Thursday, September 25, 2008

We're Still Breathing!

September 25, 2008

Cooper managed to go to dance again tonight! HURRAH!!! Maybe with the studio running again, and the prospect of good dance parts in the Spring show, and Cymbre on the mend from her bronchitis we can start to get our life back to some kind of normal. However, we are still praying that normal means mom's face isn't numb anymore!

After a third trip to the doctor, and a third antibiotic, Cymbre is finally feeling much better. She is even sleeping in her own bed tonight....instead of propped up on 4 pillows in bed with me. I've had to keep putting her back on the pillows every hour or so to keep her from coughing fits that wake the entire house. I think she will be back in school tomorrow.

Cooper loved dance tonight, and came home saying that they want her to audition for the Spring Show in November. Seems they need their very best tapper to be Bert in their Mary Poppins show. Gee, I think we have a costume already, at least for two chimney sweeps!

Had a really interesting conversation with a mom from the old dance studio today...she brought some things over to be altered and stayed and chatted a while. It appears things are falling apart up there, and Ginny is spending lots of her time at the restaurant with the accountant and some drinks. The money is not coming in, and people are fussing at the office staff. Costumes are around $200 each, (which is way more than I let Ginny bill for) and now the girls at that studio cannot attend the Shock Dance Convention because they have to practice their company dances because they missed during the hurricane. The problem with that is that those master teachers are only in Houston one day, and it's a great opportunity for the dancers. Several of the moms are not happy about having company rehearsals when they could be going to the dance convention. People are really trying to figure out where I took the girls, and several are threatening to quit by Christmas.

On a brighter note, Ms. Andee will be here again on Saturday to work on the solos and duet, and the new studio has given the girls time on Saturday afternoon to run them in the big room.

I have been resting my foot, and spending some time at the sewing machine this past week. The bruising is getting a bit better, but still fairly bad right around the incision. Still swollen, and I really love that ice cast every night at bedtime. Now if those steroids would just make the numbness in my face go away, I might get more done.

Mailed some things to college kids this week, but there is another pile developing on the dining room table....it's a never ending problem I have. This pile seems to be aimed for little ones, and it's getting bigger as I spend more time at the sewing machine. Soon I will mail a box to Caleb for Baby Jack! I still need to dig through the cedar chest for Caleb's baby things.

Next week I have to get started on the solo and duet costumes....finally have most of the pieces. I still have to find taps for Cymbre's saddle shoes, and order rhinestones. Those are more expensive this year so I have waited a bit.

As of yet, Dad has not listed my toe on Ebay, so I guess he thinks I will live for a while longer! Who knows, I seem to be having a bad year.

Here's everyone's notice......Christmas lists are needed by the end of this month. Be aware that Christmas will not be as big this year as we are paying for dance now. I MUST HAVE waist and inseam measurements or there won't be anything to wear on Christmas Eve. I can't just sew all day as my foot swells, so time is limited. Shopping is a REAL TRIAL, so be gentle! I can make it through the grocery store in about an hour and a half, but I assume you don't want cans of soup or pasta for Christmas! At the current rate, we may not make it to Orlando as we have planned. Everyone say your prayers my foot heals, and starts to bend like it needs too.

Well, must go try to get some sleep....after three nights of keeping Cymbre on the pillows and dozing in between, I am pretty tired.

Remember to do something nice for a stranger today....it will make them smile.

Talk to your Heavenly Father too, He misses you.

Love you.

Mom

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Longest Week of My Life!!

September 21, 2008

This has been the longest, most frustrating week of my entire life!

It's been just a week and a couple of days since we endured the wrath of Hurricane Ike! He was certainly angry about something. However, we were ready with all the emergency supplies we needed, but still it was scary when the lights went out, the wind was howling around the house, and hissing thru the front door, the loose guttering was banging against the house up by Shyla's window, and we lost lots of shingles from the roof. This place a REALLY DARK when there is no power. Grant and Christine let us hook the refrigerator into their generator, and that was really kind. Dad contributed our little gas can to gas for the generator, and Christine sent it with the generator to the Woodlands to one of their friends. She didn't know it was ours. We told them it was ok, but Grant showed up with a new can full of gas yesterday.

We got power back for an hour on Saturday night last week, then it was off. That was worse than not getting it back, however, it did cool the house down enough to make it so we could actually sleep. That was good since some of us hadn't slept since the Thursday night before. We got the power again on last Sunday morning, and it lasted until 10pm when it went out. Off for about an hour, it came back on and has mostly remained on since then. There is still no power at the church building, and some of the schools are still having issues. Some areas won't have power back for weeks.

The gas stations are still having problems having gasoline, and the grocery stores are starting to have things, however, the freezer sections, and refrigerator sections are mostly empty. They have to be inspected by the health department before they can be restocked. That makes getting eggs and milk somewhat dodgy. Can't get hotdog buns either. You can get hamburger buns, but not hotdog.

The dance studio is closed until further notice, we drove over there and they have big trees down all along the way so it may be a while before they are back at the studio. The old studio has it's power back, but they still aren't dancing.

The girls have enjoyed being out of school, but they don't want to have to make up the days. So far the state is saying that unless they miss 10 days, they don't have to be made up. Hopefully, we will only miss the 7. They are supposed to go back on Tuesday this week.

We have been working on finishing up the bedrooms for the girls this past week, just have a dresser scarf or two left to do. Then the words on the walls. They are looking really pretty up there.

Cymbre has had bronchitis, and now it is coming back, and she also has a sprain on her arm. We hope she is feeling better by Tuesday.

Cooper is bored, and does her facebook thing several times a day....she is healthy at the moment.

I am falling apart yet again....the old foot endured the storm but is slowly healing and trying to think about learning to bend again. However, this Friday, my right side of my face went numb! A trip to see Dr. Ermac has me on a big dose of steroids for Bell's Palsy. They say the numbness will go away, but it will take a few weeks. And for those of you wondering....NO, I am not drooling! The steroids make your skin feel like someone is pricking you with pins, which makes it really hard to get any sleep.

Well, we have some hurricane pictures, but they are still hiding in the camera. I guess I need to learn how to get them out.

The roof is repaired, and we told Cooper she has to hold her part on better next time....she said she was trying to sleep and was downstairs when it happened. She was, they were in the bedroom with me, and Dad was out on the couch. We weren't really doing much sleeping though.

We did manage to put together a puzzle by candle and oil lamp light. Dad finally finished it this morning....I guess I need a picture of that too for the scrapbooks.

Dad cleaned up the yard and got the shingles out of the trees. Shyla's elephant ears don't like hurricanes much though...took pictures of them also. My hybiscus bushes were so pretty, and now they just look sick...Dad has them propped up but we may just have to get new ones.

I have saved the newspaper from the storm all this week....things you take for granted are suddenly not there when something like this happenes. We sure hope it's a long time before we have to do this again.

Mom

Monday, September 8, 2008

Grandma Stuff

September, 8, 2008

OK, Dad says that he is going to sell my toe on ebay when I die because it cost so much! Personally, I think that's a big mistake since I am planning on needing my toe again. And the real killer is that it cost so much and still won't bend!

I have been working on being a grandma lately....done some shopping and some sewing. The little girls are also working on some things for the baby. I still need to look in the cedar chest for Caleb's blessing outfit, and his coming home from the hospital outfit. He has said that he would like to have them....I know that I have all of the ones for each kid, so I just have to find it. Somewhere I have the quilts from Great Grandma for the oldest three, I don't think the little girls necessarily got them. Maybe I can actually get rid of some of this stuff I have been saving.

School is settling into a routine, and we are really enjoying eating dinner together at home as a family. Cymbre says Mom really cooks!

Things at the new dance studio seem to be smoothing out, and they are meeting for a "Plan of Attack" on the girls. Seems they have to figure out how to keep them challenged.

Dad thinks he will try to attend the temple while the girls are at dance one night a week. It's just down the street from the new studio, so he should have time. My foot would just swell up with all that sitting right now, so I will just be resting it at home. I sure do love that ice thing!

Looks like we are in the path for hurricane Ike this week. That should make the new toe hurt!

They are beginning to dig up Spring Cypress in front of our entrance, so everything is always backed up out there....at least the part up by the shopping is mostly done now, and it's 4 lanes with stop lights. Moves traffic much better now.

I have to call California and find out the details about this tap intensive Dad wants to send the girls to in North Carolina. We need to have the finalized dates, then we can make plane reservations, and check with TP on if we can stay with her. I think it would be fun to see her again.

Well, must hobble in and change the laundry...no funny stuff today I guess. Then I have to get Cooper from school.

Everyone have a great week. Love you.

Mom

Monday, September 1, 2008

Adventures in the Sewing Room

September 1, 2008

My foot is not swollen to twice the size and numb, so I decided to spend a few minutes writing on my blog....some of my kids think I don't write often enough. I don't think the kids write often enough if you want my honest opinion!

Today has been a day of watching the news, and being grateful that the hurricane didn't hit Houston straight on. We are expecting some rain, but nothing like the folks in Louisiana got today.

Cooper has been sewing her Christmas presents for everyone....I think I have another sewer in the family. She loves to make things, and has done a great job on what she chose to make everyone....she will be excited to hear what ya'll think when you open them.

Cymbre has decided that she likes to iron....I just don't know....I think she is losing it! However, she is keeping a lot of the ironing done, and frankly that's just fine with me. My foot won't stand all those hours anyway...I just pay her some extra allowance to do it.

I finally got the sewing room in some kind of order, there is still some things I would rather clean up better, but my foot limits activity, so I am settling for being able to have a clear path to the sewing machine and seeing the floor! I just don't understand how that room gets so messed up. You would think there is some kind of conspiracy going on in there....I can just see the rotary cutters gathering all the spools of thread during the night and figuring out a plan to involve the lace and ribbon in getting everything else to revolt and leave their homes to create havoc in the room. I mean really, those measuring tapes can really get out of hand quickly once they decide to come unwound! And who knows what could happen with the elastic and the velcro if someone really got them wound up. And just think about all the piles of fabric, and the patterns. I mean really, what would a person do if all the patterns decided to change envelopes? Then there is the glue gun that could really hold something hostage if it got together with the rhinestone glue. Not to mention the label maker....can't you just see everything labeled in some foreign language? And if that tube turner had it's way, who knows what would happen to all the bias tape! Those bobbins could really create problems if they decided to band together and mix the colors up every so often on each bobbin.....what a nightmare that would be. Those appliques could really confuse someone by putting themselves where they were hidden until the clothes were put on....and the lace, let me tell you, it could tie up everything but the spools of ribbon, and if they worked together the place could be like a spider web! The interfacing I have heard has plans to adhere itself to the tissue paper thereby making itself totally useless because it wants a life of leisure. Seems to me, it would be better off doing it's job in a dance costume collar! The tulle I discovered has plans to run away and join the circus because it thinks that the clowns will appreciate it more than I do. I say let it go! And it can take the netting as a traveling companion and I won't mind...! We won't even talk about the feather boas...I still am cleaning those darn feathers up from the Cootie costumes I made three years ago...and the Paris costume just added to the floating feathers in the room everytime the ceiling fan is on. And yes, I have thoroughly cleaned the room several times. The yarn is crying because I have been crocheting while I rest my foot and it doesn't want to be made into afghans and be shipped off where it won't see it's friends anymore. The fleece fabric is threatening to strike if we fringe it's edges anymore, and the velvet had a heart attack just thinking about becoming some weird costume. There are some silk flowers hiding in the corners, and I guess I should bug the room with microphones to find out just what they are plotting....All in all, I think it's a miracle I can walk in the room without being trampled!

And just so you know, I have not taken paid medicine in days... all this craziness comes from my children!

Have a great day, Dad and I love you very much.

Mom