The winner of the Campbell's soup/V-8 V-Fusion gift pack is...
Denise ~ Paper Ponderings said...
Great idea...sign me up for a flu pack!!!
Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Zing Zang Zoom
We went to the circus last night. Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey's Zing Zang Zoom show. It was tons of fun! We hadn't been to the circus for 11 years and the time before that, I was a kid, so it was like umm, slightly more than 11 years ago. If you guys go to the circus, show up early! You can go down on the floor and meet the performers, watch the clowns, try on costumes, see the elephants paint pictures with their trunks and sign up to win a painting. While I was trying to take a picture of my kids (exhibit A), a clown walked by and grabbed my camera. He proceeded to take random pictures (exhibit B, C & D). LOL!
The show was a ton of fun! Zing Zang Zoom combines old fashioned circus fun with magic. The ring master/magician was awesome (even if he had abnormally white teeth. I'm talking "Ross-white", glow-under-black-light white here!) He made an elephant disappear and he walked on the ceiling, among many other cool magic tricks I'm still trying to figure out.
If you plan on going to the circus, make sure you use code MOM at Ticketmaster to get a 4 pack of tickets for $44!
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Exhibit D
Costumes that people can try on
Elephants!
Jackson's and Clay's favorite part
Not sure why this guy kept saying "sugar" in Spanish
You can't see the ringmaster's teeth glow from here
I taught her everything she knows
I received free tickets to the circus in exchange for sharing the discount ticket code with my readers. I was not paid for my opinions. My opinions are mine alone.
The show was a ton of fun! Zing Zang Zoom combines old fashioned circus fun with magic. The ring master/magician was awesome (even if he had abnormally white teeth. I'm talking "Ross-white", glow-under-black-light white here!) He made an elephant disappear and he walked on the ceiling, among many other cool magic tricks I'm still trying to figure out.
If you plan on going to the circus, make sure you use code MOM at Ticketmaster to get a 4 pack of tickets for $44!
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Exhibit D
Costumes that people can try on
Elephants!
Jackson's and Clay's favorite part
Not sure why this guy kept saying "sugar" in Spanish
You can't see the ringmaster's teeth glow from here
I taught her everything she knows
I received free tickets to the circus in exchange for sharing the discount ticket code with my readers. I was not paid for my opinions. My opinions are mine alone.
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Remove Item From Bagging Area!
I think it's high time for a Public Service Announcement about self check-outs. Most stores around here now use some sort of self check-out systems. I understand the reason why. It's a lot cheaper to have one employee overseeing 4-12 self check-out stations than to have 4-12 employees manning their own registers. I personally like to use the self check-out machines. Wait, let me rephrase that. I like to use the machines as long as there's no one in front of me. That's where this PSA comes in because some people need a little instruction when it comes to using these machines. Then there are the people who should probably not even be allowed to leave their house or drive, let alone use a self check-out. Grrr... But since those people are likely beyond all help, we'll just concentrate on the ones who simply need a little lesson. And since I'm that annoying person standing in line, tapping her foot impatiently, sighing loudly, and rolling her eyes, I feel it's my duty to inform the rest of America just how to use these machines.
There are many people who refuse to even try these machines for a variety of reasons. Maybe they're angry that these self check-outs have replaced actual people who are now out of work. Or perhaps, (and this is a big one) they're just scared of looking stupid or doing something wrong while trying to check out. Another reason that some folks avoid them is that it brings flashbacks of their high school job and they find themselves in a cold sweat, muttering "Paper or plastic" in their sleep just thinking about it. And finally, there are the people who are certain that robots are taking over the earth.
For those of you who insist they'd rather have interaction with an actual living, breathing person while paying for your groceries, I'm here to put things in perspective. The last time I got in a check-out lane with an actual cashier, this is how it went...
ME: Hi!
CASHIER: bored and talking to his buddy about his plans for the weekend completely ignoring me
Do you have your customer card?
ME: Yep, here you go.
CASHIER: Did you find everything ok?
Why do they ask this? Why??? "No, I didn't find everything I needed. That's why I'm still wandering around the aisles, asking for help. Can't you tell?" Or let's say you really did have trouble finding something. "I couldn't find the molasses. It took me half an hour and 2 employees to discover where it was hidden." What is the cashier going to do about it? Tell a manager? Suggest reorganizing the aisles to his boss? Insist on more employee training so they can better help the customers? Nope. If you tell him you had a hard time finding an item, he'll say something helpful like, "Oh."
What you need to do is either use the self check-out or have a little fun with it. When the cashier at the grocery store asks if you found everything ok, just tell them, "I had a really hard time finding black shoes in a size 7, king size sheets, and tires for my van." When he looks at you blankly and says, "We don't sell those things, ma'am," just reiterate, "See what I mean?! Even you can't find them!"
Then, as the cashier continues to joke around with his buddy, he absently puts the eggs on the bottom of the bag and tosses a big ole can of sweet potatoes on top of them. This is followed by a loaf of bread and finally topped with a half gallon of ice cream.
Plus, the self check-outs come in handy when you're buying something like Gas-X, tampons, condoms, foot fungus cream, and wine (what? I think you'd need wine if you had your period, gas, and crud on your feet!) Those self check-outs are looking better and better, aren't they?
So, here's my advice for those of you contemplating making the jump to the self check-out.
1. If you've never used a self check-out machine, don't give it a try for the first time on a Saturday. Go at midnight when no one else is aroundfor you to tick off to make you flustered.
2. If you have 4001 items, skip the self check-out.
3. If you have 23 coupons, skip the self check-out.
4. If you intend to pay for your purchases with 32 pounds of coins, skip it.
5. If you lacka brain the capacity to hold an item and move it across the scanner, the ability to read simple instructions on a screen, or any semblance of common sense, just skip the self check-outs.
OK, you're ready to proceed. These machines aren't magical. You don't simply wave the package around in front of the machine and voila, the machine magically tells you how much it costs. The machines work by reading a bar code of information located on the package. That means you have to actually put the bar code toward the scanner. See how that works? If you move a can of soup across the scanner 15 times and it doesn't do anything, think about turning the can around so the scanner can read the bar code! Don't laugh. I've been behind this person many times.
After scanning your item, you need to put it in the bag or on the conveyor belt. The bagging area (or the conveyor belt) is a scale. If you ring up a tube of chapstick and put a 5 pound bag of flour in the bag, the machine will flash strobe lights, start smoking, and an alarm will sound, signaling an armed guard to escort you to grocery store prison. Don't be like the idiot who tried to scan a $3.00 bar code for a flat screen TV at Walmart. Not only will it not work, but you'll look like an idiot and may wind up being talked about on my blog.
You also don't want to lean against these scales because umm, they're scales! They'll register your weight leaning on them and yell at you to "remove item from bagging area!" and once again, the armed guard will have to take you away.
How do you ring up fresh produce? I may or may not have been afraid to use the self check-out for this very reason, once upon a time. Not long ago, an old woman in front of me tried to scan her bunch of bananas at least 40,000 times before I pushed her out of the way, punched in the code and threw the bananas in her bag helped her.
You need to put the produce on the scanner screen (which is also a scale) and key in the code. Most produce will have little stickers with the code. You know those cute little Chiquita stickers on your bananas? They'll have something like #3082 printed on them. Just punch in that number. The machine will weigh the bananas and charge you accordingly. If you have, oh say, an eggplant and it doesn't have a sticker on it, just follow the directions on the screen. You can look it up easily. Most things are listed alphabetically and as long as you have a clue what you're buying, you should be able to look it up with no problems.
There's really no reason to be insecure or embarrassed about using these machines because as long as you can read and follow directions (Yes, I know that eliminates probably 75% of people. Not MY readers, of course; other people!), you'll have no problems. And if you do run into a problem, blame it on the machine! Anyone who has used these, knows they have occasional glitches. Sometimes the sale price doesn't ring up correctly, or the item isn't in the database. Then there are the times the machine yells at you to put the item in the bag even though it's already there and you find yourself arguing with a machine that you're certain is laughing at you. These things happen. All you have to do is wait 45 minutes for someone to come help you. I guess you really need to cut the helper cashier person some slack though because she has to deal with idiots who can't follow instructions all day long and she's probably more than a little afraid of having some disgruntled customer throw canned peas at her head. Now, if only the nice grocery store would mail you a paycheck for all your hard work...
There are many people who refuse to even try these machines for a variety of reasons. Maybe they're angry that these self check-outs have replaced actual people who are now out of work. Or perhaps, (and this is a big one) they're just scared of looking stupid or doing something wrong while trying to check out. Another reason that some folks avoid them is that it brings flashbacks of their high school job and they find themselves in a cold sweat, muttering "Paper or plastic" in their sleep just thinking about it. And finally, there are the people who are certain that robots are taking over the earth.
For those of you who insist they'd rather have interaction with an actual living, breathing person while paying for your groceries, I'm here to put things in perspective. The last time I got in a check-out lane with an actual cashier, this is how it went...
ME: Hi!
CASHIER: bored and talking to his buddy about his plans for the weekend completely ignoring me
Do you have your customer card?
ME: Yep, here you go.
CASHIER: Did you find everything ok?
Why do they ask this? Why??? "No, I didn't find everything I needed. That's why I'm still wandering around the aisles, asking for help. Can't you tell?" Or let's say you really did have trouble finding something. "I couldn't find the molasses. It took me half an hour and 2 employees to discover where it was hidden." What is the cashier going to do about it? Tell a manager? Suggest reorganizing the aisles to his boss? Insist on more employee training so they can better help the customers? Nope. If you tell him you had a hard time finding an item, he'll say something helpful like, "Oh."
What you need to do is either use the self check-out or have a little fun with it. When the cashier at the grocery store asks if you found everything ok, just tell them, "I had a really hard time finding black shoes in a size 7, king size sheets, and tires for my van." When he looks at you blankly and says, "We don't sell those things, ma'am," just reiterate, "See what I mean?! Even you can't find them!"
Then, as the cashier continues to joke around with his buddy, he absently puts the eggs on the bottom of the bag and tosses a big ole can of sweet potatoes on top of them. This is followed by a loaf of bread and finally topped with a half gallon of ice cream.
Plus, the self check-outs come in handy when you're buying something like Gas-X, tampons, condoms, foot fungus cream, and wine (what? I think you'd need wine if you had your period, gas, and crud on your feet!) Those self check-outs are looking better and better, aren't they?
So, here's my advice for those of you contemplating making the jump to the self check-out.
1. If you've never used a self check-out machine, don't give it a try for the first time on a Saturday. Go at midnight when no one else is around
2. If you have 4001 items, skip the self check-out.
3. If you have 23 coupons, skip the self check-out.
4. If you intend to pay for your purchases with 32 pounds of coins, skip it.
5. If you lack
OK, you're ready to proceed. These machines aren't magical. You don't simply wave the package around in front of the machine and voila, the machine magically tells you how much it costs. The machines work by reading a bar code of information located on the package. That means you have to actually put the bar code toward the scanner. See how that works? If you move a can of soup across the scanner 15 times and it doesn't do anything, think about turning the can around so the scanner can read the bar code! Don't laugh. I've been behind this person many times.
After scanning your item, you need to put it in the bag or on the conveyor belt. The bagging area (or the conveyor belt) is a scale. If you ring up a tube of chapstick and put a 5 pound bag of flour in the bag, the machine will flash strobe lights, start smoking, and an alarm will sound, signaling an armed guard to escort you to grocery store prison. Don't be like the idiot who tried to scan a $3.00 bar code for a flat screen TV at Walmart. Not only will it not work, but you'll look like an idiot and may wind up being talked about on my blog.
You also don't want to lean against these scales because umm, they're scales! They'll register your weight leaning on them and yell at you to "remove item from bagging area!" and once again, the armed guard will have to take you away.
How do you ring up fresh produce? I may or may not have been afraid to use the self check-out for this very reason, once upon a time. Not long ago, an old woman in front of me tried to scan her bunch of bananas at least 40,000 times before I
You need to put the produce on the scanner screen (which is also a scale) and key in the code. Most produce will have little stickers with the code. You know those cute little Chiquita stickers on your bananas? They'll have something like #3082 printed on them. Just punch in that number. The machine will weigh the bananas and charge you accordingly. If you have, oh say, an eggplant and it doesn't have a sticker on it, just follow the directions on the screen. You can look it up easily. Most things are listed alphabetically and as long as you have a clue what you're buying, you should be able to look it up with no problems.
There's really no reason to be insecure or embarrassed about using these machines because as long as you can read and follow directions (Yes, I know that eliminates probably 75% of people. Not MY readers, of course; other people!), you'll have no problems. And if you do run into a problem, blame it on the machine! Anyone who has used these, knows they have occasional glitches. Sometimes the sale price doesn't ring up correctly, or the item isn't in the database. Then there are the times the machine yells at you to put the item in the bag even though it's already there and you find yourself arguing with a machine that you're certain is laughing at you. These things happen. All you have to do is wait 45 minutes for someone to come help you. I guess you really need to cut the helper cashier person some slack though because she has to deal with idiots who can't follow instructions all day long and she's probably more than a little afraid of having some disgruntled customer throw canned peas at her head. Now, if only the nice grocery store would mail you a paycheck for all your hard work...
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
How to Manage the Flu
The folks from Campbell's sent me this package a couple weeks ago and it just happened to arrive while I had all 6 kids home sick. What awesome timing was that?! Chicken soup and juice! It was just what I needed. I'm thinking it was supposed to be a nice school lunch kit with the lunch bag and water bottle, but I personally used it as a "Get Well" care pack. What's more comforting, when you're sick, than chicken soup?
Campbell's has 13 new kid friendly chicken soups, including Disney Princess, Cars, SpongeBob, and Goldfish pasta. Each of these new kids' condensed soups contain 24% less sodium than the regular Campbell's condensed chicken noodle soup and all of the kids soups meet the government criteria for healthy foods, with controlled fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
And especially when you're sick and getting dehydrated through vomiting and/or fever, it's important to replace those fluids. We went through a ton of V-8 V-Fusion juice a couple weeks ago. We all really love this juice to begin with, but while the kids were sick and not interested in eating at all, I knew they were getting fluids, calories, vitamins, and fruits and vegetables through the V-Fusion.
Campbell's has a
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My New Assistant - Brooklyn
Brooklyn has done some redecorating. How very, ummm, colorful! Yes, it's very colorful, Brooklyn. Thanks for not drawing on the furniture, at least.
Ohhh, they're important notes? Oooo, what do they say, Brooklyn?
Oh yeah. It's a good thing I've got you to help remind me of all these important things! :)
Ohhh, they're important notes? Oooo, what do they say, Brooklyn?
Oh yeah. It's a good thing I've got you to help remind me of all these important things! :)
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Sunday, November 1, 2009
Nearly Sunday Sound Out
From Chicago, where our river flows backwards, it's Sunday Sound Out starring the old woman who lives in a shoe, Dawn Meehan, and with musical guest, Perry Como.
I would love to know where you do your grocery shopping at? I only have 4 kids so its a challange for me everytime I shop. I would love to know where you grocey shop and do you budget etc....???
I do almost all my shopping at Aldi. I'm not very good at clipping coupons and running from store to store to get the best deals. I just don't have the time or patience for that, but Aldi has the overall cheapest prices that I've found. When I started shopping there, my grocery bill was cut in half. Literally. They don't always have the best selection of fresh produce however, so I do tend to fill in the gaps with a few things from Jewel now and then. I used to be very good at sticking to a budget, but I've gotten lax over the years. I'm just getting back to that system now. I don't own a credit card which makes it easier - if I don't have the money, I can't get the item. Period.
Question - What are your thoughts on the Swine Flu vaccine? Had you considered it before it hit? Having lived through it, would you have vaccinated or just suffered through it?
I wasn't planning on getting the kids (or myself) the vaccination, but according to my pediatrician, I no longer have to make that decision since the kids have already gotten the flu. Honestly, it wasn't bad for my kids, but then again, my kids don't have any other health issues, immune problems, or asthma either. I did almost take Lexi to the ER one night because of her high fever and wheezing, but that was about it.
Where's the photo of you and Savannah dressed up? :)
I haven't dressed up in 20-some years. Why dress up when you can just make up your own costume with picnik.com?
But here's my DAUGHTER...
Should I be concerned that Jackson dressed like a girl and Savannah dressed like a dude?
if you haven't already, go take a look at today's online Chicago Tribune and scroll down to the business section. There's a picture of someone who looks alot like you and a young boy who looks alot like Clay sitting on a couch with a laptop...Just wondering if it is you and if there is another article about you in the Trib today?
Yep, that's us, but there's no article about me in the Trib now. They must've just used the photo they took a couple years ago because it fit their story. You know, because I'm so amazingly photogenic. Snort!
I forgot to announce the winner of the Zing Zang Zoom circus tickets giveaway! The random winner is...
Chasity said...
Oh, what a wonderful giveaway! I've never taken my boys to the circus, what a treat for them that would be. Thanks.
Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com for details on how to get your tickets! And it's not too late for everyone else to get a discount to the upcoming Chicago shows. Just use coupon code MOM at checkout for a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 at Ticketmaster!
I would love to know where you do your grocery shopping at? I only have 4 kids so its a challange for me everytime I shop. I would love to know where you grocey shop and do you budget etc....???
I do almost all my shopping at Aldi. I'm not very good at clipping coupons and running from store to store to get the best deals. I just don't have the time or patience for that, but Aldi has the overall cheapest prices that I've found. When I started shopping there, my grocery bill was cut in half. Literally. They don't always have the best selection of fresh produce however, so I do tend to fill in the gaps with a few things from Jewel now and then. I used to be very good at sticking to a budget, but I've gotten lax over the years. I'm just getting back to that system now. I don't own a credit card which makes it easier - if I don't have the money, I can't get the item. Period.
Question - What are your thoughts on the Swine Flu vaccine? Had you considered it before it hit? Having lived through it, would you have vaccinated or just suffered through it?
I wasn't planning on getting the kids (or myself) the vaccination, but according to my pediatrician, I no longer have to make that decision since the kids have already gotten the flu. Honestly, it wasn't bad for my kids, but then again, my kids don't have any other health issues, immune problems, or asthma either. I did almost take Lexi to the ER one night because of her high fever and wheezing, but that was about it.
Where's the photo of you and Savannah dressed up? :)
I haven't dressed up in 20-some years. Why dress up when you can just make up your own costume with picnik.com?
But here's my DAUGHTER...
Should I be concerned that Jackson dressed like a girl and Savannah dressed like a dude?
if you haven't already, go take a look at today's online Chicago Tribune and scroll down to the business section. There's a picture of someone who looks alot like you and a young boy who looks alot like Clay sitting on a couch with a laptop...Just wondering if it is you and if there is another article about you in the Trib today?
Yep, that's us, but there's no article about me in the Trib now. They must've just used the photo they took a couple years ago because it fit their story. You know, because I'm so amazingly photogenic. Snort!
I forgot to announce the winner of the Zing Zang Zoom circus tickets giveaway! The random winner is...
Chasity said...
Oh, what a wonderful giveaway! I've never taken my boys to the circus, what a treat for them that would be. Thanks.
Congratulations! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com for details on how to get your tickets! And it's not too late for everyone else to get a discount to the upcoming Chicago shows. Just use coupon code MOM at checkout for a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 at Ticketmaster!
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Saturday, October 31, 2009
Happy Halloween!
First, I want to thank everyone for their kind words of support. Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave an encouraging comment or email. I can't possibly express what it means to me. I appreciate it more than you'll ever know. I am so blessed to have such a huge group of cyber friends. :*)
Brooklyn changed her mind about what she wanted to be a million times. The night before Hallween, I pulled 3 dresses out of the dress-up box and said, "Which one?" She opted for Sleeping Beauty.
And here's Jackson (or Jackie, as we're calling him now). I told Jackson it takes a lot of guts to dress up like your sister. How weird is it that he fit in his little sister's mini skirt?
And thank you for being patient with me this week while I worked out some issues and decisions in my head. I could write a book longer than the Bible filled with stories of hurt and disappointment over the last 18 years. I've chosen not to. I'm not one to wallow in self-pity because no matter how bad things might be, there is ALWAYS someone out there who has it worse. I really am more of a half-full kinda person. Why dwell on the negative? It just tears you apart and makes you feel bad. I always try to look on the positive side and find the humor in the things that would otherwise frustrate us. I'd much rather laugh than cry and I think most people would agree with that.
Thank you for all your letters of concern for my kids and the flu. They're all fine now. I think the meds really did speed up healing for them and none of them had any complications. I could feel your prayers of strength and healing. And I escaped the flu altogether. I was really sick this past spring and I remember joking around that I "probably had swine flu". Looking back now, I think I really did have it then. Otherwise, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have escaped it this time around with Brooklyn coughing in my face 40,000 times.
Now, onto lighter things...
Brooklyn changed her mind about what she wanted to be a million times. The night before Hallween, I pulled 3 dresses out of the dress-up box and said, "Which one?" She opted for Sleeping Beauty.
Last Halloween, Lexi informed me that she wanted to be Darth Vader this year. I thought for sure she'd change her mind, but nope. So, Darth Vader she was.
Clay picked the Stitch costume that Jackson wore a few years ago. Everyone said it fit his personality. Hmmm...
And here's Jackson (or Jackie, as we're calling him now). I told Jackson it takes a lot of guts to dress up like your sister. How weird is it that he fit in his little sister's mini skirt?
Hope everyone had a nice week and a fun Halloween with the kids!
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Duh!
I'm sorry. I'm so out of it this week. I promise I'll be back and functioning next week. I just need a few days to regroup.
Anyway, I realize that I screwed up and only picked one winner for the Safety Tats when I was supposed to pick four. So here are the other three...
Tami said...
I just became a fan of safety tats on facebook!!iluvmyfamilyof5@hotmail.com
Jenny said...
these would be great on a cruise, no? sounds wonderful and I'm sure provides much better peace of mind when you're out and about.
Tmomma said...
what a great idea! i remember you talking about these before and how useful they are.
I'm sorry for my slip-up. Congratulations to all the winners! Please email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your addresses. :)
Anyway, I realize that I screwed up and only picked one winner for the Safety Tats when I was supposed to pick four. So here are the other three...
Tami said...
I just became a fan of safety tats on facebook!!iluvmyfamilyof5@hotmail.com
Jenny said...
these would be great on a cruise, no? sounds wonderful and I'm sure provides much better peace of mind when you're out and about.
Tmomma said...
what a great idea! i remember you talking about these before and how useful they are.
I'm sorry for my slip-up. Congratulations to all the winners! Please email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your addresses. :)
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Monday, October 26, 2009
Safety Tats Winner
I'm sorry. With everything going on last week, I forgot to post the winner of the Safety Tats on Friday. The random winner is...
Jen said...
I bought Safety Tats to use when we went to Disney last summer. They are great! I love these new halloween ones!! I'd love to win them!! I'm almost out of the ones I bought for Disney so I'm in need of new ones anyway. I use them whenever we go to amusement parks or any crowded places. They are so handy!!
Thanks everyone for leaving your comments! Congratulations to Jen! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address.
Jen said...
I bought Safety Tats to use when we went to Disney last summer. They are great! I love these new halloween ones!! I'd love to win them!! I'm almost out of the ones I bought for Disney so I'm in need of new ones anyway. I use them whenever we go to amusement parks or any crowded places. They are so handy!!
Thanks everyone for leaving your comments! Congratulations to Jen! Email me at mom2my6pack@aol.com with your shipping address.
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The Greatest Show on Earth (and warthogs)
The circus is coming to town! The circus is coming! I really am that excited about it. When Austin was a little kid, he was obsessed with animals and elephants in particular. He had a collection of these hard, plastic animals that he played with. Well, come to think of it, he didn't actually play with them so much as he categorized them. Gray ones, white ones, green ones... Or maybe small ones, medium ones, big ones... Or perhaps, animals with 4 legs, with 2 legs, with no legs... He'd categorize and line them up, then he'd change them around and line them up in a different way.
In fact, thinking of those plastic animals reminds of the one year Austin asked for a warthog for Christmas. That's all he wanted, a toy warthog. He wrote to Santa and asked him for just that one thing. I looked high and low for a warthog. This was way back before I owned a computer so I couldn't just browse the net, not that the thought had even occurred to me at the time.
We used to have these neat learning-type toy stores around here that sold the plastic animals and I drove to every one of them in search of a toy warthog. I couldn't find one anywhere.
I asked Austin, "Are you sure you want a warthog? How about some nice Legos? Or some Matchbox cars? Wouldn't you like a set of art supplies? Or a car? Or a house? Or a million dollars? Anything but a warthog???"
I called the Brookfield Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, The Milwaukee Zoo. I figured if any of them said they had a warthog, I'd take a road trip, pay admission for the day and buy the stinking toy. No one had a warthog. Finally, I found one at the San Diego Zoo. The person on the other end of the phone thought it was the strangest request she'd ever heard. "We don't ship items from our gift stores," she informed me. After I regaled her with my warthog saga, she said she would personally ship it to me. Thanks to her, Austin was one happy kid come Christmas morning when he found a plastic warthog in his stocking.
Wow, did I digress! As I was saying, Austin was obsessed with elephants back in the day. He watched Dumbo so many times, the tape broke. So when the circus came to town, we took him there for his 4th birthday. I can still see the look on his face as he beheld all the wonder and magic of the "greatest show on earth".
We haven't been back since. Guess where we're going for his 15th birthday? That's right! I'm really excited about Ringling Bros. latest show, Zing Zang Zoom because it combines magic with the circus and looks like tons of fun!
And for my readers, I have a coupon code for you! Use the code - MOM to get a 4 pack of tickets (good for Monday-Friday matinee shows) for only $44! This code is also good for $4 off Friday and weekend shows. You can get additional tickets for $11.
Opening night is November 5th at 7:00pm at the AllState Arena in Rosemont
and
November 18th at 7:00pm at The United Center in Chicago
But that's not it! I have a 4 pack of tickets for opening night at The United Center to give away to one lucky family! Leave me a comment and I'll pick a random winner on Friday! Please make sure you're available for the 7:00pm show on November 18th in Chicago before leaving me a comment. And the coupon code is good for everyone interested in shows at either location!
*I was given free tickets to the circus in exchange for my post, but my opinions are entirely my own.
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Friday, October 23, 2009
Joe
I don't regret what I wrote yesterday. I got several hundred comments and emails from people thanking me for letting them know they're not alone. I can't count the number of people who have experience with similar situations. In fact, later today, I plan on reading and sharing them because I think they'll inspire other people.
Still, I want to clarify a few things. I had planned on writing more today anyway, but after my mom called to tell me how disappointed my parents are with me for writing that and to let me know it would be my fault if something bad happened to Joe because of it, and after my mother-in-law told Joe to call a lawyer and sue me for slander, I decided to take the time to write right now instead of waiting til tonight when I could get my thoughts straight.
I was not bashing Joe in my post last night. He is not a bad or evil person. He is an alcoholic who has been sober for 17 years. He quit drinking right before we got married and he's stayed clean throughout the years. He takes his sobriety seriously and I'm proud of him for that accomplishment. Especially when you consider his parents and how he was raised by an alcoholic father, it's an amazing accomplishment.
Joe is a good person. He's a very hard worker and always has been. He's put in more than his fair share of hours trying to provide for our family. He's also a great dad. He has no problem taking all 6 kids out for the day and playing with them, reading to them, helping with homework, giving the little ones baths.
But, although he's sober, he has still has alcoholic traits. He lies. He lies about big things, little things, everything. This is the number one thing that has to lead to the destruction of our marriage, in my opinion. You can't trust someone who lies to you repeatedly. The bible says to forgive a person not 7 times, but 70 times 7. He's already reached 490 times. OK, ok, I know that it really means you should forgive repeatedly without a limit. But even though you may forgive someone, how do you ever trust them again? And how can you love someone you can't trust? I haven't figured that one out.
He told a whopper when he was caught doing something about a year ago and blamed it on the kids. At that point, I said I was done and was going to file for divorce. That was right about the time I was given the movie Fireproof to review. Joe watched it with me and something clicked with him. He changed. He seemed genuinely aware of what the years of lying had done and I honestly believed he was changing for the better. He has a library of Christian books about marriage. He read his bible every day and prayed. I really thought this might be it. But he couldn't understand why years of disappointment and hurt didn't instantly melt away with me. He's been trying to be patient with me, but I don't know when or if my feelings toward him will ever change. And then something like this will happen and things are set back again...
Joe does not go out and seek drugs that I know of. He doesn't have a problem like that. It's just that whenever he's prescribed pain killers, he seems to have problems taking them. It happened with his prescribed sleeping pills this past summer and pain killers for his back about 12 years ago which led to major depression.
Now, apparently Joe was just dehydrated because the pain in his throat was keeping him from drinking. When I asked him if he wanted some warm tea yesterday morning, he said, "No thanks, I'm drinking water." I didn't realize he hadn't been drinking enough because honestly, my attention was focused on my kids. After some IV rehydration, he perked up and was back to his normal self. I feared he was suffering from depression (possibly from the pain killers because that was my previous experience with him.) I wanted him to get help. I'm glad it wasn't depression and just dehydration this time. Thankfully the fluids have made a world of difference.
And according to Joe's doctor, he didn't "overdose" on the pain medication. He took too much and it did raise the numbers on his liver function, but not to a dangerous level. So, I apologize for using the wrong word.
I never wrote that post last night to bash Joe or anyone else who deals with addictions or problems like that. It's a sucky situation and I wouldn't wish either side of it on anyone. I just had to write. It's cathartic for me. I feel better when I write about the things that are bothering me and pushing me to my limits. And although I don't regret it, I do apologize for any hurt feelings.
Still, I want to clarify a few things. I had planned on writing more today anyway, but after my mom called to tell me how disappointed my parents are with me for writing that and to let me know it would be my fault if something bad happened to Joe because of it, and after my mother-in-law told Joe to call a lawyer and sue me for slander, I decided to take the time to write right now instead of waiting til tonight when I could get my thoughts straight.
I was not bashing Joe in my post last night. He is not a bad or evil person. He is an alcoholic who has been sober for 17 years. He quit drinking right before we got married and he's stayed clean throughout the years. He takes his sobriety seriously and I'm proud of him for that accomplishment. Especially when you consider his parents and how he was raised by an alcoholic father, it's an amazing accomplishment.
Joe is a good person. He's a very hard worker and always has been. He's put in more than his fair share of hours trying to provide for our family. He's also a great dad. He has no problem taking all 6 kids out for the day and playing with them, reading to them, helping with homework, giving the little ones baths.
But, although he's sober, he has still has alcoholic traits. He lies. He lies about big things, little things, everything. This is the number one thing that has to lead to the destruction of our marriage, in my opinion. You can't trust someone who lies to you repeatedly. The bible says to forgive a person not 7 times, but 70 times 7. He's already reached 490 times. OK, ok, I know that it really means you should forgive repeatedly without a limit. But even though you may forgive someone, how do you ever trust them again? And how can you love someone you can't trust? I haven't figured that one out.
He told a whopper when he was caught doing something about a year ago and blamed it on the kids. At that point, I said I was done and was going to file for divorce. That was right about the time I was given the movie Fireproof to review. Joe watched it with me and something clicked with him. He changed. He seemed genuinely aware of what the years of lying had done and I honestly believed he was changing for the better. He has a library of Christian books about marriage. He read his bible every day and prayed. I really thought this might be it. But he couldn't understand why years of disappointment and hurt didn't instantly melt away with me. He's been trying to be patient with me, but I don't know when or if my feelings toward him will ever change. And then something like this will happen and things are set back again...
Joe does not go out and seek drugs that I know of. He doesn't have a problem like that. It's just that whenever he's prescribed pain killers, he seems to have problems taking them. It happened with his prescribed sleeping pills this past summer and pain killers for his back about 12 years ago which led to major depression.
Now, apparently Joe was just dehydrated because the pain in his throat was keeping him from drinking. When I asked him if he wanted some warm tea yesterday morning, he said, "No thanks, I'm drinking water." I didn't realize he hadn't been drinking enough because honestly, my attention was focused on my kids. After some IV rehydration, he perked up and was back to his normal self. I feared he was suffering from depression (possibly from the pain killers because that was my previous experience with him.) I wanted him to get help. I'm glad it wasn't depression and just dehydration this time. Thankfully the fluids have made a world of difference.
And according to Joe's doctor, he didn't "overdose" on the pain medication. He took too much and it did raise the numbers on his liver function, but not to a dangerous level. So, I apologize for using the wrong word.
I never wrote that post last night to bash Joe or anyone else who deals with addictions or problems like that. It's a sucky situation and I wouldn't wish either side of it on anyone. I just had to write. It's cathartic for me. I feel better when I write about the things that are bothering me and pushing me to my limits. And although I don't regret it, I do apologize for any hurt feelings.
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Thursday, October 22, 2009
Swine Flu Update
Well, my kids are feeling better today. I think the medicine is really working because they're getting back to themselves faster than Savannah who didn't have any medicine. The problem is that they're tired of being cooped up and sick and it's all rainy here today. Despite the fact that I've been going to the library every day to get them a new supply of movies, Clay and Jackson are out of control, jumping around, fighting and generally bugging everyone else. I'm about at the end of my rope with them.
Meanwhile, I had to call my mom and ask her to take Joe to the ER after I spoke with his doctor. Joe overdosed on the Tylenol with codeine and has been in a drugged sleep ever since his surgery on Friday. I didn't realize he had gone through all 3 bottles of pain killers at first because he waited until I was in the shower, then drove, all hopped up on narcotics, to the drug store to get more. When he got home, he filled the empty bottle with water to cover up the fact that he'd just been drinking the medicine from the bottle like it was water. Like a true recovering alcoholic, he blamed me for the cover-up and said he had to do it so I wouldn't get mad.
So I told his surgeon how much medicine he'd taken, but that he was out of it now, yet still, he was sleeping all day and night and the rare times he awoke, he slurred, cried a little, then went back to sleep. I was worried that he was depressed and might try to commit suicide again and I, quite frankly, am sick and tired of dealing with this kind of thing especially since I have 6 sick kids at home right now.
Anyway, my mom was nice enough to take him to the ER where they rehydrated him (he'd stopped eating and drinking) and tested his liver function. The numbers were elevated so he'll be staying there overnight to be monitored to make sure the number doesn't rise anymore.
That's it in a nutshell. Prayers for Joe would be good because I ran out of sympathy for him after he yelled at me for being so mean to him. Yeah, stocking up on yogurt, ice cream, popsicles, and pudding is mean. Sitting at the hospital for 6 hours while he was in surgery is mean. Offering to make him soup and tea every day is mean. Trying to get him out of the house so he doesn't get sick is mean. Staying up all night with the kids so he could sleep is mean. Making sure someone could take him to the hospital so he could get help is mean.
I don't know how to close comments on a post so I'm just going to ignore them because I know I'll get negative feedback for writing this. I'll have people who say I'm stupid for staying with him for so long. I'll have people say I'm a horrible wife and shouldn't be talking bad about him. But unless you've lived with a person who struggles with addictions, you don't know what it's like. Unless you've lived with a person who lies to you constantly, you don't know what it's like. And I'm just exhausted.
Meanwhile, I had to call my mom and ask her to take Joe to the ER after I spoke with his doctor. Joe overdosed on the Tylenol with codeine and has been in a drugged sleep ever since his surgery on Friday. I didn't realize he had gone through all 3 bottles of pain killers at first because he waited until I was in the shower, then drove, all hopped up on narcotics, to the drug store to get more. When he got home, he filled the empty bottle with water to cover up the fact that he'd just been drinking the medicine from the bottle like it was water. Like a true recovering alcoholic, he blamed me for the cover-up and said he had to do it so I wouldn't get mad.
So I told his surgeon how much medicine he'd taken, but that he was out of it now, yet still, he was sleeping all day and night and the rare times he awoke, he slurred, cried a little, then went back to sleep. I was worried that he was depressed and might try to commit suicide again and I, quite frankly, am sick and tired of dealing with this kind of thing especially since I have 6 sick kids at home right now.
Anyway, my mom was nice enough to take him to the ER where they rehydrated him (he'd stopped eating and drinking) and tested his liver function. The numbers were elevated so he'll be staying there overnight to be monitored to make sure the number doesn't rise anymore.
That's it in a nutshell. Prayers for Joe would be good because I ran out of sympathy for him after he yelled at me for being so mean to him. Yeah, stocking up on yogurt, ice cream, popsicles, and pudding is mean. Sitting at the hospital for 6 hours while he was in surgery is mean. Offering to make him soup and tea every day is mean. Trying to get him out of the house so he doesn't get sick is mean. Staying up all night with the kids so he could sleep is mean. Making sure someone could take him to the hospital so he could get help is mean.
I don't know how to close comments on a post so I'm just going to ignore them because I know I'll get negative feedback for writing this. I'll have people who say I'm stupid for staying with him for so long. I'll have people say I'm a horrible wife and shouldn't be talking bad about him. But unless you've lived with a person who struggles with addictions, you don't know what it's like. Unless you've lived with a person who lies to you constantly, you don't know what it's like. And I'm just exhausted.
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