My Lonely Bad Self

My HC is gone again, this time within driving distance. This is week 1 of Investigator school. What's the big deal about Investigator School? From what I gather, "it guarantees you'll never be put on night shift again." Which is a big deal to someone who spent the first 3 years of his law enforcement career in the dark. There were vampire jokes long before Twilight movies ever came on scene.
So here at the homestead, I am strangely getting a lot of stuff done. I'm not sure it's because I need to console myself because my HC is gone, or because his not being here frees up a lot of time...uh, I may just stop there. Either way, the house is pretty clean. Sort of. At least until Curious George is over and Erin starts up again.
Yesterday was our 6 month checkup at the allergist. It went very well. I can start weaning the kids from some meds and our next checkup is in a year. Yay! This is very good news. Our elimination diet (not eating the foods we are allergic to) and our rotation diet (testing our tolerance of foods we are allergic to once every 4 days) are working very well. We still have our meds for the odd flare up of symptoms (sometimes foods get cross contaminated or we have an oops moment), but I am very optimistic and pleased about the whole thing.
Ian was not happy about having to go back to school after our appointment, but he went back anyway for the last 2 hours. This is the last full week of school and I guess things are getting a little funner, because Ian hasn't been moaning or complaining half as much. No homework may have something to do with that. Hm...
Yesterday after school I decided to break out my new workout DVDs and try it out. Ian was gung ho to do it with me. We decided to do the kickboxing one. I pulled on the weighted gloves and committed myself to 10 minutes. Ian stayed for about 90 seconds and left me, the punk. Erin participated by riding her tricycle in front of the tv during kicks and lunges and imitating me (har har) behind while I was trying to do back kicks. It was very hazardous. I'm not sure if I'm sore from doing exercises improperly while trying to avoid my kidlets or because of the actual workout. I decided to finish out the DVD. By the last part, the ab workout, I was getting pretty frustrated with Erin. Ian had abandoned both of us for Lego Indiana Jones and Erin was convinced I was doing this to amuse her. The ab workout involved lying on the floor on a towel and contorting yourself into interesting positions to work your abs. There were a lot of chuckles behind me on the couch. No comment. Then Erin decided to improve my form/spot me by sitting on my stomach and hopping up and down. No comment again.
But I finished! Is there anyone close enough to give me a massage?!
Today is Track and Field day for Ian. He'll be in the gym doing 'real' exercises and tearing around vigorously. He has his running shoes, his 'fast' shorts on and his water bottle. I can't wait to hear about this one.
We finally finished Double Fudge. Now we are reading Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great. And while I was typing this, Erin decided to beautify herself with my makeup bag. She needs to go easy on the cover-up next time. Thank the Lord my lipstick is in my purse! Last time, it ended up in several lines all over the walls.

The Power of Styrofoam!

We are so happy about our Netflix Instant Play. I love watching nonstop seasons of Bones. Erin loves Caillou and VeggieTales. Ian loves the Mario Brothers Supershow, circa 1986 (save me) and Lilo and Stitch episodes. My HC likes to choose a bunch of B movies that we end up turning off. That's not always the case, but we're on a roll right now. But what we have watched at least 27 times in the past week (and I wish I were joking about the number) is Bolt. Erin always asks for it and Ian always gravitates to where it is playing. We all laugh at the same spots every time (well, we do not find the same spots funny, but I laugh at the hamster every time and Erin laughs at the cat every time and Ian laughs where Bolt gets the traffic cone stuck to his head every time. You get it. And just so he's not left out, my HC laughs at the hamster in the kayak, the hamster stealing a french fry and the animal control guy getting pepper sprayed in the eyes. Every time.) So when I say something like "You don't know the power of styrofoam!" or other related comments, especially those in the overzealous fan voice of Rhino the hamster, forgive me. It is now subliminally imbedded in all our minds.
We are in the last 2 weeks of school. Huzzah. So we are wrapping up homework, testing, the washing (again?!) of backpacks due to leaky thermoses. Sigh.
We also ordered next year's curriculum, which we may start half-time after school is out just to give us something to do.
(Ian just interrupted me. "Mommy, uh, are you wearing sunscreen?" "Uh huh," I said, "Erin and I went to the park today for Play and Learn." "Oh. I can smell it. I wanna go to the park."
Considering that when we went to the park today, I had to call in a broken step where Erin and I almost fell through, I'm not a big fan of the park. They did come and fix the step, where a bolt had broken on one side, but there are too many other areas that need repair (or broken things removed) that I'm not too fond of the playground at the park. But when school is over, we will be available to play with our other home school friends. Yay!
This week, my HC is home, having a normal (haha!) week. The laugh is because he's been having to be here and there at 5am yesterday and today to assist with this and that. And he's been coming home at the normal time. Next week he is starting his first week of Investigator school in Ada, OK. It's a bit of a drive, but he'll be home on the weekends. It is a very good thing to be in that school, however, as they handpick who gets to be in (everything is all about who you know. sigh!) and only allow 30 attendees at a time. I think there may be 2 such classes a year. So it is well indeed. Now about that supposed training class in Hawaii? (waaaah!) We'll see if that comes about. You'll hear plenty of whining and crying from the peanut gallery if it does (mostly from me and Ian the Vulcan (volcano lover)).
Meanwhile, we are enjoying the goodies brought back from New Mexico, including the cactus seeds we are attempting to grow. We'll find out in another couple of days if they will grow.
I got my sweepstakes prize in the mail today. It came FedEx and they called again to ask where my house was. 'Rural route what? Do you have a house number? Uh, that house number is not registered either (duh, if it was, we wouldn't have a rural route in town). Um. What street? Oh, hey! Didn't I just deliver something to you last month? (yeah, the Blackberry replacement). Oh! Now I remember your house. Alright, I'll be there in about 30 minutes.' (Uh, just how lost WAS the guy?)
So I get this box from Anchor Bay Entertainment and the first thing I think is Thomas the Tank Engine. Hmmm. Maybe the grandparents sent something? Uh. It was kind of heavy. Well, it was this:





Is this a sign? Mandi, you need some help. The first thing Mom said was "so they think if you do this video you'll look like her?" Clearly my mother is not a fan of the workout DVD. Not that I am either. I am not very consistent about such things. I get turned around when I'm facing someone chirping "Left! Left!" while they're going to my right. But these are a bit different. One is a boxing type DVD, another is pilates (I'm frightened) and they all come with something. Resistance band, weighted gloves, etc. I will report if they ever get used. Or unwrapped. Or if I can nag my HC into doing some with me, just for fun, in case he starts mocking me.

But he's just ignorant. Because he doesn't know the power of styrofoam.

Coming soon: my Mother's day present, as soon as it comes in the mail, barring any more complications from the FedEx guy or UPS.