Fuming with Outrage

I very rarely actually attain "fuming" stage. I'm there. I've been sick for months. I've had to Epi Pen myself  7 times since the beginning of  October after NEVER using an Epi Pen. We've been searching for the cause of the elevated allergic state: viruses, different soaps, different food products, different additives in vitamins, ect. Until yesterday we've been coming up empty handed.  Cheese. The Shredded cheese that Walmart sells contains an antibiotic called NATAMYCIN. It is well known in my family that I am VERY allergic to anything in the MYCIN family of antibiotics. It causes anaphylaxis, throat swelling, eye swelling, severe stomach upset, ill feelings, among other issues.

I am fuming because I bought some pre-grated cheese from Walmart. I checked the label and the only warning it had was "Milk". Not an antibiotic. There are several manufactures that are using this antibiotic instead of other types of preservative so they can advertise as "Preservative Free". Kraft Singles are another such example. Makers are saying that it is a naturally occurring antifungal (some sources are saying found in soil, there for natural) so it is ok to advertise the products as "Natural" and "Preservative Free".

Only select products contain this extra additive. While Walmart's pre-shredded store brand cheese contains it, their same kinds of cheeses in blocks - do not. As mentioned above even the sliced cheeses aren't escaping unscathed. While I don't really want to be a cheese monger, it looks like I'll be getting to know my cheeses a lot better know than I have been. Surely I can get a good deal on a grater.

When It All Goes To Hell..

Posting will be sparse, if at all for a while. About 2 days after The Girl's birthday she was throwing a fit and I went to talk to her in her room. As I bent down to talk with her as she was flopping on the floor, she kicked my hand, hyper-extending it. So, now, my right hand has a tendon flopping about just like my left one was before the surgery of hell. I had an EMG a couple of weeks ago that shows no nerve damage has been done (yet). But, I have another appointment Monday for an ultrasound steroid shot - whatever the hell that is. This new doctor I was assigned is very un-informative and un-forthcoming with information. While the past hand guy was super douche, he at least was very straight forward with what and why he wanted to do something.

To make this little debacle better, my left hand has been going numb for a while and hurting fairly significantly. So, while I was there for the right hand I had the left hand looked at. He seems to think there is a reasonable chance of a ganglion cyst somewhere way down deep in the something canal? Once again, I don't really know he just said I needed to get an MRI of it to see if there was a cyst pressing on the ulnar nerve. So right now both of my hands are fully wrapped and braced and I look completely and utterly stupid. Not to mention both hands are completely useless.

So. Aside from costing a crap-ton of money every single time I have to go to the doctor, I am fully and completely useless. Of course we are having to downplay WHY my hand is broken too. "Oh, it was an accident, you totally didn't mean to kick me as you were screaming at me that you hate me." "Oh, honey, it could have just happened on it's own you know."  "Oh, dear, you know that I have that odd connective tissue disorder. I should be more careful." But really, what the hell. My hand is completely screwed because my kid kicked it. I love that child more than anything, but she is more than I know what to do with most of the time lately.

Monroe had her puppies the day before Thanksgiving. I attempted to put pictures up once and couldn't get them to post.

Bwahaha worked great on the laptop though!

Monroe did great having them here at the house this time. She needed a little help, but over all this is a completely different puppy experience than last time. There were 8 puppies total and 6 live ones. 4 boys and 2 girls.

This little boy is one we've nicknamed Scooby Snacks. He's SOOO stinkin' cute. He has one white-ish ear with a spotch in it and he's starting to bark at me when I walk past and leave him! He's visibly the largest too. I keep trying to convince C that we should make Scooby Snacks and Rosa a power team, but I'm pretty sure that's a no-go.

We've also found a local high school boy to come out on Saturdays and help with the bigger farm chores! This works out great for us! He earns money, we get some of the more labor intensive chores done that I had been doing prior to the hand issues. He is used to more labor intensive work too, he grew up on more land before moving closer into town not long ago and he plays on the local baseball team. This could work out well for us too if we ever get to go on that big vacation we keep talking about.

Birthday GIRL!

All I have is one massive QUESTION:

How did this:

Become THIS:

Happy #10 baby! We weren't sure you were going to get there this year. Maybe you'll get to 11 too!

Scandal

So I guess I've pissed off a lot of people with my last post. Ironic eh? Not a single person has the balls to say a single thing to me, yet I know somehow *I* am in the wrong again. I'm sure there is a select group of people gossiping, giggling, chatting like some how *I* have done some deep harm. I guess if any one of those people had valued me as a friend they would have bothered to talk to me. The one post has been passed around over 70 time since I am writing this - in 3 days time. I know what I wrote. I wrote the truth.  I am hurt by people who were supposed to be my friends. I am glad I made the choices I did, because clearly, they are not the outstanding moral people I thought they were. I am ok with my choices.

I am ok with standing by my spouse and not cheating on him as he and I work through our issues together. I will not tell him to abandon his kids on a holiday. Ever. There are so many men who so willingly pass up time with their kids, I won't do it. I won't be that woman who sides with "friends" instead of my spouse.

So be mad at me. I'll take it. Lots of things get blamed on me. But real friends. True friends. Don't ask these things. They don't ask their friends to choose between them or their spouse. You lose. True friends don't take words said and warp them, spread them, gossip them.

I'm not worried about people being mad at me. I HAVE real friends, that don't run out and get all excited because there's new gossip to spread around. They are kind, respectful, and supportive of ME and what *I* need - which is usually just someone to hear me.

If I had intended to create a scandal, there are much better ways to do it.  I'm just done with this mess. I should be able to confide in a friend and not be crucified for it. I had always done the same for her. More so even. The betrayal is dumbfounding.

So, Sure. Pass this around. I'll be at fault. I'm used to it. But also know that your information is probably wrong. You probably don't know a damned thing that's going on.  I learned my lesson on that I won't choose between a "friend" who betrays people and my spouse. My spouse wins. Clearly, I've made the right choice. (Since we've talked he's made significant efforts to be a great spouse and father. ) Whatever story is being passed on against me is only one persons against me side. If they need a win so badly, go for it. I don't. I'm already so far lost, one more loss isn't gonna matter. I'm a horrible person with no friends because they all betray and hate me. Because  I chose to not cheat on my spouse and gossip and share false information about people who are supposed to be my friends. 

Yup. And I'm the loser. Maybe I just need better "friends".

Halloween

Hallooween has always been one of my kids favorite holidays. They love dressing up. They love candy. They seem to absorb the excitement everyone else has for it too.  This year isn't any different. They've been bounding around for days trying on costumes from previous years. Planning out if the costume should be different from day to night.

I love that they have this excitement still.

I'd made plans for us to go trick-or-treating at an old friend's house. We'd been there several times before, including several years for trick-or-treating.

But not this year.

This year I get a slew of texts from a mutual aquantance telling me that it's just going to be uncomfortable  if *we* show up this year.  I think, surely this person just has a random bee up their ass. Nope. Apparently, not. Ok.

Knowing this new information it makes me happy about a lot of decisions I've made this year. I'm glad I withheld my daughter from Scouts this year. I don't need a judgmental leader in her life. Someone who can so easily cast stones with no knowledge of facts doesn't need to be in her life.  Someone who has no first hand knowledge of what's going on in my life passing judgement need not be in it.

I am happy that we have continued with a Homeschool Group when another family has not. It seems we need to broaden the friend horizon and this is a great platform to do do that is free<R> of the type of judgemental types I am seeking to avoid.  

I am happy the Girl is on a swim team with nice kids to befriend.  The Mom's are nice and several of the new additions are fantastic.

I have never "Unfriended" anyone on FB. Ever. Until this week. While it sounds petty, I just don't want to care. I am hurt that someone I've known for years would judge me based on the words of another. But I've Unfriended several. And I doubt I'll change that. The damage has been done by all.

So I told my kids that the kids we were going to go see we're feeling under the weather and wasn't it going to be awefully cold anyhow? Plus we're going to the best party ever this afternoon with kids and people that LIKE US (for just being us).  So we don't really WANT to go over there anyhow. We're going chill and make fondu and watch a double creature feature.


I'll be with the people that matter most to me. I can create fun regardless of who tries to screw with my kids. But I don't forget those who do. My kids are the most precious things to me, don't mess with them.

An Open Letter To All

First of all, I'm sorry. I suck. I know I do. I know I am a forgetful friend, inconsiderate neighbor, lazy teacher, lackluster dog trainer, horrid farmer <--(yes, I know you all had bets out), retched parent (downright neglectful - depending on who ya ask), inattentive spouse (I'm sure that's being generous there too). I'm not going to even tackle my deficiencies as a cook, cleaner, chauffeur, bill payer, money maker, dress hemmer, or other myriad of people I am supposed to be.

But. I am trying. I get out of bed every day and I try. I fail, but I try.

I have a long term chronic disease that is never going to go away. I have more that 1, but really isn't 1 enough? I use to be able to do ALL of these things I listed. Maybe not perfectly. I wasn't ever a gourmet chef, nor so thoughtful of a neighbor they all adored us, let alone a world record dog trainer. But these were all done. I got up, tackled them all and still had energy, interest, ability to DO them.  I could go from 6 a.m. To 10 p.m. without a 3 hour nap or sleeping for a week after.

But I can't now.

My 9 and 8 year old kids know how to bring me and epi pen and steroids and Benadryl. They say at least a few times a week " oh, Momma's gonna take a nap now, let's go play!" And I have to let them. They don't know what Snickers, almonds, peanut butter, bananas, mango, avacado, or a huge number of other things taste like because *I* can't help them prepare them or have them near me. They don't know differently. They don't care. They try some of these things at friends houses or even get scared they have because they worry it will hurt me.

• I get hurt SO easily that I tear tendons, get nerve damage and permanently damage stuff from innocent interactions. People have accused my spouse of abusing me. For years. Before we realized it was just " part" of the disease, the chiropractor would routinely ask how he treated me because I was always injured. Knees, ankles, wrists, ribs dislocated. I can see the worry, but no. And now?? The Girls swim coach asks where every bruise SHE gets comes from. She is bruised more than normal, and always covered in them. She has been bitten by a goose, fell off a branch, ran into a car, fell onto her brothers face. But they are always looking at ME like *I* caused them. 

 Even more fun? My spouse doesn't even care or pretend to care anymore. He has his " committee" of ill advised "business" people.  He's openly admitted that his business and company are so openly more important than anything I could ever be. Yeah. Try shove that one back down. Ever. I get so routinely told just how useless and stupid I am, pared with overwhelming inability to be anything.  I have been told " they liked me until I proved to be untrust worthy". Well, since I had yet to meet a single one of them, I find my true " untrustworthy- ness" really hard to question. But awesome. Thanks. Asshole. 

I am done with this all -this whole mess - so often. Stupid stuff. The empty boxes in the panty, over the top done. The girl has the dogs (all 5) trained to up get get food (only hers) off the table and screams like a harpy when they do it. Because, this too - my fault. I don't  even SIT at the table! The dogs know, darn well, my food is off limits.

Its taken me about a week to write this, which is why it's somewhat disjointed. I get tired, distracted, pulled away by kids, depressed by my own situation. Whatever. But I know a lot of people think I'm " quiet" and " wierd" and " odd". Sometimes I just don't say anything, because I'm tired and lonely and the weather just doesn't matter. 

To Be..

Overnight a friend had a family emergency. It's really only a jumping point for me (so read about it here if you want to) when I realized that I am happy she had so many people ready to help her. It means I have nice, kind friends who people fall over willing to help. I have friends that would do the same in an emergency as well. I don't have many that consider *me* that close. I guess I should consider it a benefit, I don't get asked to help with things that may be unsavory. I guess, in a lot of ways, this is why I like puppies. You feel like you can make them happy. You can DO something for them. You can change their bad behavior. You can DO things with dogs and puppies and they make you feel appreciated, loved, needed, wanted. There's never that question of motive with puppies. If you treat them well, they reward you with unfailing loyalty.

The good news is Rosie is making fantastic training progress for being 10 weeks. She sits, drops, comes, come in, go out, get off. We'll get her second set of shots and then be able to start her formal training in a class. 

I suspect she's stronger willed than we've given her credit for. I was going to crate train her this week. The first 2 nights she howled, yelped, barked, and cried for no less than 8 hours. Yes. 8 hours. She was in there 8 1/2 . I swear she barely paused to breath. I checked her several times. She was fine, just loud. The next night? 6. Really?? But, she really is just so cute and loving. I really do like her.

The bad news is the kids have been rancorous monsters this week. No, not the "ahhhh my kids are sooo bad, they left their shoes on a chair." I mean poop smeared on the walls, paint made into barf bombs, screws undone out of windows kind of naughty.

I keep threatening to trade the kids in for puppies. I would never do that, but somedays it would be such an easier option. In addition to the creative process gone awry, the sassy smack talk is ridiculous. To keep as straight face while an 8 year old boy sasses like a 14 year old girl is just HARD.

Big Day for a Big Boy!!

My sweet wee little baby isn't little anymore!! My little precious baby:

Got all BIG and turned 8!!!

 It doesn't even seem like the same little snuggly, smooshy little face - but it is! 


*Sigh* how fast they grow up...

Happy Birthday my Magpie!!

New Psych

Today we went to a new psych. He does a combo of meds and talk. I set my expectations *extremely* low - given how much luck we've been having lately - it seemed justified. I wasn't displeased with him, nor am I giddy with joy we've met him either. The Girl went semi-psycho, which is good, therapists tend to look at parents crazy like when the kids don't. I did appreciate that he talked to her like a person. Some don't. Some do that "Hey, puppy dog, don't bite me, there's nothing to be afraid of" kind of speech pattern. That tends to irritate me. He doesn't have any good, magic ideas or solutions.

I've noticed most - if not all - therapist have a *thing*. A reason all people who have problems are messed up. A lack of food as a baby, inattention of the parent (there's a story for another time with that one), lack of sex in marriages. Apparently, this guy has decided that "The Girl's pain of potty training and issues in that aspect and continued issues with this are causing her anger and self-esteem problems". And "She shows no signs of Aspergers." Weeeelllll... Okay, well you have clearly never met her for more than 15 minutes then now have ya?

Now, the good of the last of that statement? The years of social training is working!! Fantastic!! She talks, she stayed on topic(ish), she looked near him as she spoke. I doubt she looked him IN the eyes, but close enough to fool his ass. Good for me! We've been working for just that for years. Literally, years. I honestly couldn't be prouder of her in that aspect.  Could she do that for longer than we were there? Na. Would it have worked if I wasn't in the room? Probably not. She sees me and it reminds her of the *rules*.  But, honestly, it doesn't matter if that guy thinks she has Aspergers or not. We know she does, it doesn't change anything.

Another, nit picky, thing he said that just irritated the hell out of me - is when asking about her meds - he asked 3 times if we'd given her a stimulate ADHD medication before. No, we haven't. She's already on anxiety meds, and sleep meds, and other mood meds (which is why we're there: to re-evaluate the meds) and on the third time I say that the only stimulant we've ever given her is coffee. Nothing else. She's been evaluated to have ADHD, we did not assume it. We don't treat it, nor say anything about it being an issue of any sort. He stops writing and turns to me and says "It's never been proven that coffee is a test for ADHD" umm?? Ok? Jolly then.. How about that psych test you all dole out? Does THAT? Yeah, ok then.

The one this I did like is that he correctly identified that her constipation is still an ongoing, chronic issue. He provided a do-able daily solution to resolve it. Now, is this creating deep psychological problems? I'm seriously doubting it. Massive, serious doubt.

He inquired if we had a councilor for her. When I answered I'd been trying to find one with availability, but having difficulty - he simply said "Oh". I would have suspected so sort of suggestion of where to look, a name, a firm. Something. A bit disappointed  there. I mean if you know a great shoe store and you know someone is looking for shoes - why not hook the 2 up?

We go back in a couple, three weeks. I am a bit curious what he'll do when we *cure* the constipation, but lo and behold The Girl is still neurotic. Could it be that poop is NOT the cause of all her problems?!? Oh. My. Will his world shatter?? It would be pretty amusing, I must admit.

It would be funny.. If this wasn't me..

Let's be honest, we all delight in other people's misery, Schadenfreude. This would be the best, juiciest gossip ever - if only it wasn't me.

The Girl has been declining in mood for the last few weeks. We had adjusted her meds once and have just been seeing how it goes, waiting for my mom to relocate to her new apartment, found out our goat is going to have a baby, one of our cats died, they announced a Girl Scout camping trip, several birthdays are coming up this week. A stressful week for a kid with aspergers and a host of other issues. A couple of days ago, we woke up to find a laundry basket of her stuff packed. Huh. Ok. Talked about it. Assumed it was a ploy for attention at 4 a.m., thought it was resolved.

Later that day, I found girl with our biggest chef knife behind her back, hiding it from me. Boy had fetched me while I was talking to the yard guy, to tell me that she was packing to "run away into the woods". We back up into a very, very large plot of wooded area, in addition to the couple of acres we own - so that is actually possible.

After a loud bit of screaming to put it down (which, thankfully, she did comply with) The Girl went on to spend 3 hours carrying on: screaming, crying, hitting me, running through the house, kicking me, lying, and general carrying on. I hadn't yet put together she'd hit a miss management of her medications, so I was trying to treat her like a logical 9 year old.

The next day, she pulled the same stunt. Giant knife in hand while walking across the kitchen counters. OH, heck, NO! So, we have locked the house down. I called her doctor - to see if I could move her appointment sooner. Of course not, they're full. But really, what I should do is take her to the inpatient mental hospital and drop her in. <---- Really???  For a 9 year old? You know, honestly, she DOES fit the criteria for inpatient. I do know this. She has been going on and on and on about how she is going to chop and slice and cup peoples hands off for touching her favored lovie. But for them to not even TRY to find an appointment?? It the child's Psych. You would think that they would have had an emergency spot built in!

So, after a very short conversation that consisted of hubby and I both saying no, we've both been attempting to keep girl alive since then. All knives and knife like items are either in the safe or in new lock boxes.

We had an appointment to get The Girl's medication reviewed  today. Disappointment abounds. There is no solid  plan in place. I can change her doses at will.  Unfortunately, right this moment, she's causing a conniption.

RRGGGG

RRRGGG said the dinosaur. I have not been this furious in YEARS.

 Oddly, not the kids. The continuous assault of someone (let's call them P for the lack of anything truly better) who is supposed be one of your biggest fans tearing you down - daily. It's easy to pass off at first, but infuriating as it builds. The flat out, blatant, insulting of my parenting is just down right unacceptable.  P assumes that everything the Asperger kid says is 100% correct. Surely, sweet perfect Girl could not be wrong? Oh, wait. perfect girl is currently attempting to become a psychopath and openly attempts to lie and manipulate EVERYONE! She admits to it even. So, yes, I am harsh and squash every single attempt at lies and manipulation. I don't let a single one slide. I don't want her to grow into a crazed serial killer. P goes behind  her going "But, my sweet Girl doesn't do XXX". Hell, yes she does! I have it on camera!

Even better? I have 2 polar opposite Aspies. Boy is calm, lies leak from his mouth like melted butter with a smile, and he waits for the right mood to get away with his schemes. Girl is always on fire, pushes everyone and everything 5 steps too far, hyperactive should have been her middle name. Together those 2 could plot the biggest heist ever. They'd tattle on themselves first though. Because of their different personalities, I treat and punish them differently. The Girl just sorted and gave away probably 2/3 of the stuff in her room. The last 1/3 is in bins duct taped shut in her closet. Why? She cannot figure out how to take care of her stuff! She simply cannot. She has about 5 outfits. Simple: Take care of those (wash and put away) get to pick more back out of the bin. It's been months. She cannot do it. We desperately want to give her things back, if fir no other reason than to gt them put of the way. But, she's 9-1/2. She is capable, but not willing, to take care of her things. Ironically, P, comes behind me to soothe and comfort and has been helping Girl. She's sabotaging my attempts to teach my special needs kids to be self sufficient! I don't plan on being 90 and washing my darling childrens' laundry.

I love my kids. I do everything I can think of for them. Including defend their right to be self sufficient, not coddled, taught how to do things (instead of done for), punished fairly, and a host of other things that should have to be a fight in your own home. Kids these age should be encouraged to get their own snacks, drinks, clean their places, make their beds, clean their beds. They are old enough and dexterous enough.  When P is around, these skills are discouraged and the kids are coddled. I try to correct MY kids and the stink eye comes out to never return home. It's like there is a file being written against every parenting choice I make.

My disappointment about how things have turned is almost palatable. I got the "request" that I not let the kids think something that had nothing to do with them, was their fault. Really? What kind of  mother am I to go around saying things like "Now, kids, this is ALL your fault!!" Really?!? Morely, what kind  person is P for thinking that lowly of me?  It's like asking your spouse "Now husband, please don't cheat on me today ok?" If you think THAT lowly of the person, why are you there?

And I guess the short of the long of it is just that. If someone really does just think THAT lowly of me and my spouse and my parenting and everything. Just shut up and get out of my house.

OMG

We have a little laptop the kids can use for their school. Recently, we discovered The Girl has been a bit creative in her idea of "school" usage. Several of the files she wrote and saved are absolutely AWESOME:

 Ty lets fly and soar though the sky.
               Abby lets go find us a boat so we can cruise
               though the ocean.


And:


                      one year aniversery with ty feb 18 


     dear diary today i will see how things go after the reveal of my love with ty wish me luck febuary 20th 8:24 2014     
     dear diary tonight i will hope and pray that my mom dosen't come to tykwando and that nobody finds out my secret love ty  
i also need to explain the plan to ty the plan is that we can't  date  until i am 16 and   then nobody in my family can know until i am 21 febuary20th 2014 3:50


And:

Mitchkle  i  love you  .you dazzle my eyes  .      i know you’re a nice  guy  right under  that shy  .                                                   

That  flaming red  hair that ‘s  brighter  than fire.  Id  rather  have that than be on fire.

                                When  were family remember  this  had a crush on you since i was  six

And:

The   destruction    is causing   an   eruption   .     Oh the   destruction      .   Ohoooo  the destruction !

And:

If   animals could talk my   house would  be filled with  chatter  . If animals   could  talk my house  would be  very LOUD !!!!   If animals could talk my family and I would be scared .

 

This is what she does instead of her school work.. Oy.

Sick, Post Surgery Help, and Kids

I'm about a week and a half post arm surgery and today my arm HURTS. I'm assuming it's nerves regrowing. I know from my back stuff that nerve regrowth hurts, so that would be logical. My hubby, C, has been working from home since the surgery. Usually, he he gets pretty irritated with the kids and animals while he's home and trying to work. He's been fantastic. He's taking great care of the farm (and we've had a ton of things hatching and we're trying to plan out out spring) and the kids have been trouble (mostly the girl), and I got/am nasty sick with a mild cold then the worst sinus infection ever.  He has not complained one time yet.

We have also come to find out the 85% of the fights caused recently between my mother and me have been caused by The Girl. The Girl knowingly has been manipulating mother and lying and because she didn't know any different mother dearest believed her. Well, as one might imagine, this caused problems. It won't now.

The Girl has been causing lots of problems for herself and for other people. Instead of writing her essays, she has been writing love poems to boys. Instead of correcting drafts, drawing little hearts and anatomically well..incorrect people and love odes. I'm going to post them when she's not looking. Because. WOW. Hours of her time, gone.

I apologize for tying errors, this is done 1 handed. ;)

Depression VS Anger

There's such a fine line when anger becomes depression and visa versa. When something happens (or someone does something) that angers you, maddens you so deeply - but really there isn't anything you can DO about it that could be deemed constructive - those are the things and actions that always toy with the anger/depression line.

 I had surgery Tuesday and am obviously starting to hit the apex of pain. Stitches are settling in, the tendon is doing whatever tendons do to reattach, nerves do whatever they do to heal (feel like they're on fire BTW).  *MY* plan had been to take a muscle relaxer, read a book, help the kids with their school some, lay around a LOT, let the 2 other grown-ups who live here be grown-ups and warm up one of the 450 freezer meals I already made, take the kids to their activities, clean the house, take care of the farm. Well. Hubby is trying really hard. He's been insulted and wronged by the other at his every attempt to do anything. So he doesn't even WANT to try to help (which he's just going to have to anyhow because - I only have 1 arm working) and the other *grown up* has been so blatantly sourly rude, it's not worth the breath to converse.

I understand that mental health is playing a large part in the case of the one. It always has in situations like these, but those who need the help always deny the need for it. ALWAYS. There is no point in arguing logic, there is none. They just want to argue. It's like when The Girl's meds are off. You cannot simply tell her that she should stop. She can't. Or trying to force The Boy to talk to people. People aren't meat puppets for us to dangle about. I guess that's the point of depression vs anger. I know what this person NEEDS. They are refusing to seek it and deeply hurting people on the way down.

Surgery and Recovery

I had surgery from an injury catching a guinea fowl and chicken. I tore the tendon in my left wrist and managed to get the ulnar nerve all twisted at the elbow and wrist.. So, surgery was at the elbow on the nerve, the wrist at the nerve and then on the tendon at the wrist. It's becoming obvious I have some kind of connective tissue disorder with how easily I get hurt. I can't use my arm at all right now, its a bit more challenging.  Hubby, C, is working from home to help take care of the farm, and get the kids to their activities, and make sure the house doesn't burn down while I randomly pass out from the meds. (And lets face it, we all want those to be taken.)

See, fell asleep 2 times already typing this. It's 3:30 in the afternoon.

So we're on week 6 of the new schooling plan. I've figured out a few key things:

• The Girl is brilliant, but lazy.  If there is a chance to procrastinate - she will.
• The Boy is behind  (as in, on par with his peers, not actually behind, behind) in spelling. He just needs a different approach, which we just haven't figured out yet.
• The Girl is motivated by nothing. It makes rewarding her very, very difficult. 

And on that, I'll take another nap. :)