Shitballs!

It just seemed like an appropriate title for everything that is going on in my life right now.  I've been kinda quiet here, sharing mostly photos of the good times, places we've gone and things we've done.  Not to impress or to show off but, for myself.  This is where I document my life and the things in it.  It's been awhile since I've done a 'what are we up to' post.  And it's time.

Jacob is liking Kindergarten.  Just this week he's allowed me to drop him at the door to walk in by himself.  He let Dad do this last week.  But today, he got upset and chased the car as I pulled away so I had to stop and go back.  (Normally, I do wait for him to go in but, he was walking with a kid from day-care to the door and he was going in - then turned and ran back.  They have a teacher or Aide out there that caught him plus I did see what happened and stopped.)  Kindergarten (especially all day Kindergarten) is tough on little boys and they have to be so good for so long and we're struggling with being good at home.  We've worked hard to get to bed by 8/8:30, which is tough when mom gets home at 6, when we have homework (a book sent home to read 3 nights a week) and getting more sleep is helping some with the attitude.  He's had a hard time making decisions and sticking to them.  "I don't want to play in the sand!" and when it's time to go, "But, I WANTED to PLAY in the sand!".  He's picked up some odd jobs around the house, such as folding wash clothes, throwing the clothes into the washer or dryer,  putting away the Tupperware, and last week he used his "big boy muscles" to help me bring in the groceries.  He is doing well in school.  He got 26/26 of his capital letter and lowercase letter recognition.  And 22/26 on the sounders (missing I, E, U, and Y).  He loves to play Alphabet Go Fish and I guess we need to play a few more games using the sounders rather than the letters!  Jacob is very into animals right now sleeping with like 5 or 6 every night.  Since the circus, tigers have been his favorite.  His Sensory Processing Disorder seems to come and go but, has mostly shown in his moods.  Quick to cry or get upset - or simply shut down.  We've had a lot of changes this summer into fall but, all in all, he's a bright and beautiful boy who loves his police and firefighters.  He's quick to smile and so easy to love!

Jeremy is still with the restaurant and facing his own challenges in an economy that has totally kicked our area in the ass.  How do you get people into a restaurant to spend money that they don't want to spend?  Think about your finances - you used to go for dinner, get an appetizer, a couple drinks, the entree and a dessert - even if to share.  Now, you go for dinner, skip the appetizer, get one drink each and forget the dessert.  Right?  So what can a restaurant do for you to go back to they way it was? What makes you willing to spend a little more?  Exactly!  Sadly, his schedule, Jacob and my job don't allow him much free time for himself - yet he'd likely use it to catch up on his sleep.

His Cardinals head into game 4 of the playoffs tonight and we could have another series ahead of us.  Baseball in October is the best!  

Soon he'll start with storm windows, raking leaves, and getting the old house ready for winter.

As for Me, I of course spend the majority of my time running around as if my hair were on fire!  I'm back to work full-time, gave up the dream of having my own soap making business and that's okay.  I'll still make soap for our own use (I can make the scent I want, it lasts longer, and costs less) and of course, I will fill orders by request.   I guess my heart just isn't into it as much.  I'm still selling on eBay. I've been reading a lot of books both for myself and as part of Jacob's homework.  I left another 'bookclub' this summer - I'm just not good at those things.  I'm learning about following my heart, listening to my intuition and I'm taking as many courses in this area as I can.  Matter of fact, I have a big seminar/workshop this weekend with Echo Bodine and I am very excited for this opportunity.  I'm a little tired of hiding my interests/knowledge in the psychic/intuitive world.  And now it's known - I'm studying/practicing to be a psychic/medium/intuitive.  I've been reading/honing my craft for over a year now.  It's something I have wanted to do for a long, long, time and the opportunity has presented itself and keeps presenting itself.  It will take me a long time to get there but, following your heart is rarely a quick trip.   And I no longer have piercing blackout headaches which is a bonus!   I'm working toward enjoying myself more, my family more, my friends more, softening my heart, and learning to lower some of my expectations in people and to forgive easier.  I will have 15 years in at my job this fall (November 17) and I am constantly reminded how blessed I am to have not only a job but, a job that has allowed me to work part-time when my family (and my sanity) needed me, to flip the switch back to full-time when I was ready, where I can leave early for day-care emergencies or appointments AND I am allowed to work from home if need be.  15 years - it's a long time and no, I don't plan to leave.  I love it too much.  I report to a new boss this summer after over 10 years with the other.  Change, though different is always good.

And Kelsey, I couldn't forget my pain-in-the-ass-beautiful-brown-dog!  She's about a year and a half.  She's still quite a puppy.  She's a 70 lb. shithead that thinks she's a 10 lb. cat and can lay up on the back of my couch!  She likes to run away every chance she gets and we've spent many an afternoon chasing her through the neighborhood with a bag of pig ears.  She loves to sit between me and the counter when I'm cooking hoping for something to fall - she knows how it works.  And she keeps me company lying on the landing when I'm doing laundry with a big wet smooch when I come her way.  We've battled a nasty case of flea allergy dermatitis this summer and watched as most of my beautiful chocolate lab lost most of her hair.  We've since switched flea treatments and it's growing back.  She's also on a regimen of fish oil (to help keep her joints and her coat healthy) and allergy pills (for the flea allergy).  We're still working on 'get down' but, she's pretty good at staying on the front porch.  Though there is nothing better than sharing your bed with a snoring brown dog or having one lie on your cold toes on a fall afternoon!  For all the hair or lack thereof, the dead grass, the pills, the vet bill, and the bones that I step on all over the house, I can't imagine a day without her.

Whew!  This is the time of year that I love.  Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Jacob's birthday, Christmas and my paid holiday (another reason I love my job).  It brings with it a whole new dimension of chaos but, it's so warm, and oddly, so calming for me.  I love the wind down from summer to ease into winter and the things we enjoy in between.  I guess everyone has their case of 'shitballs' every now and again and it's all a matter of what is coming on the other side (and I don't mean as in passing away to the other side) to greet you as to how you get through it.  There's so much more to share and I'm looking forward to it.