Catching Up Some - What I've Been Up To

So... yeah it's been over a month since I've posted. I'm sorry! I really am awful and disorganized. I'd like to get my life back in order but first I need a moment to breath.

First I'd like to say...

Happy 2015!

December's big thing is I was babysitting Nora who was then 7 months old. I was getting off of work at 2pm driving over to her Mom's to pick her up and pick up Nora's mom and drive the mom to work then driving out to pick up kids and handling the home front while babysitting until 10pm every Monday - Friday. It kept me pretty busy trying to look after a little one especially when I was trying to do the holiday shopping and decorating by myself. I was about to murder people by hanging them by their toes!
Anyways, January 2nd was my last day babysitting because Nora's mom went to a first shift and of course I work so I couldn't babysit at that point. 

Starting that first full week of January I had to work that Monday because our time sheets were due and I was on vacation for the two weeks prior (but like I said I was a mad woman trying to keep up) so I had to go in and get that filled out. I did take a shorter day but had walked into a lot of work on my desk. I also started going back to the gym that day. That feels like so long ago! Wow I just looked at where we are on the calendar and it seems like that was weeks ago.

Work had been so stressful though that I started 'running' on the treadmill there for several days because all sorts of stuff hit my desk. By Thursday I had shin splints. So Thursday no exercise just hot tub and sauna time. Friday I didn't try (plus the shin splints still hurt) but I took Brielle, Katherine and Katherine's friend Sarah to the Y to go swimming. We ended up making it a sleepover party and I took the kids to the grocery store and let them pick out breakfast and let them pick out some cookies.
The kids stayed up real late not sure how late but I passed out before they did... I actually passed out before Peter did because I was so exhausted.

Saturday we had Katherine's friend over until around lunch time. Then some friends of ours called and wanted to have lunch together so they asked Brielle to babysit Baby Nora and Brielle was excited to say yes. Brielle really does love Nora and was sad when I stopped babysitting.
Just us adults went out but we had a long wait because they picked a sports place and UK was playing. We eventually had a good meal and then my friend Johanna (Nora's mom) stayed out with me and we went to Hancock Fabric because I had never been there and they've been in town for well... since before I moved here but I have an issue with entering new places by myself if I've never been in that chain before. We were amazed at some of the prices and selection so we have a new favorite fabric store. 

Sunday, I found out from Brielle that Homecoming Dance was coming up on Friday (yes, today!) which meant I went into total scramble mode because I didn't know how we were going to find a dress in time. A put a post out on Facebook and Sarah's mom, Jessica, replied back that she had a dress we could borrow that almost fit Sarah so should fit Brielle. It was worth the gamble. This was Tuesday that I found this out so we drove over there Tuesday night and Brielle tried it on and it fit. 
Also, Sunday we had Bitch 'N Stitch. That's where a bunch of us ladies get together with our sewing, knitting, crocheting or whatever craft or project it is and work on them while talking. It is a lot of fun to get out with some ladies and be able to talk and relax.

... Monday, We had a PTO event to go to they do a Homework Diner it's where they offer a free meal and you and your children work on their homework and there are teachers there to help with any questions.  -- Oh and due to a meeting early Tuesday that I wasn't going to be at I went to work that day, got groceries for the week, had lunch with Peter, went to the hospital for my B-12 shot and I went to the gym... yes I fit all that in. It was nuts! 

... Back to Wednesday. So Brielle had a dress that Jessica bought for $1 that had a price tag of $150 still attached to it. She found it at a consignment shop and it needed some love and care. So after work I went to Jo-Ann Fabric and to Hancock and then back to Jo-Ann's because I had to figure out the best price and items. I had to replace the ribbon or cord or whatever was in the back originally to tie the dress together and the straps were the jewel studded links and it had lost some jewels so I had to replace those too. Using coupons I got the price for making the adjustments down to $20 which isn't bad since the original price for the new strapping was $27.99! That pretty much took up my evening. 

Thursday, I went to work but was working so much that I completely worked through lunch which gave me a horrible headache. I came home and laid down. The kids were home for a snow day. The roads were crazy in the morning because there wasn't any warning so no salt was put on the roads and sadly there was a fatality on one of the parkways just outside of town not to mention the multiple accidents in town. By the afternoon the snow had melted off. So that evening (last night) I got my head to calm down enough for me to work on making the changes to the dress. Beads had been lost, loose threads, needing to change the straps... It's ready though.

 Tonight is the dance!

I'm going to go into work today which is going to be hell of it's own and then come home and start working on trying to catch up the house some before it is time to start focusing on getting Brielle ready for her dance.

Speaking of which tonight is Crockpot Chicken Tacos I had planned this out thinking that if I could throw something in the crock pot then Brielle could eat early and then we could focus on getting her ready while Peter could grab something to eat before he goes out to play cards and then Kat could be Kat and do what she wants during all this hustle and bustle.


I've been pretty stressed out.... Like be thankful if you aren't on my Facebook personal feed! Wednesday night I got a phone call from the school... well a couple phone calls. #1 That Brielle owed a book fine that I didn't know about but she did. #2 That report cards went out Monday and she never gave it to me and then come to find out one of her grades slipped BAD and I looked it up and she never bothered doing 2! assignments! During this message I also found out Parent-Teacher Conference was Thursday! Yeah not even 24 hr notice!! Thankfully that got canceled due to it being a snow day. Oh and Wednesday I found out Brielle had a huge assignment due today where she had to make a 3-D model yeah wasn't happening I gave her some cardboard to cut out and printed some stuff and it is what it is. I could have made what she did within 20 minutes it took her ALL day! But it's her work. *grumbles and rubs face* I really try not to make my blog my vent area.

Anyways, I hope people forgive me for not posting more. I really am wanting to at least get back to my Monday post. I also have a few recipes I would love to post at some point.

My focus for 2015 is my health again. I'm trying to get back into the habit of going to the gym. Not every day like I was last week I was doing that out of sheer stress but 2-3 times a week. I stopped back in August and I just never got back to it. I have some friends also trying hard to work on their weight so hoping we can be supportive of each other. The holidays really wrecked my diet as in so many carbs I put on the pounds plus I was eating so much that my stomach stretched out and is now like FEED ME! even though I should be eating enough. Perhaps it sounds silly that every year these days seems to be my health but it is an on going process. February I have all of my doctors appointments so I should have some clue on where I stand other than just my weight.

Hope this explains my absence. Now time to get ready for work. Hope everyone is having a great 2015 thus far.