the house... packed bags from the beach waiting to be unpacked.

One of my favorite things... Starbuck's pumpkin spice latte... the first sign of fall!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... another night of tumbling and soccer at conflicting times. Addie went to soccer last week, and that didn't go so well. She'll try tumbling this week. Elise's rescheduled birthday party is this week (fingers crossed for no hospitalizations!), and Nina has her first soccer game.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... missing the beach already!

           

 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Side note: Peggy of Simple Woman's Daybook is taking the summer off, so summer daybook posts are being linked here.

Simple Woman's Daybook, August 31, 2009

For Today...

Outside my window... waves crashing against the shore, ocean winds blowing, and the smell of the salty air. In a word...perfection!

I am thinking... that despite this being the most hastily packed beach trip EVER, we somehow didn't forget too much. The biggest disappointment was that I forgot to pack the dress for Nina's Nina Drive photo . She has worn the same dress in a different color each year since 2004. Bummer.

I am thankful for... Elise's platelet count being normal Thursday before we left for our trip, although her nosebleed last night made me a bit anxious.

From the kitchen... Pioneer Woman's Lasagna. This is my first time making it, and I can't wait to try it. Technically, it is Pioneer Woman's Lasagna minus two small cans of tomato paste. I realized I was missing the tomato paste as I was assembling it late last night. I wasn't about to run out to the grocery store at ten o'clock just for tomato paste, so hopefully I haven't ruined it with my one lacking ingredient.

I am wearing... pajamas.

I am creating... lots of fun beach memories and hopefully some good photographs capturing those memories.

I am going... to the aquarium today, I think.

I am reading... My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult... great book so far. 

I am hoping... that we have beautiful weather this week.

I am hearing... the sweet sound of ocean waves.

Around the house... sand!

One of my favorite things... this beach house! We usually try out a different beach house every year, but we definitely plan on returning to this one. It is a great size for our family, has a fabulous layout, a hammock, and a pool!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... lie on the beach, play in the waves with my kids, swim, take naps, build sand castles, eat seafood, read on the deck listening to the waves, sleep... repeat.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Nina and Addison checking out the boats in the sound after dinner last night.

          

 To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook. 

Side note: Peggy of Simple Woman's Daybook is taking the summer off, so summer daybook posts are being linked here.