More excerpts

From May 11:

Lent….I lost 7 pounds, so I’m going back to the no junk food rule. I did find other things to eat to satisfy that salty-crunchy craving, and really I felt good. Since I’ve been eating junk again, my tummy is a bit unhappy with me (that’s probably more than you wanted to know) and I’ve gained back a couple of pounds. I wasn’t in it to lose weight, but it was kinda fun to realize that my clothes were a bit looser. And, really, we’ve got lots of things to do this summer, and I want to be in shape for the hiking and such that we’ll be doing.

I also gave up computer games, and I noticed after a few weeks, that my back had mostly stopped hurting. Guess what? Yep, that back pain is back now that I’m playing again. Not to mention, the competitive side of me is thinking all sorts of not-so-nice things about the **&#(# who keeps beating me at Zuma Blitz on FaceBook. So, after today’s tournament ends (like right now), in which she, yet again, beat me, I’m done. It’s not good for my time management, my back, or my spirit. I don’t like that gal anyway, but I don’t need to dwell on it every day as I try to beat her into oblivion….figuratively speaking, of course.

Shannon’s confirmation is next weekend. I think I might have mentioned that once or twice. The Outlaws are coming, and now my parents may be coming too. I can’t decide how I feel about that. I feel like I’ve had to cajole and coerce them into coming for this, like they don’t really want to be here. It’ll be a quick trip, and they’ll be staying in the trailer for part of the time. I’ve got 6 bedrooms, but only 2 extra beds and MIL is not able to handle the trailer at all. Mom understands, and is willing to do whatever, but I still wish it was my parents inside the house. Wonder if they’ll bring me some wine if I ask nicely?

After church, during coffee hour, there’s a reception in the gym and I need to make some gluten-free cupcakes for Shannon since she won’t be able to eat any of the Costco cake they’re getting. Then, I’m planning a celebratory meal after church, around 2:30 or so

Melany (my sis) is coming in June. I’m sure I’ve mentioned that once or twice too. We were talking today and simultaneously surfing the web looking at things to do when she’s here. She’s SO excited! I wish I didn’t have so much going on between now and then so I could get excited too. We’re planning to go to the Mayan for her and my niece’s birthdays (they share a b-day), plus the zoo, a Bees game, and Lagoon. Today I mentioned Joe’s Crab Shack and now she wants to do that too. I’ll have to check and see if they’ve got a good gluten-free menu for Shannon, or it could just be Melany and I for lunch.

Last weekend was nuts, and so was the weekend before. Shannon had a sleepover with a gal from church on Friday night. Mom is a bit high-strung, but it was cute, and I think if the girls develop a stronger relationship, mom’ll settle down. She mentioned that she didn’t have any guns in the house, but she did have some alcohol. I told her, as long as she wasn’t serving it to the girls, it didn’t bother me none. She was concerned about movie ratings and the like too. Like I said, I think once she realizes that I’m okay and we’ve got the same basic values, it’ll be good.

Tristan had a soccer game Saturday morning. I guess the other team got there an hour early to practice, and at game time, we only had 4 players, so they thought they had it made. Eventually, we got our 7 people there (and no more), but no coach. Our guys coached themselves, taking turns as defenders or forwards so they could rest when needed, etc, since they didn’t have any subs. Our team wound up winning 10-0. It was painful to watch, and at one point, the ref told one of our players that he couldn’t score anymore.

Then we went to an orientation for Shannon’s activity for next weekend. She’s going up to the National Ability Center in Park City with a group called “Kids Rock the World” and it’s all for kids with diabetes. They’ve got a ropes course, including one way up high, and several rock walls, plus a couple of guest speakers to help teens feel empowered. So we went to this lunch and orientation for that. While there, the girls each won a certificate to go up to Park City Mountain Resort and do the fun summer stuff—zip line, alpine slide, alpine coaster and a couple other things. It’s worth $60 each! But, Alana’s too small to do the zip line, though I’m sure she’d love it. So we’re going to use those while Melany is here. I’ll keep my eyes open for deals on tickets….I get all kinds of notifications on FaceBook and into my email about such things.

This weekend was also the Bell Ringer’s semi-annual rummage sale. This is their main fundraiser for their tour, and they raised over $9,000! There was some really cool stuff, including some antique German cameras, silver, a NASCAR collection, furniture, kitchenware, and more. And, of course, there’s a lot of junk too. I got a lot of jewelry and some books, plus a few other things. I’m always amazed at the number of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books that show up. I think people die and their heirs donate all of the stuff they don’t know what to do with to us. I don’t know if anyone ever buys those books. I found a few by my favorite authors, plus one called How to Murder Your Mother-In-Law. I can’t decide if I should be reading it next weekend or not. I probably shouldn’t, though MIL’s eye sight has gotten so bad that I don’t think she’ll be able to tell. Bruce, however, will know, and so will my mother. Probably NOT a good idea.

Mother’s Day. The kids made me lunch in bed, which was nice. Then I watched a bunch of TV (catching up on things I’ve recorded), while I clipped coupons and finalized my grocery list. I came home from the store to find a bouquet of tulips on my counter, courtesy of my girls and my front yard. We had a London broil that Bruce bought at Dream Dinners, but we weren’t sure if it was gluten free, so Shannon wound up begging for leftovers from your parents. I tell ya, I’ve got the best neighbors.

So yesterday I cleaned out the main floor bathroom. I don’t know why, but that bathroom gets so much stuff just dumped into it. A few weeks ago, Tristan told me that we needed antibiotic ointment, so I bought some. Turns out, there were *4* tubes in there, not counting the new one still in the box! The kids haven’t used insulin pens for their shots in months, and yet, I found at least 30 used pen needles. Yuck! We had 4 partially used sharps containers, from various trips and such. One of them was full, so I capped it and tossed it, but the other ones are all about half full. I found 6 blood glucose meters, too, including several that we’ve never used! That’s on top of the 8 or more in box in the basement that are still in their original packages. See, meter companies will give you a meter for free because they want you to use theirs and buy their test strips…..the strips are $1.00 each…..and a type 1 diabetic will use anywhere from 4-8 in a day. Sneaky marketing, eh? Know anyone who needs a meter? LOL!

I gotta tell ya, though. It feels good to get all that cleaned out and organized. I’m hoping it will stay that way, at least for a few weeks. I know, I know…..who am I kidding?!

The latest “discussion” with the kids is about wet towels left in heaps on their bedroom floors. I’m considering rationing out their towels, only allowing them 1-2 towels per week. Then, if their towel is in a wet smelly mess on their floor when they need it, well maybe they’ll learn to hang it up! No amount of yelling or scolding is working, so maybe some real life consequences would help? Humor me, k?

The weather is finally improving, ever so slowly. I just *might* get out the summer clothes this week, if I have time with all the craziness going on getting ready for the Inlaws and Outlaws. I need to change the sheets on my bed, but I just can’t bring myself to put the flannel ones on there…..again. And the cotton sheets are packed away, waiting for me to do the Bi-Annual Bedding Changeover and washing. I like to take everything off the beds, down to the mattress covers and wash it all, blankets, pillows, everything. Then we put away the flannel sheets and heavy comforters, open all the windows, and hang everything out to dry in the beautiful spring sunshine….that is hiding this year!

I got a look at Tristan’s itinerary for his tour. He’s going to be a busy child, alternating with total boredom with hours on the bus. They’re apparently going to an Atlanta Braves game, plus stopping in DC to visit some of the monuments and museums. The choir will be playing at Bruce’s sister’s church in the DC area. Aunt Martha (Bruce’s oldest sister) won’t be there, but her husband is hosting some of the kids, including Tristan. A couple more aunts live in the area, along with several cousins, so they’ll all go hear him play and see him for the first time since 2004 for most of them. I’m a bit nervous about the whole thing, honestly. It’s the longest he’s ever been away from home, especially without us, and it’s the furthest he’s ever gone too. However, the folks organizing it all have a pretty good system, and I’m sure he’ll be just fine. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

May 12:

I just got word that my friend, Mary Ellen, whom I’ve known since Jr. High (no, I’m not telling you how many years that is…..), her inlaws were killed in a head-on collision north of McCall, ID. It was a bad, bad accident, and looking at the photos online is really hard. Mary Ellen was close to them, they were awesome grandparents to her boys, etc. It’s all so terribly tragic. I’m having a hard time being so far away. If I were there, I’d clean her bathroom, watch her boys, take care of her pets, fill her freezer with food, and so on, but I’m here! The distance makes it so hard! I’ve put together a little care package with snacks and such so she’ll hopefully remember to eat, plus some yummy chocolates and a GC to Papa Murphy’s pizza, and I’m praying, of course, but it seems like so little in the face of such heart break!