missing work...

I think it says a lot for someone to say 'I hate to miss work' and mean it. For more than just having to make up work and change schedules, but because you really enjoy what you're doing. I love my job...I hate to miss work!

Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of working with little ones is the probability of being sick. I'm sick...

At this particular point in my life today, I'm pretty stressed over school and the future and feverish, along with runny and sneezy thanks to my beautiful flowers outside. I'm also overwhelmed with the idea of Mother's Day and my parents' 25th anniversary being 2 weeks apart...dinner at my house for both. But a moment ago, I thought 'I wish I was at work'. Things are easier at work...I'm sidetracked by a beautiful little smile or laugh, or by dodging blows...but I can deal with both. I know my job and understand the importance behind what I do, which isn't always the same in everyday life. Especially when you have the time of an entire day home alone to think about it.

A year ago, I wasn't in this situation. I would fake sick in a skinny minute to get out of another painful day at work. I still enjoyed working with the kids (one of the hardest things I ever did was leave them for the current job), but I couldn't stand the adults...enough to actively avoid them. They were ignorant about surprising aspects of the job, and the administration was all about inventing new paperwork and ridiculous policies. I know that's in most jobs in my field, but it's great to know that the people you work for believe in you and never expect you to do anything that's not necessary...it makes you way more okay with doing tons of things that aren't necessary to help everyone else out. And it is ALL ABOUT the kids...which is what it should always be all about!

I'm really hoping I have a 24-hr fever and can get back to my beautiful little smiles tomorrow :)

things i wouldn't want to live without...

It's been a lazy day...that's one thing I couldn't live without. It can't be a fully lazy day, I still have to do laundry...but it's good. I love not having a time schedule and just doing things as they pass. Today we woke up late, headed out to an early lunch, and went swimsuit shopping...now just laying around the house. I guess everyone has their weird passions that they couldn't live without, lazy days is one of mine!! Since it's a lazy day...this is the extent of my lazy blogging...just some pictures of my weird passions that I couldn't live without :)

hands in the dirt :)

It was a beautiful day today!! We went to a late breakfast, the flea market (best local place for flowers), and then home again. I had been dreading the Saturday that was nice enough to work in the yard...we have a wisteria that has caused hysteria in our front yard. I'm not a tree person, the only 2 trees on our property that I care anything about is the weeping willow and the magnolia. The wisteria was attacking (like a boa constrictor) the willow, so it had to go. We spent at least an hour dodging bees while trying to free the willow of the snake-like grasp. My husband even had to climb up into the tree to get the top parasitic vines. I've got to find someone to come get this thing...wisteria, free to good home.

I was looking forward to the Saturday nice enough to work in the yard because of my newly organized flowerbed. The pups and I spent a lot of time over the last few weeks getting the weeds out and planting seeds. Seeds are nice, but I like planting flowers that I can see. Today, I planted daisies, verbena, and a raspberry bush. I potted some plants for the porch and for mother's day presents also.

I used to hate planting stuff...my mom had to put watering flowers on my chore list to get me to touch the flowers. She could never talk me into helping her plant stuff, everything she ever gave me died. My mother and grandmothers and great-grandmother have always been gardeners. My mom buys new plants like I buy new flip-flops in the spring. I never put any time into the plants in our yard, anything that bloomed did so without any help from me. Last year, I started trying to actively keep plants..I watered and fertilized and pruned...

And who knew,

The yard looked beautiful! My allergies acted up and the bees got comfortable, but there were so many colors around the house and the butterflies also got comfortable. This year goes beyond my porch and the area just around the steps into the greater front yard and my flower bed.

I'm just hoping that I don't get too disappointed when something that I worked on dies and I become discouraged...

A boy and his dogS

I love my husband...

My husband and I grew up in completely different circumstances. I grew up with a family who is all about animals...not on a farm or anything, but my family always had several pets. My mom bred dogs when I was much younger...I had pet dogs, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks, cats, fish, lizards, turtles, etc. Not all at the same time, but at one time or another.

My husband had a pet hamster growing up...that's it.

I knew that he really wanted a dog, and was fully prepared to adopt one with him when we got married and moved into our own place since I was not bringing one from home. So, a few months after we were married and moved into our own apartment, we got an 8-mth old husky mix, Zax. We found him in a local paper and contacted the people to pick him up. He was beautiful, snow white fur and ice blue eyes. We learned quickly that he needed a lot of training and a lot of work. We enrolled in a training class and eventually moved into a much roomier house. The boy had his dog...

But, the boy had never had a puppy...

While at PetSmart one Saturday getting something for Zax, we spotted a pen of puppies from one of those organized dog rescues. I always try to avoid those places...for several reasons. One, those dogs are technically already in a good home and I would rather adopt one who needs a chance. Two, these places are huge control freaks...do you have a fenced in yard? what do you feed your dog? how much time will the dog spend outside/inside? how long have you been married? what is your personality type?...a little ridiculous. If you want to have complete control over the dog's life...keep it!! With all of this, we still fell head-over-heels for our next fur-baby, Zeus. I was still very glad to get the rescue out of the way. People who do a day-surgery neuter on an 8-mth old puppy shouldn't be able to run a rescue anyway. After taking Zeus to our vet for proper after-care (including an overnight stay and pain meds...), Zeus fit nicely in our little family.

Three years later, I'm thinking that life is nice. I love our little family, including the dogs. They each have their own personality, and Zeus has always been the baby (even at 110lbs). So, imagine my confusion when the husband mentions another puppy. I mean, we're still young and working into our own version of bliss, but I figured the next breed of baby that would come into our house would be our own.

But...I love my husband. We found some lady trying to get rid of a litter from one of her 'yard dogs'...a free to good home pup. So, now we have yet another dog...they now outnumber us!! Leia is a german shepard mix with fleas, worms, and a bad diet...we're treating all of this. Zax is pretty ok with her, Zeus isn't completely down with the concept of a puppy...but we're getting there.

I have since had a conversation with my husband regarding raising children...it is very important for kids to have pets (other than a hamster)...he agrees :)

There's a hint of pollen in the air...

I love when the warmer weather comes after a long winter...who doesn't?? What I always forget about until it comes, is the yellow plague. Everyone gets so excited about breaking out the short sleeves and flip-flops and shorts...and then it hits.

The symptoms are distinct, runny and itchy face! There is no real relief...but you always try. The 12-hr pill that only lasts 3 hours, or the 24-hr pill that lasts 6. It's always really bad until it rains. It's not just the allergies, it's the yellow tinge on EVERYTHING!! It's on the porch, the chairs, the cars, the dog...and somehow, all over the house.

This year, there was a reason it was all over everything. The air conditioner has been out since the beginning of spring. As responsible adults, my husband and I contacted various contractors and researched units and compared prices before deciding on a company...which left us air-less for a few weeks. We had no choice, we had to open the windows. We have a very well-insulated house, which was an evil for this situation. When it got to 88o in the house, it stayed 88o in the house. We had to open the windows to breathe!!

So, now the yellow consumes the outside furniture and life as well as the INside furniture and life. But...today we got air!! My husband and I decided on a company and called them yesterday. We were able to set up an appointment for this morning (which confirmed our decision :)). The guy was out here all day, so I was cleaning house all day!! I was so ecstatic to get the house clean...to get the yellow films of the furniture, to get the sandy feeling off the floor, to make the window sills white again. It has killed me the last few weeks to just watch the dust grow with no end in sight (I wasn't going to clean it while we were still having to open windows). I had gone over the method of cleaning several times in my head!

I started in the kitchen; you know the routine...blocking off the doorway from wayward animals, children, and husbands and putting the chairs up on the table. I happily began washing, dusting, and scrubbing EVERYTHING!! I threw away yellow-infused dust rags from every room in the house. I spent hours cleaning with an overwhelming sense of relief. When I ended at our bedroom, I went back to the beginning steps of my quest (the kitchen) to put everything back int order. I went to remove the first chair off the table...wait a minute...what's that dusty stuff on the table?? OMG...it's more pollen...

Oh well...