What Did You Do Today?

[Lindsey]

I had a busy weekend! Our travel documents finally came on Friday so we spent a lot of time going through them

On Saturday we went shopping for last minute things for the trip, and Scott bought me a beautiful bouquet of pink lilies, and I didn't know why, but he said it's an early Mother's Day gift, because I'm Layla's mommy So that was really sweet! Later that night we went to this awards show thing that his friends put on, and I thought it would be stupid but it was better than I expected. There were about 200 people there, they collected donations for the food bank, and I saw friends from all walks of my life: a girl who used to be a secretary here at my office, a girl I knew in my first year of university, and even a girl I knew through some friends at my other college! (She kind of stole my boyfriend, but we're over that now lol!)

On Sunday, we priced all of our stuff for our garage sale, and it took most of the day! I also found out a BIG SECRET that I can't let anyone know until my parents find out on Friday I am terrible at keeping secrets from my mom. I am one of two people who know, and I talked to my mom 3 more times yesterday after I found out and it was so hard not to mention it! But I'm sworn to secrecy... I'll let you guys know after Friday too

Other than that, I'm getting caught up in a situation on another forum, and it's breaking my heart that I can't seem to talk sense into someone whose dog has the same disease as Layla She wants advice but won't TAKE advice, and it's frustrating to no end. Nobody will back me up either. I think there is sometimes a double standard based on who is posting. I think about it every day but I think I need to stop dwelling and push it out of my head.

[gja1000]

We had a good weekend in Houston. It was so good to see my kids, and especially Emma and Abigail! It is hard traveling with my mom and Gary, they both require lots of attention and help. I'm glad to be home!

We went to Galveston Bay - not the island - we started to go to the island, but were just too tired. Brooke, Abi and I went shopping and had a good time together! The guys, Emma and Abi went fishing in the ponds next to the house and they caught some catfish and had a good time. There are 3 ponds close to their house and someone let a pet alligator go into one pond - just for a swim - and then couldn't catch him. Everyone in the neighborhood came out to look at the gator. We didn't realize till the next day that it was a pet.

It is 97 DEGREES here today and windy windy windy. It's just awful!

[Lindsey]

It sounds like a nice weekend Gayle! I could not imagine having a PET alligator!!

I am getting really really stressed. We are leaving in 2 weeks and last night wrote out a list of things we need to get done before we leave. The biggest stress is that Scott has said he will talk to the guy next door to ask if he can watch our house while we're gone... we need someone to cut the grass, water the gardens, and be the main contact for the house alarm. But he hasn't even asked yet. He hasn't mentioned it. He doesn't want to phone them. He knows the guy better than I know his wife so I feel weird being the one to ask. I wish he would just do it! Otherwise we have 2 weeks to make other plans.

We bought backpacks for this trip months ago. We researched and got the best ones we could get. Last night we realized they are too big to be carry-on for three of our flights in the UK Apparently sometimes they check and sometimes they don't. They fit in every dimension except height. Mine is 3 cm too tall and Scott's is 10 cm too tall... they have rigid backs for support, so they can't really be squished down. We ddin't want to check bags because that's extra time waiting in the airport when we could be doing other things. Ugh.

[gja1000]

I know you are stressed Lindsay - I always get crazy when we get ready for a long trip. We've been taking a multi-week trip every summer for many many years nows. For some reason, it doesn't get much better. Right now, I'm stressing about our multi-week trip to Arkansas. Plus, I have jury duty next week and if I get picked, I just don't see how I will get it all done. I'm thinking we may have to delay our trip a few days. We are lucky, we can leave at any time.

I am also stressing about our yard and alarm system too. We don't know our neighbors very well either and we need to ask them to watch our house. I just can't ask them to water our yard, we have too much to water - and I know my grass is going to be fried when I get back and that really upsets me. I guess all I can do is hope for rain, but I don't think that will happen. I would like to shorten our trip, but Gary will be upset. Sigh. I can't win.

[Lindsey]

For my next vacation I want to just go lay on a beach. But I know that won't happen with me. I always want to be seeing or doing something, and then I need a vacation when I get home from vacation. It doesn't help when you let me know it doesn't get better after years of planning these trips

I just remembered we had planned to seed some of our lawn too, where we have bare spots in the back yard. I don't think that will get done until maybe fall now. At least if it doesn't rain here, the grass won't grow, but our gardens need to grow. I guess the neighbors will either have to cut grass or water the gardens. Watering the lawn wouldn't be too bad since we have underground sprinklers and they just need to turn them on! I feel so weird about asking them, I'm considering just asking my brother to come out on weekends to check on the place. But, that's kind of an unnecessary drive if our neighbors are home and can do it. It just feels awkward to ask!

My friend from London called my office today (she used to work here too) to talk to me about the trip. She said we shouldn't risk taking our new backpacks on the plane because they are so strict. But I don't know, we might anyway. Worst case is we'll have to pay 50 GBP (about $80) to put one bag in cargo. I think mine will probably pass as carry-on. It's a lot of money, but if we get through it saves us waiting at the airport for our luggage later. If it doesn't pass on the first flight, we'll check baggage early on the other flights (for 15 GBP).

We have so much other stuff going on too... we both need blood tests done for a doctors appointment when we get back, we need to get our garage sale set up this weekend, and hopefully sell most of our stuff! We need to plant the gardens (Scott told me not to plant one this year, but I really want to), we need to get hair cuts (mostly Scott, his head looks like a cotton ball haha), and we are leaving next weekend! How did this sneak up on us???

[judy]

I can't believe your vacations are here already Gayle and Lindsay! Wasn't it just winter? Time flies so fast!

So, we are going to know your secret on Friday Linds? I'll be waiting!

I went to watch Mackenzie's softball game today, but left before Kassidy's soccer game. I really didn't want to sit there for 4 hours again. I brought Annie and Max with me, and they had so much fun. The kids immediately took them and played with them, so all the smaller beings had fun. Annie wanted to play, but Kass wanted to carry her because she is so petite and feminine. She finally put her down, and she decided to bark at a big dog. She stopped right away though, thank goodness.

I was going to finish setting up the deck, but will do that tomorrow. I have to wash it all down, and then bring whatever I want up from the basement. It's not a big deal. I find that if I split big jobs like that over a few days they are pretty easy.

I put out 2 plants. The coleus is not happy, but it's time they got some sun. We don't really plant here until Memorial Day. I'm only doing my two long planters, lots of coleus, mint plants, and maybe a hanging plant. I hate to plant things and then have them just die over the winter. The coleus and mint can come inside.

[Janet]

Had a bit of a scare this morning. Mom was sleeping a bit later this morning and I usually leave on the route at 6:45. At 6:30 I went in to unhook her from the dialysis machine and she wasn't feeling well. Mom just wanted to stay in bed for awhile. She had pain in her abdomen and I just knew it had to be peritonities again.

I always have her coffee cup, sweet n low, creamer and meds sitting on the table waiting for her. I left on my route and when I got home at 8:30 everything was the same as I left it on the kitchen table. I looked down the hall and saw that Mom was still in bed...lying in the same position as when I left. I really thought when I got to her that she would have passed.

She opened her eyes and said she didn't feel well at all. So after a phone call to the dialysis center...we were on our way. She indeed has the infection again. They gave her antibiotics and I brought 4 bags of antibiotics home to use for the next four days. We'll have to do a manual exchange around 1:30 so it can be in for at least 6 hours before the nighttime dialysis.

Mom is dozing and crying alot now.....it is really sad. She can't eat very well anymore, so it's a struggle getting healthy foods in her. She says things like she wished she felt better and I explain that she really isn't going to get better, that her heart is failing and so are her kidneys. I've explained it to her a few time the past couple weeks.

Spoke with Hospice again today. Explained to the older man on the phone that the young man they sent was a very nice young man, but we needed an older more experienced person to come. I told him that the young man told us she didn't qualify for Hospice because of the dialysis.....BUT...when I told him she has congestive heart failure....he said if she is diagnosed for Hospice with heart failure, she could still do the dialysis. So confusing, but someone with more experience and knowledge is suppose to call tomorrow morning and set up another appt. to come speak with us.

Keep your fingers crossed that we can get some help.

[Lindsey]

I feel like I am going to throw up. Scott called to confirm our hotel reservations tonight. We booked a hotel in Dublin for FEBRUARY instead of JUNE. We are out hundreds of dollars and there's nothing we can do about it. I can't believe we overlooked that for months. Now it's a week and a half before we leave and we need to scramble to find a new place to stay. I have been crying all night and I don't think I can sleep. This is so sickening. We are such idiots.

[gja1000]

No, you are not idiots! Once I booked my plane ticket like that - instead of in the future, I booked it for the current time, but THOUGHT I booked it in the future so when I got read to take my trip, I had no ticket and had to rebook. It happens and it will be OK.

It would stress me out to the max too and I would feel like throwing up too, but in the grand scheme of things, it will be OK!!!

TAKE A DEEP BREATH!

[JJJ]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

I feel like I am going to throw up. Scott called to confirm our hotel reservations tonight. We booked a hotel in Dublin for FEBRUARY instead of JUNE. We are out hundreds of dollars and there's nothing we can do about it. I can't believe we overlooked that for months. Now it's a week and a half before we leave and we need to scramble to find a new place to stay. I have been crying all night and I don't think I can sleep. This is so sickening. We are such idiots.

It's a human mistake. Don't dwell on it just get another place and enjoy your vacation. Money comes and goes but this vacation is just a one time event you need to enjoy.

You need to sink into a hot tub and relax your muscles and especially your mind.

[Lindsey]

We might be able to get a good deal on Priceline... I got one last night that was $30 more than we wanted to spend (still, double what we spent originally!) so I let it go, thinking I could find something at a lower star rating, but I couldn't. I have to wait 24 hours to try bidding again. I am not paying full price lol.

Worst case scenario, my friend in London has a friend just outside Dublin we could stay with for free, as long as my friend goes with us. I don't want to impose so I will try to get the hotel tonight, but we'll see what happens. If it does happen that we need to stay with a friend of a friend, I will pay for her flight and everything for doing that for us.

I didn't sleep more than a couple of hours last night and my eyes are so puffy today I just want to crawl back into bed until 11:00 when I can try getting a hotel again. I think when we have accomodations in place, I will be better.

Thank goodness we called to confirm. Could you imagine if we showed up at the hotel and found out then that our booking was wrong?

[DianaB]

It will all work out, Lindsey. Thank goodness you checked on your room!! You're going to have so much fun so don't get so stressed out that you make yourself sick or don't enjoy your trip.

Janet, I'm so sorry that your Mom's not well. I wish that I could be there to help you out but right now I'm dealing with so much here that it's not possible!! I've thought about calling you but it's just been too hectic.....maybe this week things will be better.

On Tuesday Dae Lynn, Dean, Jaci, and I went to a greenhouse that has such wonderful plants. It's probably about 45 minutes or so away but definitely worth the drive. We had such a good time but the heat and humidity was about to get to all of us!! It's so nice that we have this that we all share together and talk about. Jaci is getting so grown up but is yet enough of a kid that she still plays in the creek.........oh well, I guess that my other two girls are still a kid too because they all still play in the creek!!!!!

We had a storm come through last night that really cooled things off. We needed the rain because we've been pretty dry for it just being spring. I worked in my hosta beds yesterday afternoon after watching Dean all morning.

I've ordered a lot of different hostas (I've decided that I'm addicted to the little plants!!!!) and I need to move some of my older plants to a new bed and plant the new ones closer to the house where I can baby them. I so wish that I had a greenhouse but this just isn't the year to even ask for one with us helping Dae Lynn so much.

Last night we had church where I help in the nursery. I had four kids under 3. One wasn't used to being in there and cried.....then I had one that was a sympathy crier......and one that wanted to throw the toys!!! I was more than ready to come home!!

Dean had eaten some strawberries so I got a frantic call from Dae Lynn because he was broke out with hives!! I told her to give him Benedryl and by the time I got there after church he was all cleared up.

This morning I have Dean again and probably will until the afternoon because Dae Lynn is cleaning at the church and going to Damon's court appointment.

Busy.....busy......busy!!!!

[Lindsey]

Oh no, Diana, strawberry allergies aren't fun! One of my best friends growing up was allergic to strawberries, or anything strawberry flavored or scented (real AND artificial!) Not a lot of people knew about it so she didn't get to enjoy a lot of desserts and cakes and things when she was visiting other people. But it could be worse!

The hotel thing all worked out We got a great price on a better hotel that's about 8 blocks closer to where we need to be! It's still a loss of $300, but oh well. We did look up hostels in the same area as this new hotel, and they were going to cost us about $60 per night for a bed, each. So that's $120 a night together, in a shared room. We used Priceline again, and bid $140 and got a 5-star hotel right across from St Stephen's Green I was so excited I almost cried! Instead of not getting sleep because of stress, we didn't get sleep because of excitement last night!

So do you guys want to know the big secret? My parents are finding out tonight but I guess it's close enough that I can let it slip here... My brother and his girlfriend are having a baby in January! Only myself and her mom know. Well, and Scott because I can't keep a secret from him Even the two little girls don't know yet! They got them shirts made last weekend that say "Biggest sister again" and "Big sister finally", and they made my mom one that says "#1 Grandma, 2012" lol! They are all getting their shirts tonight and figuring it out I am excited for them but I'm not sure how my mom or grandma will react! We'll see tonight.

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

Oh no, Diana, strawberry allergies aren't fun! One of my best friends growing up was allergic to strawberries, or anything strawberry flavored or scented (real AND artificial!) Not a lot of people knew about it so she didn't get to enjoy a lot of desserts and cakes and things when she was visiting other people. But it could be worse!

The hotel thing all worked out We got a great price on a better hotel that's about 8 blocks closer to where we need to be! It's still a loss of $300, but oh well. We did look up hostels in the same area as this new hotel, and they were going to cost us about $60 per night for a bed, each. So that's $120 a night together, in a shared room. We used Priceline again, and bid $140 and got a 5-star hotel right across from St Stephen's Green I was so excited I almost cried! Instead of not getting sleep because of stress, we didn't get sleep because of excitement last night!

So do you guys want to know the big secret? My parents are finding out tonight but I guess it's close enough that I can let it slip here... My brother and his girlfriend are having a baby in January! Only myself and her mom know. Well, and Scott because I can't keep a secret from him Even the two little girls don't know yet! They got them shirts made last weekend that say "Biggest sister again" and "Big sister finally", and they made my mom one that says "#1 Grandma, 2012" lol! They are all getting their shirts tonight and figuring it out I am excited for them but I'm not sure how my mom or grandma will react! We'll see tonight.

I just want to say, I know $140 per night is still pretty expensive... but as we usually do we went to the website of the hotel and tried to book through them as well, and it was quoting about $340 per night for the most standard room. So a savings of $200 per night is not too shabby We are staying in budget hotels for the whole bus tour, and this will be the last three nights of the trip... it's something to look forward to the whole time!

[DianaB]

I'm glad that you got your hotel situation figured out!!!! It sounds like you got a really good deal!!! I'm envious of your trip......I would love to travel but being married to a farm boy that likes to stay home kinda' cuts my chances of much travel!!! I hope you take lots of pictures so I can enjoy your vacation with you!!!

As far as Dean's hives......Dae Lynn mentioned before she gave them to him that it's not recommended to give strawberries to a child under two years old!!! So....no more strawberries for Dean until next year!!!! Hopefully it's something that he'll outgrow!!

How exciting.......a new baby!!! Your Mom's going to be thrilled with the surprise!!! One time when Amy was pregnant she made fortune cookies for us to announce her news......sadly she miscarried but I loved the way we were told!!!

We had a cold front come through last night and it's a little too cool to work in the yard for me. However, I have a very messy bedroom from Kera and I cleaning out the closet!!! So I'm going to work on that and get some groceries later. First.....I have to get OFF of the computer!!!