Under the Weather... Again

I am ill. This has been an odd season for me. I'm rarely sick. This time it's Laybrinthiantitis?? I'm sure that's not even close to the correct spelling. What it all boils down to is a viral inner ear infection. It's not like the ear infections that children get. Those are bacterial and can be treated with antibiotics. This has no treatment, it has to "run it's course". Basically, most of the time I'm too dizzy to even stand up. The first day, I couldn't even roll over in bed without lunging for the wastebasket. All of this comes on with no notice, one minute you are fine and the next you are stumbling around like a pirate on two-day shore leave. My doctor gave me prescription strength Dramamine, but the down side to that is that I am always half asleep. My poor husband, who is on his holiday vacation, is left to chase after Peanut. He pops his head in the bedroom door every few minutes to ask "Where do you keep..." and "What do I do with...". The house only makes me feel sicker. The mess will take me months to sort through, as I hadn't even dealt with the Christmas mess yet. All in all, things have been more pleasant around here, but at least my husband and Peanut are not sick.
Well, that's all for now. The keyboard is swimming before my eyes.

Not a creature was stirring...

The night before the night before Christmas. This is actually my favorite day of the holidays. Everything is ready to go, no more hurrying to get finished. My husband and I sit and have a breather. It's actually the calm before the storm for us.
You see, because of my divorced parents and a very close knit extended family, we go to six get-togethers in the two days of Christmas. And that does not include our own personal family Christmas here at home. We literally run from party to party to be able to fit in both mine and my husband's family. We stop at home long enough to drop off one batch of incoming gifts and pick up the outgoing ones. My husband protests every year, and I have to admit that now that we have a daughter of our own, sometimes it feels pretty ridiculous. But how do I tell one or the other of my parents that they don't get to see us for the holidays? I just feel like a heel if I can't be there for a planned party. This year we are trying something different though. We are choosing two parties a year that we will only stay an hour of. This way we can spend a little more time at home. I'm not sure how it will work, or if we will even be able to stick with it. I guess we will see.

Merry Christmas to you all and many blessings on your Families!

Put Your Back Into it Boys, It's Getting Deep!

We are slowly being buried here in Ohio. The snow is gorgeous, just like a Christmas card. Last time I checked,we were at six inches and it is still coming. In a rare show of Christmas spirit and snow-loving joy, my Husband went out and decorated the roof rack of his Jeep with Christmas lights. He thought the guys at work would get a kick out of them and he and Peanut had so much fun! They are so hilarious! They both smile the same way.

My Husband and Peanut putting Christmas lights on the roof rack of the Jeep. 



 



 



 

The Water Saga Continues

I finally got through to our local utilities director, well, actually I got through to the cemetery superintendent as the utilities director was on vacation this week. (if you can't already tell, I definitely live in a small backwards town, as both of these people share an office)I asked her why we hadn't heard a recall yet on the boiling order and why they waited 15 1/2 hours to tell us about it in the first place. Her answer was that the OEPA makes them send out notices every time the water is shut off,but because they have never had a problem, they don't really consider them a priority. Also,by law they could not lift the boiling order until the test cleared but she was sure that it was perfectly fine to drink the water. All fine and dandy, except... The laws were enacted for a reason. I understand about bureaucracy. I have worked out there in corporate America and realize that sometimes rules are made up for rules sake. But we are talking about the health of my family and community here. I am soooo comforted to know that our well-being is "not considered a priority" It's not as if I live in some huge metropolis either. This is a very small town. In fact, I personally have met the woman that I talked to on the phone today. It is mind-boggling what might happen in a real emergency around here. We could have a whole street infected with e. coli or hepatitis before they even put out notices about bad water!

Heaving a Huge Sigh of Satisfaction.

IT'S DONE. All of my Christmas gifts are wrapped. All of the paper is put away. Things are ready to be tidied up. Aside from a brush with death while making lunch, today has been a very productive day. All that is left is our general shopping and cleaning and I can relax and enjoy this season of peace and giving with my family and friends. I love this holiday and all that it represents. Thank You Lord for such a wonderful reason to celebrate!

Ugh

I'm sick. I don't know if it is due to our water troubles or it's just a coincidental onset of stomach flu but whichever, it stinks. I'm so busy finishing our Christmas preparations and chasing the baby that I don't even have time to be properly sick. I have to be sick on the go. Well, tomorrow (technically today) is the winter solstice, so I guess if you have to be ill on any day, the shortest day of the year is a good one to pick.

City Services?

Well, if you read my post yesterday, you will no doubt remember that we had a water main break on our street. About 3:00 AM this morning, the water came back on and everything seemed fine. Until now. We just received a notice on our door that the OEPA recommends that we boil our water before drinking it as it is unsafe. All fine and good, except that it is now after 7:30 PM. We have been drinking and using our water all day long. I am livid! I know that this page is titled the Happy Housewife but I am anything but happy tonight! Why couldn't the city come around this morning at 4:00 AM after the job was finished? And they didn't even ring the bell or knock, they just hung a tag on the door. If we hadn't happened to be there next to the door, we might not have known until tomorrow morning when we went out. The roads were not bad last night, and there was nothing to keep them from stopping by all day today. They didn't even have a large area to cover, as it was only our street (maybe 30 houses) that was affected. I am so angry. I've already left a message on the town answering machine, and you can bet that mine will be one of the first calls they receive tomorrow morning. Please keep us in your prayers that none of us get sick. My one year old loves to drink water and she has had about half a gallon today.

High and Dry in O-hi-o

Isn't it funny how you don't appreciate something until you lose it? Due to the weather, the water main burst at the end of our street a few hours ago. We have no water, can not flush the toilet, or take a shower. They have no idea how long it will take to fix and we will be listening to loud machinery fixing it until they are through. All I can think about is how thirsty I am, and how much I need to pee. It's so silly. I would never make it in a third world country. I'm ten minutes from going outside and drinking out of the hot tub!

Sheepish Santa

I feel really bad. I was horrible to my husband yesterday.

You see, I have a bit of a reputation in our household for being a "peeker". I have a hard time with the temptation of wrapped packages that bear my name. When I was younger, I actually had instances of finding wrapped presents, unwrapping them to take a look, then re-wrapping them. I'm pretty bad. Now that I'm older though, I'm a little better at curbing the peeking urge, but only a little. But, I digress...
Anyway, yesterday I was wrapping presents to put under the tree while Peanut "helped". We were listening to Christmas carols, dancing around, when I hear a faint rip. Peanut had knocked some presents and torn the paper on one of mine. I swear it was the baby and not me! I grabbed the tape to fix the tear, but of course, my curiosity go the better of me. I peeked. Now for the awful, horrible, un-Christmasy Truth. I'm an ungrateful wretch.
When I looked in the paper, I couldn't at first figure out what was in the package. Then realization dawned. My husband had bought me a large water jug for camping, not exactly the most personal of Christmas presents. Granted, we really needed to replace our old one because it had no lid and everything got soaked during travel. Plus, we do go camping as a family, and I will get use out of it. But all I could think of was that my husband had put next to no thought into my gift, he basically chose something that we needed and were going to buy anyway, and wrapped it up with my name on it. Never mind that I have about 10 other packages under the tree with my name and they are probably great gifts, all that I could think about was this one dubious Christmas choice.
When my husband came home, I told him about the baby and I accidentally unwrapping one of my gifts, and I couldn't resist the urge to inform him of my opinion of his choice by making a snide remark. I instantly regretted it. My husband was hurt. He said that he knew it was sort of a family gift, but he thought that I would enjoy opening it. He apologized for being so thoughtless and vowed to go out and buy me more presents. I was speechless, and let me assure you, that doesn't happen often. How could I be so cruel?
My husband had done something honestly and with good intention, and all I did was throw it back in his face like a spoiled child. I was so ungrateful that I almost couldn't even stand myself. I still feel bad.
He doesn't know it yet, but to make amends, I baked some of his favorite cookies tonight and I went out to do a little more Christmas shopping for him. I am amazed at the human capacity to hurt one another. I can't believe that I could be so thankless and cruel for no reason. I am so sorry. Let's hope that I can restore the Christmas spirit in this house and in my heart.

Let it Snow!

Here in my little corner of Ohio we are getting our first heavy snow of the season. I love it! My husband says I'm crazy, he much prefers more southern climes. I couldn't live without the changing of the seasons though. I can't imagine living somewhere that the only way you would know it was winter would be a five degree change in temperature. Even without having my livelihood tied to the land like a farmer, I still notice that my body rhythms are connected to the seasons. Spring makes me want to browse seed catalogs and dig up half of the yard. Summer makes me want to loaf around and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Autumn has me scurrying like a squirrel to put up jams and preserves (even though most of them end up as Christmas gifts instead of sustaining my family through the cold, hard winter) and clean out the closets. Winter is the best though. I love to snuggle up next to the fire and read, and putting up all of the bright Christmas decorations to keep the dark days at bay. I love the variety of this world!

Ahhh, Advent calendars!

Well, here we are, December 1st. Even though I'm one of those people who listens to Christmas music all year long and starts my Gift shopping in January,the Christmas season really starts for me when we open that first spot on the advent calendar. When I was a kid, we got a new calendar every year (usually one) and my sister and I would fight over who's turn it was to open the door. Sometimes,there was a little piece of chocolate behind that tiny door; sometimes a new little picture with a bible verse for the day. One year I can even remember having a Flinstone's Vitamin calendar,one of the few years when my sister and I each got our own, with a little Fred or Dino behind the doors. Usually by the 8th or the 9th my sister and I had a rotation figured out, but that first day was hard.Both of us always remembered that the other had been first last year and my mom would devise some strange strategy to decide the question,like,"Whoever guesses the color of the caboose on this train going past gets first pick". (Do trains even have cabooses anymore?)
My Mom was really great about building the anticipation factor. We didn't have much money with her being a single parent, but she always seemed to make the waiting and planning more fun than the actual day. I won't lie to you and tell you that we were perfect kids and didn't want expensive presents, but my Mom managed to make the choosing, baking, decorating, and even the waiting so filled with excitement and suspense that we couldn't wait to hand out gifts and see family. In fact, until I was 12 or 13 I never even realized that we had small Christmases, they were never small in my mind. Christmas was definitely my Mom's holiday.
And now, I have my own little girl. Already she loves the lights and decorations. We stand on the front porch every night and look at all of the neighbors lights. She's been so much fun so far, and it's only December 1st. Now to go open the first door on her first advent calendar...

Giving Thanks

I just want to say that I feel so blessed by the Lord today. I try to make a point every Thanksgiving of sitting down with my own quiet thoughts and truly "counting my blessings". It's something I've done ever since I was little, and today was no exception. I realized that I have so much that most of the world outside of our country only dreams of. Though,the truly sad thing is,I complain about a lot of my blessings on a daily basis; if not out loud, then in my thoughts. So, here follows a list of my blessings, and I offer up a true prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord who has so richly blessed me with things that I truly have not come even close to deserving.

*My Salvation

*My Beautiful Daughter

*My Honest, Hard-Working Husband

*My Snug Little House

*Plentiful Food to Eat

*More Good, Warm Clothing than we could ever wear out

*Caring Family who love us and help us, and always have our happiness and best interest at heart and in their prayers

* Friends who make me a priority in their lives, even when I'm "too busy" to make them a priority in mine

*A pleasant disposition that helps me look for the good in any situation (this was not always a trait of mine and I realize now how important it can be)

*The fact that even with all of the neglecting I give my body, I am in good health and I have a sound mind.

*The love of singing and dancing and just being silly sometimes

*The ability to laugh when things are going wrong or seem bad (even if it is at my own expense).

*The gift of prayer for myself and others, because it really works and I've never seen it hurt.

Most of all I'm thankful that I am me. With all of my flaws,shortcomings, and foibles, I'd still rather be me than anyone else.

Peanut's new funny face 

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My Peanut at One! 

Happy Birthday Peanut!

My little darling turned one today. She had milk for the first time, tried jello for the first time, learned to make a new funny face, had tooth number three break the surface, and got stuck in her potty. I'd say that's quite a full birthday for anyone!
To elaborate on the potty story; I was in the livingroom, folding laundry, when I hear this screeching coming from the bathroom. I jump up to see what she has gotten herself into. I take a step into the bathroom and turn right around and go get my camera. My daughter is stuck tushie first in her potty chair. The pieces come apart and she likes to play with them like some big puzzle. I guess this time she tried to take a seat after the seat was gone! When she saw the camera, she started laughing and making faces for me. Only my peanut!

Hours of the Day

I was having a chat with a good friend of mine on the phone the other day. She's a fun person and a great friend, but she's a "career" gal. She often works 50-60 hour weeks.
Anyway, we were on the subject of children, my favorite, and she tells me that she and her hubby are going to start trying to have a child in January. I of course was ecstatic, because even the idea of children is something to celebrate in my book. She and I began dreaming and planning. Then she pauses and says," I want to stay home with the baby but I'm worried." I assume she's worried about their finances but she stops me and says that's not it. "What do you do all day long? I can't imagine you can find enough to keep you busy with out a job."
I have to take a minute to keep my self from screaming with laughter before I assure her that things to do will never be a problem. I tell her that most days in the beginning, she will feel lucky if she manages to take a shower.
She is definitely the nicest person to ask me this question, but hardly alone. I get this from a lot of people. At first it was "When are you going back to work?" and then "It must be so wonderful to be contented to stay at home all day." with the intonation making it very clear that only imbeciles and lazy women would do such a thing.
It amazes me the negative feedback I sometimes get when I tell people that I am a stay-at-home mom. But I just smile and whip out pictures of my beautiful daughter while ignoring their rolling eyes and smug smirks. I love being a Mom!

Wise Little Peanut

My little daughter, we'll call her Peanut, just amazes me. She is just a day away from being one year old, but she is so smart. I plan on being a homeschooler, so I am always interested in watching how Peanut learns (I'm always on the lookout for signs of interest in anything in particular). She is so curious about the world around her. She is also very determined, and not very easily distracted (which can be good and bad!). She has always been interested in the people around her, even from day one in the hospital. Peanut was the biggest Grandparent watcher that you've ever seen. But her absolute favorites are other children. I can't wait for her to have some siblings because she is just so eager to play with other kids. It doesn't matter if we are at the park or in the Library, or even in a restaurant, she will walk right up to other kids and smile and screech and hold out her hands to be picked up. I've met numerous other new Moms this way! She is always friendly to anyone that she meets who is 12 and under. My family is convinced that she is going to be an outgoing "Chatty Cathy" like her long-winded Mother! But I think it is already a sign of how smart she is, as she can already tell that people are more interesting than things. Let's hope it's a trend that will continue.

Everything going well here in my little home. We are in full swing getting ready for my little Peanut's first birthday party. I can't believe that she has been here with us for a whole year. When did this happen? I feel as if I've only just come home from the hospital. I'm trying to finish the scrapbook of her first year so that I can pass it around to all of her family at the party this weekend. I still have all of the summer holidays and her first Easter to go. Going over all of these pictures has really brought home how much she has changed. I guess you don't always notice the difference when you see someone every day. I hope that I will always take the time to notice my family as they change, even if it is only when I sit down to preserve their pictures.

Good old days 

The Good Old Days?

As I was going about my usual daily business today, it came to mind to wonder about my foremothers. I was loading the dishwasher, emptying the dryer, and running the baby a nice warm bath, when it occurred to me that just a few decades ago, these appliances that I depend on every day would have been almost unheard of super-luxury items. How did our Great-Grandmothers do it all? I love my home and my family, but at the end of the day, I really need and enjoy the peace that comes when everyone else is asleep in their beds; and I only have a husband and one small daughter in my care. I'm convinced that I am pretty soft and weak. I love my hot soaks in the tub, and I love even more that they are provided with just a turn of the tap. I sometimes wonder how women of the past could not only give up the chance to care for home and family, but demand the right to leave and go off to work; but then I remember that homemaking was probably pretty brutal and mind-numbing for most women of the day (it's sometimes bad enough now with all of our modern conveniences and distractions).I wonder how I would measure up in a life like that of my dear Irish Great-Grandmother? Would she laugh to see the things that I find frustrating?

Shouting from the rooftops

Well, here it is, my first blog. This is a site that I hope to use in sharing my feelings on being a housewife and mother. I am very proud of being those two things, but I am honestly surprised to find myself attached to those feelings. When I was young, I never had plans of getting married, and I abhorred the idea of having children of my own. I grew up in the middle of a scarring divorce and subsequent issues, and I swore that I, myself, would never put a child through that sort of situation . I was going to move to a large city, find a great career, entertain my friends, and forget about my small-town upbringing. Fast forward ten years...

Now I have a husband and a lovely little daughter living in a snug little house in the same small town that I was determined to escape. I love my life and I am so glad it has turned out thusly. I have discovered a natural tendency towards all things homey and harthy. I am more shocked than anyone else.