mumof4’s blog

Conversations in our house this morning around 7am.

Bee (10) and I (37)

Bee: Are you coming to field day on Friday (like Sports day at school)

Me:  Yes i think so.

Bee: You aren't thinking of taking part in anything are you?

Me: Well. you never know.

Bee:  Because I don;t think you'd do very well at running and high jump - well certainly not high jump!

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Why thanks so much dearest daughter.

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Then trying to wake up Mac (4) to get ready so we can leave for the school run.

Me:  Maaaac.  come on honey, we need to get up.

Mac: Why?

Me: We have to take Bee and Paddy to school.  And then we are going for the special breakfast in the school hall - do you remember we talked about it?

Mac:  So no breakfast here?

Me: Well I put some chocolate milk for you on the table downstairs and you can have some cereal too if you want.

Mac: 2 breakfasts?

Me:  Yeah, if you want.

Mac:  Why?

Me:  Just because  Because you are special and I love you.

Mac:  Am I more special than Geroge Bush?

Me:  Oh definately!

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(but thinking ' where has that come from?'.)

I went to the movies last night and saw 'The Visitor' which got great reviews from the critics but I was just so so about it.  However it has played on my mind today so maybe the message stayed with me a tad.  Also maybe because I too am basically an immigrant here in America.  The story was  about a cold, uptight University professor in Connecticut who was also a widow.  Dissatisfied with life, but quite wealthy he was living by just going through the motions.  Under duress he had to go into New York to present a paper - so went to his apartment there (common for people to have houses in Connecticut an apartment in NYC) only to find 2 people had moved in.  They had been living there a few months - that was how little he used the place.  Both illegal immigrants he throws them out then takes pity on them and allows them to move back in until they find another place.  Through the illegal male immigrant from Syria, uptight professor learns to play the drums - they bond and in a trip on the Subway, the Syrian guy gets taken in by Police - his subway pass had not worked so he had jumped the barrier - the Police stopped him for that but then saw that he was illegal - took him in.....Basically, illegal, no matter how long you have been in US - few rights.  I understand this.  I know the INS system....we have jumped through the loops but were lucky enough to afford the attorney to help us with the system too.  But it all makes you think.....(won't give the ending though)..

Jump to today.  Took Bee back for a check up after the tonsillectomy - to the Ear, Nose, Throat surgeon. Now this is a specialist - you don't just go and see him on a whim.  There was a young mum in the waiting room with a most beautiful newborn baby girl.  So so sweet.  The mum was besotted with her - you could tell - but there must have been an issue with the baby for her to have been there - hopefully something simple enough to get  out of that office sharpish.  Of course before you see the Doctor you have to show your proof of Insurance, fill in loads of forms and pay any applicable co-pay (for us that is $20 each time to see the Dr - on top of the monthly Health Insurance payment - not sure how much that is for us exactly but at least $500 I would say).  This young mum was balancing the baby girl on her knee and filling in the forms - the receptionist then picked up the forms and asked her for her insurance card.  The young girl (she was 20 tops I would say) mumbled that she didn't have insurance....and yet asked if the Doctor would still see her.  The receptionist said she would have to pay the full amount herself - no insurance deal - and they would mail the bill on to her.  You could see the fear in the woman's eyes.  It was quite pitiful.  She wants her baby to be seen but has no way to pay for it.  It was heart breaking to watch.

We were seen for 5 minutes by the Doctor.  They will no doubt bill the Insurance carrier for $350 for that but because of the secret handshake deal between the Insurance carrier and this Doctor (who is in their network) they will probably agree to pay maybe $200 and the Dr will write off the other $150.  The poor mum who really can't afford this necessary visit will probably get no break - be billed for the full ~$350.....and get into (more?) debt ....and have even less chance of having money to get her health insurance.  I know there are arguments for both sides of this.  Yes she might have been legal - then again, maybe she wasn't.  But just the basic right to treatment - the innocent child and the mother's predicament....you would have needed a heart of stone not to have been touched with it in that waiting room today. 

Today is the first day of Rory and Mac's pre-school being 'out' for summer.  The weather is beautiful today - it is supposed to get to 85 degrees!  Having said all that it could snow tomorrow - you just can't tell in these parts.  But after a Drs appt this morning and dropping Bee off to school, we had no deadlines.  We could just drop whatever we were doing - go whereever we wanted to.  I LOVE that about the summer...compared to our normal hectic routine....the days become our own....

The kids all played pretty well in the garden yesterday - Bee has a new game called 'stunt' where bascially she bribes Paddy to lie down near the swings and she gets high enough to then jump OVER him.  Rather him than me.  I managed to get a lot done in the garden - can see real progress.  Alas despite having sunscreened all the kids....I forgot to keep doing it on myself.  Should know better.  Getting no sympathy from hubby - well there's a surprise.  Really sore today though - so much so that I am going to need to stay out of the sun - even with a t-shirt on I can feel the heat of it.  Here is the evidence.....

 

And before ANY of you start.....yes, Shortarse ALWAYS walks around topless at 7.12am. 

I was tagged by

Suburbanmum

The rules:-
List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

 

 

1. SARA BAREILLES - LOVE SONG.

I heard this on Radio 1 - that's what I usually listen to in the car - with the volume on the steering wheel gonig up and down according to who is doing the commentary and which kids I have in the car - and I love this song now - so I crank the volume up every time it is on!!

2. PANIC AT THE DISCO - 9 IN THE AFTERNOON

 

-again, first heard this on Radio 1.  Really like this - prefer it to their new single.  Am umming and ahhing whether to get tickets to see them in concert next month.....

3. COLDPLAY - VIOLET HILL

 

Really like their new song - did the free download thingy a few weeks ago and have listened to it a lot.  the video - I have only seen it a couple of times - not sure about it yet.  Seems strange that the video is available on You Tube when their record label kicked up a fuss when everyone posted the song alone....Can't wait for their next album and they are also playing here this year and am on at hubby to get us tickets (he's not that keen).

4. PINK - NOBODY KNOWS

 

I bought the CD a few months ago on a recommendation and love almost all the songs.  Have it in the car all the time and mainly play it when there are no kids around and I have this on really really loud.  The words are very very spot on IMO and the video is pretty neat too.

5. DIXIE CHICKS - NOT READY TO MAKE NICE

 

I was never a fan of theirs really but I saw their movie 'Shut up and Sing!' and  really liked this track. Again I have had this CD in the car a lot recently.  It is really about their controversial remarks they made about George W Bush and the fallout they had after it.  However the words always strike a chord with me with my screwed up mother situation.....forgive, forget......etc.

6. DUFFY - WARICK AVENUE

 

Whilst I loved 'Mercy' and was made up when a friend sent me her CD, I much prefer this song actually.  I hear she is trying to crack USA....not sure how that is going though.

7. TAKE THAT - I'D WAIT FOR LIFE

 

OK so I love Take That.  More now than then.  Love their CD - it is always on here at home.  This is maybe my favourite song.  Now don;t anyone go and spoil this for me now and tell me they have also let this music be used in a naff advert.  Love the words.  Just perfect.  And the chord combination.  And Mr Barlow.

 

Not tagging anyone here - but if you do this, please let me know as I'd love to see your picks!

Yesterday.  Me.  Doctors.  EKG.

All the leads were attached on the various sticky pads (very technical explanation) and the nurse was running the machine.

'That's strange,'  said the nurse.....'one of the leads is showing very strange results....'

Slight pause as I wonder if my heart is going stop ..........

 

Then, me: "Could it be anything to do with my cell phone here in my hand near this lead?'  (as I had just been texting).

Nurse: 'Ahh.. that is probably it then...'

I seem to have remembered about cell phones and interference with heart related equipment......

 

BIG RELIEF.

Somebody asked me the other day why I started blogging...I started reading blogs way before I even contemplated having one myself.  Seemed far too complicated and high tech for me.  I can basically do e-mail, order lots of things I don't need on line and read the papers in various countries but that is about it as far as computers go.  It is always sods law that something goes wrong with one of our computers whilst hubby is away for an extended period of time.  Talk about sounding like a helpless 1950s housewife!
So at first, I read these people...

geepeemum

midwifemuse              

Tom Reynolds

And I still do but I've  added a lot more to my daily reads.  It is certainly addictive.

I started out over at 20six and was amazed when I put in all the information and a page actually loaded - with facts about me and my written words...and then getting comments...it was like getting a pat on the back or something.  I think I first wrote some waffle about Gordon Ramsay.....way back when Rory was a small baby - just a few moths old and I was still breastfeeding and would try and stay awake until his midnight feed before I went to bed for a few hours....and blogging was something I did at that time.  It was before I had my laptop....I still remember sitting there trying it all out and umming and ahhing about whether to hit the 'submit' button.

On the whole I think it is true to say I keep the blog quite light hearted.  Ocasionally I rant and rave.  Occasionally I open up.  Some posts I remove when I have slept on it...often feel different about my musings after a good nights sleep.

But it is bizarre to connect with people across the world.  To worry about whether they are gonig to survive their cancer scare, whether they will get that job, whether they will get back together woth their husbands....I truly believe it is a form of therapy.  Almost like a diary although maybe not quite as personal.  Some blogs you can read and really learn things about the writer - others not so much.  I don't think I would be too surprising to anyone who had read my blog - I don't think they would be shocked by me in real life - except maybe that I am short (5 ft 2) and have a Northern accent?

But just like you can often read a column in a newspaper and know the tone of the writer - so it is with blogs. There are some I read religiously - others I can take or leave.  Some I hit so much wanting their updates that if they have a Statcounter they could seriously worry that I am some kind of stalker (I am not).

I know some people write their blogs to be read later by their kids.  I don't think I went into it with that.  It was more an expressive outlet just.  You know how they say writing things down can sometimes help well I also firmly believe that reading about others' situations can help too.  Especially in this day and age where women are always giving the appreance of having it all - managing perfectly - having a great sex life, well mannered kids, nice clean house, home cooked meals and no money worries. i think whilst you may not deny that to your real life friends, there is maybe less shame in admitting things on the blog.....be it sex on the kitchen table (who could that be?) or being addicted to Ebay..or even throwing away your kids toys without actually telling them (I am guilty of all the above)

.
I know there are lurkers, those who read and never comment and that is ok too.  The downside of Vox seems to be that you have to join Vox to be able to leave comments and I know that always put me off leaving comments when I wanted to (before I signed up with them).  I have so many user names and different passwords for various sites etc it is quite hard to remember them all anyway.

And there are days when I hate my blog.  I read back over things and think they are a poor portryal of my life.  Or that they are realistic and my life simply comes across as really naff.  There are times I consider pressing the delete buttion for the whole damn thing.  But as long as I know I write for myself and nobody else then I think I am pretty ok with the whole shebang.
 

Bee was invited to a birthday party for a girl in her class.  She'll be turning 10 next week.  Last year this same girl - Cally - had a party at her house.  Her mum kept her off school the day before and we were thinking that maybe Cally was ill and the party would be cancelled.  No - Cally's mum was just of the opinion that Cally should stay off and clean the house before her friends came over for said 9th birthday party.  WTF?????????????

This year the party is here:

www.daveandbusters.com

Hubby thought Bee must have the information wrong as he said that was  where his sales guys used to go to celebrate - no way would a 10 year old have a birthday party there...so Bee brought the invitation home and sure enough that is the location.  Hubby has said it is not suitable and we kindly RSVPed that Bee wouldn't be able to make it. I was surprised how well she accepted this but Cally is not actually one of her close friends.

Today Bee said how she had apologised to Cally for not being able to make the party and in turn Cally said it was both good and bad.  Bad as Bee wouldn't be there but good that it would be one less person they'd have to pay for.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I put my timer on in the car for a new journey time last Thursday morning...and I looked at it again this morning at 7.20am before I set off on the school run - so that would be how much time the car has been running in a week exactly.  School runs, pre-school runs, orthodentics, swimming classes, chess class, grocery shopping, horse riding etc.  We didn't use the car at all Saturday or Sunday.  And I took off the 40 minutes of running around I did without the kid - to my mate's house and the dentist for me.

Any guesses?  Even I was surprised.  A week's time in the car - very average for us.  And I am imagining way more than in UK......

I'll post the answer Monday.....

Just got forwarded the photos from Duran Duran Mon night and wanted to share.

Simon Le Bon is 50 this yr apparently!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any of you reading my blog on a regular basis will know that Mac, my 4 year old is our family's wild child.  With that in mond, here are some quotes we were given from his pre-school class seeing as they are winding down and he has his last class this FRIDAY before his ridiculously long summer holiday.....  I have numbered them all - which one do you think he might have said?????

These are all quotes from the kids in the class aged 4.

 

1.  'You're making me stressed and stress isn't good for you.'

2.  'Will you be the big, mean dragon again?'

3. 'I'm gonna throw up today but I'm not sure when.'

4.  'I'm going to have my mom pick up some chickenpox at the store so I can try it out.' -(after they'd sung a song about chickenpox.)

5.  'That's what I'm talking about, baby!'

6.  'This has been in my lunch for 20 years' - (speaking of a fresh banana.)

7. 'Bren, you are my best friend, but you're not in charge.'

8.  'Am I beautiful today?'