No swine flu here! A LONG LOST POST!!

SO yesterday Kaleigh called me from school (111 miles away) crying uncontrollably. It took a few minutes to get her calmed down enough for me to understand anything she was saying.



Hold the phone...... Let me back up a minute. Kaleigh called my cell. I heard it ring but I was cleaning the basement. I did not answer it. A few minutes later it rang again so I ran up the stairs to get the phone. I missed that call as well. It was the church. I was about to listen to the messages when the cell rang AGAIN. THIS time it's Kaleigh. While I was calming down Kaleigh, Robin calls (but I don't answer b/c I am calming down Kaleigh) Why is this part important? Well, they are all connected. Kaleigh called my cell; no answer. So she calls church. Carolyn tells her I am not there. Carolyn calls my cell and leaves a messge to call Kalegh. Carolyn ALSO calls Robin to see if she knows where I am. Robin calls me. I don't answer. Robin calls Phil. All the while I am talking to Kaleigh.

Back to the story.....



Kaleigh finally calms down enough to tell me that she has a sore throat and blacked out on her way to class. I calmly tell her she is going to be fine and she needs to go to the nurse. SO, she and her roommate go to the nurse.... where they are tested or H1N1. Kaleigh tells me it is a LONG swab that goes up your nasal passage and down to your throat.... sounds LOVELY. Her other college friends refuse to go to the nurse now because they do not want to be tested. WHo can blame them!



The nurse tests her and her roommate AND SENDS THEM BOTH HOME! So now I travel 6 hours in the car to spread the germs from Vermont to New Hampshire. The test results come back just as I am getting to SVC and it's negative or H1N1. Does she still need to come home? Yes. Don't get me wrong... we LOVE Kaleigh! Just not her germs. :)

Kellie

MUST check this out...SAVE MONEY!

http://bargainbecky.blogspot.com/

Run.... do NOT walk... to this website if you happen to live in the NH area. I have had repeated requests asking HOW I scored so much food last week and paid a fraction of the shelf price. I REALLY should have taken a pic of it all. Seriously, I paid about 15% of what it was all worth(which ws about $350worth, so I spent about $45), that is working the sales and the coupons and whatever other deals are going on! Of course, there are the people who say "coupons are never for anything I can use!". Here's how I clip coupons.... if I wouldn't mind getting the item for FREE, then I clip it. I make Food Pantry donations regularly of overflow items I have been able to score. Usually that is toothpaste(I had to PAY for toothpste couple of weeks ago for the first time in TWO YEARS and it almost killed me), toothbrushes, cereal and soup. Sometimes other stuff. Today it was diapers. Yes, folks. Diapers. I can't stand to think of the poor babies sitting in dirty diapers because their parents cannot afford them.

There is a good canned veggie deal at Shaw's this week with a printable coupon on the Shaw's website. http://www.shaws.com/ 5 cans for $3.00 and the coupon is $1 of 5 so 5 cans of veggies for $2. This is a great deal if you use canned veggies. I do not BUT that didn't stop me from buying 15 cans for the food pantry and printing of several coupons to share with others to do the same since our local food pantry is in dire need of canned veggies.

Another favorite money saving site for me is http://www.thegrocerygame.com/

Keep your eyes peeled or Thanksgiving deals! Turkeys have been at .48/lb. in years past so stock up if you have a freezer!

Kellie

I FOUND IT!

Not my sanity or missing marbles... my Blackberry! It seems to have fallen out of my purse and was hidden under the clutter in my van. I thought I had lost my Coupon Wallet, too! That would have certainly pushed me over the edge (of course, I am already over the edge so it wouldn't have made any difference).
SO yesterday, cleaned out my van (with vacuuming!) and found crackberry and coupons. Hooray! Had a phone call that I was NOT expecting and still reeling from. Went with my mom to Building 19 to meet up with my sister who had surgery this week. (she's fine). Got home, had to speak to my boys about said phone call. Cried a river (me, not them). Had the priest's daughter spend the night. Had 7 kids here for dinner. Counted my blessings as I poured myself a Kahlua and milk (out of wine!). Went to Shaw's and basically robbed them again(note: I did this trip earlier in the day WAY before I had Kahlua). I made $9 yesterday and $5 the day before shopping there. I'll go again today because if they are going to PAY me to buy the things I use anyway, I'm there.
Today is a new day. Need a new plan. This parenting gig is terribly exhausting......

Kellie

So you think you can sting me?!

SO here's the wasp/hornet drama (funny... I mistyped "hornet" and spelled "horney". teehee!):
Friday afternoon I noticed a wasp/hornet.... I actually opened the window and let him fly out (VERY St. Francis of me). Then... I saw two more..... squished those ones..... then I saw 2 more.... and more..... we're talking ten or so in an hour. THAT, my friend, is a problem. I sent Phil to the attic to investigate..... nothing up there. Bummer. He sent me to check the perimeter of the house. So I went outside... staring down every warped clapboard, rotted corner thinking "I am not going to be able to find anything! It's not like the wasp/hornets have a illuminated Weirs Beach sign to direct their friends!". Alas, THEY DO! IT WAS LIKE A WASP/HORNET FREEWAY IN AND OUT OF MY HOUSE!! It is right near the kitchen wall INSIDE the wall/eaves of the house. Awesome.

NOTE: are you wondering why I keep calling them "wasp/hornets"? The truth is, what is the difference? I THINK they are hornets but I really do not know the difference in species, if there is one.

So, I decide that I probably cannot take care of this problem on my own. I'm brave, I can replace plumbing, etc but I draw the line at the possibility of anaphylactic shock.
I call a local pest control guy first. He's nice enough and gives me a few tips but tells me not to play around and try to tap the walls or anything. That's asking or trouble. He also cannot get here until Tuesday. That is FIVE days away. SO I say "ok". Then I call Terminix figuring they are national company and maybe they can get here TODAY and take care of this. They tell me "sure.. we can treat the problem. Please remove the wall of where the nest is and we can treat."
Uh... WTF? "remove the WALL???"
"yes... we cannot destroy your property. Only YOU can destroy your property."
"but then won't I let the bugs IN THE HOUSE?"
"probably."
"why would I do that?"
"because we cannot destroy your property. Only you can."
"that makes no sense. You are Terminix! tell me how to proceed without tearing down the walls!"
"I don't know. Seems you'll have to do that to get to the nest."
"ok..... thank you... bubbye."
WTF???!!! "MRS. DENONCOURT! TEAR DOWN THESE WALLS!!!"
Yeah, right. I'll wait until Tuesday.
Here we are... Tuesday. The teens and I have spent the weekend killing wasps... I would say about 40 in all. Then yesterday, the wasps/hornets declared war.
I WAS STUNG!!!! In the web part between my pointer and thumb! OUCHHHHHHH! I can't tell you how much that hurt! From the tip of my pointer to the tip of my thumb; THROBBING PAIN FOR SEVERAL HOURS! My arm was itchy for a while but that went away. It is still sore and itchy but I have the use of my hand back, for the most part.
Mr. Pest Control showed up on time: 9:30am..... pumped some magic death dust into where I see the buggers camping out. Then he sprays the perimeter of the eaves. Tells me that he guarantees total death by tomorrow. This makes mama happy.

SO, off to work I go for a few hours. Followed by a FABULOUS shop at Shaw's where they paid me to take 8 boxes of cereal, 9 pkgs of refrigerated Pillsbury bake-ables and 1 bag of candy home. Yes friends... I made $5.00 shopping at Shaw's today. :) I'll do it again tomorrow!

Off to search for my Crackberry.... I misplaced it.... oops!

Kel

Just another Manic Monday.... whoaaaaa.....

I REALLY need to blog more often. I'll try to make that a new discipline or myself but no promises since I am up to my eyeballs in MY disciplines, and everyone else's.
Monday's are typically the day that I spend just cleaning the house and grocery shopping. The kids and friends usually take over the place during the weekend and I cannot ctch up so Monday, as soon as they are all gone, I go into overdrive. As you can see, it is already after 9a and I am STILL not moving much. Drank my coffee, bonded with my littlest, read the paper (of course, all this AFTER the other four left or school..... Had to make lunches and get them out the door!).... I promised myself I would start my cleaning as soon as I posted here. I hope I can keep the promise....
My littlest just brought me a baby doll that she said she "gave mohawk to all by hersel". The mowhawk consists of a pantyliner stuck to the baby's head from front to back. This is actually the motivation for me blogging since there is no one else at home to share with. :)
Life is going along just swimmingly. Last week I walked 6 miles to raise money for CWS/CROP to help eradicate poverty and hunger. Our team raised about $2,000. I even SPRINTED a few times! Go me! (of course I hurt after but I got a cookie!)
Benny got braces this past week. I still can't leave the teens alone at home. I probably won't EVER be able to do that. They just cannot make good decisions on their own!! Maybe someday I will reverse that statement, but for now, if they are grounded, I am grounded.
One more week of cheerleading for Kara. She hates cheerleading with every ounce of her being. It sucks because she is really good at that (and gymnastics and sports and and and.... she's built or athletics!). She said she is never trying anything new again. She is doing Brownies, Yoga and Nordic and THAT'S IT, FOREVER!! She is pretty focussed so she probably won't try anything ever again..... hmm.....
It snowed yesterday.... or as Phil and I call it "crapping". You know... that heavy part rain, part snow precipitation. It's crap. I ws at a football game at 7:30 am, 45 minutes away, with Kara cheering, but insisting that I do NOT watch her at all. We brought two of her friends.... they were not allowed to watch either so they watched a movie in the van (the nice, dry, warm van). Rain, wind, 39 degrees.... awesome. We went to leave.... battery is dead. Double awesome. Had to get a jump. Eventually we made it home...... made hot chocolate and rice Krispie treats (thanks, Sal for the free mallows!). Boys watched football and yelled all afternoon... I made dinner for 35 for Youth Group... had Taize Service..... short SPY board meeting and home by 8:30p. Long day.... so.... I guess I should really think about picking up after the mongrels. I think I'll just throw everything away. They probably won't even notice.....
Sausage Ratatouille for dinner tonight!

Peace,
Kellie

p.s. tomorrow.... the wasp exterminator.... we have a wasp nest in the kitchen wall... more on that saga tomorrow..... joy!

Wow.... time flies..

I have no blogged in a while! It's not because I haven't had anything to blog about, trust me! I have been completely overwhelmed by life and all of it's wonderful "wrenches". It won't go into them. Just know that the mere fact that I am here is amazing.
Since my last blog, my youngest son turned 13, my oldest daughter turned 18 and I turned 37! This is the week (all birthdays within 6 days of each other) is lovingly called "Birthday Hell Week". Mine is the last of the bunch and by then, I am done with cake, decor, singing, presents, etc.
What did I get this year? I asked or a table with 4 legs and got the "ok" to go and get it! See..... our dining table HAD 4 legs attached and now has three. This happened 4 months ago (On graduation day, no less!). We have had the table up against the wall with the unattached kickstand leg holding it up. DON'T LEAN TO HARD ON THE TABLE! Or breathe or that matter.... anyway, I had made my first trip to Ikea over the summer and found my future table. The closest Ikea to me is an hour 45 minutes away so I need to plan at LEAST a half day trip to get the table (and seating, of course!). Possibly this coming Friday, but I do not like to plan this ar in advance as I KNOW anything can happen within the next 6 days to mess it all up! I am SOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to my table!
What else did I get for my birthday? Cash.... which I am putting towards the seating for the table and possibly a new hanging lamp shade or OVER the table. I also got a Snuggie! My 6 year old insisted to my husband that I desperately needed one! Guess what?? It's pretty warm! :) The college kids are swooning.
What else is going on over here? Lots, but nothing I can really blog about. Life is crazy.... I am trusting that I am supposed to be exactly where I am and that there are NO ACCIDENTS OR COINCIDENCES. I am supposed to learn from this rough patches. I think I am, but I also feel my heart hardening a little bit. My mom assures me that the hardening will go away after the rough patch has passed....... I'm trusting that as well...

Kellie