Ants

We just had a nightmare of an evening. Fire ants somehow got into the side of our back door and built a nest. Then out of nowhere when my son went outside, then attacked him. We didn't know about the nest..it was like they came out of nowhere. Luckily I caught my son as his legs where getting covered with ants. He sustained about 50 bites. I have him on an antihistamine (precaution) and topical relief and he seems to be fine. Poor little man, he's only 17 months old!

And me, I only got one bite while I was taking the ants off him. But the one bite caused me to swell up like crazy...more antihistamine. I feel like such a wimp compared to him, but I am the one that started with the allergic reaction on one bite!

Ugh..and later that same evening I dropped a power block on my toe and I think it's broken, it's swelling up too and I can't move it. It is finally time for this day to be over!! I got so stressed out, I started eating a ton of chocolate...

Lay Off

Our work has been going through sets of lay offs due to the economy so it has been a little tough for everyone lately. My husband and I work at the same company so of course, we have a little more to think about. Although it appears both our jobs are secure for now, it is still hard when we are friends with co-workers and know their situations, and then to see them get laid off. The last one that really bothered me was this man who just turned 60. The day after his birthday party work, he was laid off. He was an incredible man and good Christian. From what we are told his wife had medical issues (serious) and he was the only income earner for the family. I know many people in Texas are going though the same situation. (I received a letter from Kay Bailey Hutchison (Congress) who replied to one of my emails. Kay stated one in four Texans is without health insurace, higher then the national average.) I can only pray for this man in hopes he gets a job before his Cobra runs out and his wife is denied care due to lack of medical insurance. I was told by coworkers the director who laid him off said "It was nothing personal, but just business.". I think I realized then I could never be management because I could never lay someone off and walk away from it without a concisous, knowing that I could be literally giving them a death sentence. I know that may sound like an exaggeration, but it's kind of true, and if one person (family member or other) died because of my actions, I am unsure if I could ever forgive myself (even if God would). I would have to lay myself off first. So I guess I'm doomed to be a bottom feeder, but at least I can sleep at night.

Back From Canada

Today we are back, and I have to admit, there is something nice about coming home. We did have a ton of problems with our flights, but all that aside it was a good time with my family. I do appreciate our one level home though. Colton with this toddler ways, was hard to manage...I love him but it's the truth.

It is late, so I will try to write more later.

Off To Canada

We will be leaving Friday for Canada and will be back in a few weeks. It's going to be a busy trip so you will probably not hear from me. Colton and Farrah are healthy, thankfully, so hopefully everything else will fall in place.

A Few Updates

Farrah has had a high fever the last two days, so I have been at home taking care of her. She finally seems to be getting better, thankfully, just in time ...we are leaving for Canada July 3rd. Thankfully, whatever she had did not spread throughout the house.

I have been trying to follow some of the health care reform proposals during my time off, so today I read the 98 page proposal. It was long an treacherous and I can't remember a lot. I do remember some one of the things that will affect me...taxes on employer benefits. If I remember correctly, my employer pays around 12K for my benefits so that would be about $3000 in additional taxes next year. I think if we were a single payer I would be "ok" with that but knowing an exec at United Health Care got a billion dollar bonus in the last year, kind of makes me a little angry. I mean, why shouldn't he take some of the burden. He may even get richer off the new plan. Well, I suppose that is life, but I have told my husband we would have to readjust our free spending to account for the loss of $250 month. Sadly probably cut back on donations (boo hoo), eat out less, and keep fixing our house up to a minimum. He laughed at me but I was serious, I mean the next time someone at work asks for a donation for the heart walk, he is to say "no". Someone is always asking for money at work for this fundraiser or that and it adds up. It's not like we won't donate anything, we always have clothes and items given to us we pass on.

My Small Car Incident

Yesterday my husband and I drove to work together, I opted to drop him off and go to get gas and money. On the way back from the gas station the front tire popped which left me driving on the rim. I pulled over from a busy intersection and after frantic phone calls (calling work and letting them know I would be late), started the process of getting my spare out. Well, in the next minute two men who could barely speak English came by and changed my tire in a few minutes. I offered them money, then would not take they said in broken English, someday someone will do something nice for me.

Now lets go back a few years.

When I was 9 months pregnant with my daughter I was driving home from work and suddenly ran over a role of carpet laying in the road. The carpet hooked onto the bottom of my car. I was able to pull over to the side of the road at the entrance of a fairly expensive community (Home probably from the 250's). In my distress between being able to find a sharp object in the emergency kit and roling back and forth over the carpet, I was able to get enough of the carpet unattached from the bottom of my car but it took a looong time. Since I was pregant, I couldn't get under the car, and I had to reposition myself around the car and stretch my arms out so hard they hurt. It is important to note that at least 20 cars drove into that community that night, maybe more. Not one person stopped to see if a 9 month old pregnant women needed some help.

OK, so yesterday I learned something. We all have something to learn from the men in the first paragraph and these men (although could be illegal) in their kindness have made living in the US a better place like the good Samaritian, while as the rich from the second paragraph offerred nothing.

The Kids and I This Weekend

Daddy needs some space this weekend so he could finish putting in the Pergo floors...or at least get most of it done. So, the kiddo's and I left the house Saturday and Sunday in search of adventure.

On Saturday, we went to Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall. I thought it wouldn't be bad to hang out there for the day and there are rides and family bathrooms/nursing stations. For the most part it was fun except we did manage to spend $25.00 and come back with nothing...mostly food and snacks which I should have packed and a few rides. The kiddo's were really tired and I had my first workout in 4 years. Why, because I did not want to pay $4.00 to rent a cart so I carried Colton for the first hour then finally gave in, or my arms gave up. It's not like he's just willing to be carried, he's a real squirmer. Later in the evening we spent time at the park.

Sunday we went to "Going Bonkers" after nap, Farrah and Colton played in the 3 and under area for the most part. I thought, hey this is a better idea then the mall and it only cost $6.00 admission for all of us, but then some older kids around 8 came into the small kid area and start throwing around large objects, hence we left quickly. I suppose I should have said something but I am not really confrontational. Later in the evening, we blew up the kiddie pool and played in the backyard.