I've Let Her Down As A Mother...

Olivia started tumbling today. She was SO excited to get started. The shorties and I watched (well, I watched and they played with my phone---probably not a good thing to start..) and I was tired watching them! But one thing I noticed was some girls were moving on to round offs and some other things I don't know the names of, but Olivia was working on the dreaded cartwheel. Dreaded because she can't do one. I never taught her. At 40, I don't know how to do one. I know, I know, my head is hanging in shame. But hey, let's drag out the adolescent baggage, shall we? As a fluffy child/teenager, the last thing I was working on was a cartwheel. Come on. I was working on watching tv. I didn't like to go outside, I only went when my best friend made me. Once we were out there in "nature" (shutter...), I wasn't about to go all flopping around. No way...

So here I am, 30 years later, regretting it all. But lucky for me, (they say you marry your opposite) Billy can do a cartwheel!!! Olivia will master the task and next Saturday she will be victorious!! (and 20 years from now, I will still remember how I failed her. Cuz that's how I roll...) Thank God she'll be here for Emi.... :)

Good Lord, We're Raising A Nation Of Wimps...

So Kevin got lunch detention yesterday. Why? Because he was teasing a girl (I already told him that was dumb, I took care of him...) and called her a "pipsqueak". SERIOUSLY?!?!? She ran and told on him for THAT?!?! I swear these kids would have never survived middle school in the 80's. And you know what else? We would never have tattled over such nonsense, and as a chubby kid, I was called a lot worse..

Anyway, he wiped tables and I told him not to tease girls. Lesson learned... Sigh....

Ahhhh, It's Cold and Rainy.... Perfect for My Mood...

Yuck. It's pouring outside and the temp has dropped since this morning. I feel bad, I told the kids it "might rain a little" (note--don't ask me for weather updates) and when I was hanging up laundry this morning, I saw that both my older boys don't have their hoodies with them. That's going to make for a long walk to the portables....

Tomorrow I have to go cancel my membership with my trainer. I am actually bummed about it. I like exercising there, but right now, with my life, I don't have an hour to workout 2-3 times a week. The shorties only have school 2 days a week and I spend that time running errands, seeing my mom at the nursing home, or taking one of the big kids to a doctor/ ortho appointment. There is just no time. So it's now on me to dust off the dvd's, Jillian Michaels scares me a little, and work out with Simon and Emi in tow. The self discipline will be tough. But now that I'm 40, I have to stick to it. I am having trouble dropping the Holiday weight gain and it's freaking me out. I also think my right eye is shrinking and Billy is ignoring the warning signs of imminent danger....

Everything else is going along like always, fussing at the boys to STUDY, not just do homework. They still don't get it. I think it's just going to take time. I didn't know how to really study when I was in 6th grade. We'll get there, I just hope to still have most of my sanity intact.

And that's it from the Ryann's part of the world....

Another Week Has Come And Gone...

It's already Friday... Kevin's cough is much better, he should be good to go for tomorrow's early basketball game. Billy's back is better too, but I think I need to be taking the shorties to the bathroom for awhile... :) Best news of the week is that Emi's 3rd day of physical therapy has been taken off the schedule, she's had such improvement. So now both Emi and Simon have PT twice a week, and we will probably start occupational therapy for Simon in the spring.

Yesterday I had the most ridiculous conversation with Olivia's teacher. I've known all year that she is kind of crazy strict (Olivia once got her agenda signed for tossing a paper on a friend's desk.) but this just pushed it too far. Olivia and another student forgot to put their names on their papers. When they were passed back and graded, the boy got the paper with the 100 and Olivia got the 90. When Olivia looked at the paper, she recognized the 100 as her own. So the teacher tells her tough, you should have written your name on it. I.Don't.Think.So... The boy did the same thing and he's getting an extra 10 points?!?!? Mama Bear came out and I was livid. She was so condescending on the phone I wanted to slap her. I try to be understanding, I used to teach 7th grade, but when you can't even pretend to give a crap about what I'm saying, it's never going to be pretty.....

I'm having trouble losing holiday weight. I went back to the trainer and I've been counting my points, but nothing is happening. I am terrified that turning 40 has wrecked my ability to lose weight. I am really in the dumps and I hope that the weight loss comes soon. I'm only 5 pounds over my regular weight, but the jeans are too tight and I feel gross. Fingers crossed that the scale starts to cooperate. I mean why be sore if you can't tell?!?!

I have to go, I have 2 three year olds dumping play dough (sp?) everywhere... Have a good weekend!

Well, It Looks Like We Have A Man Down....

I know we've had such a mild winter and no one has even gotten a cold. Kevin called me from school during lunch just to tell me that his throat was on fire. And the loving mother I am said, "Just take that science test and we'll take care of it after school." :) Hey, we studied for that test all weekend! So I got him an appointment for tomorrow and he walks in the door and says, "no science test, we had a sub." Well, of course.... Aaack... So the test is tomorrow and I am taking him to the doctor instead.

On to good news, Kevin's basketball game Saturday was great (minus the Billy throwing his back out when he took Simon to the bathroom...) the kids won by a wide margin, and I see such a different Kevin playing. He has a lot of confidence, plays aggressively, and I am quite the proud mom.

Ugh... Little secret... I rarely just sit and type out a post. I usually get interrupted by one of many people in my house, the phone, whatever. So since the last paragraph, Simon's insides have exploded more than once and soon after, Kevin's stomach followed. So it looks like two Ryann's will be home tomorrow, no (much needed) work out to be done.

So Billy Took Simon To The Bathroom At A Basketball Game....

and threw out his back. Taking a toddler to the potty... God, are we old.......

Good Lord, She is Exactly Like Me... Poor Thing....

Olivia is my only biological child. Interestingly enough, she looks a lot like her dad (although quite a few people say she looks like me, I think they're trying to be nice...) but personality-wise, she is me. Poor kid. She talks. And talks. And then has a few more things to say. She loves sweets, maybe too much, and that tv calls her name... She is very emotional, one of my weak points, but most girls are, right? :)

About 10 minutes ago she called me from school. "So, how am I supposed to get home?"
Me: "Well, seeing that you have choir in 3 minutes, I don't think you're supposed to come home."
Olivia: "Oh.Right.I..have...choir...Thanks."
Me: "Nerd...."

This wouldn't be so funny if a month ago she hadn't walked home and when I asked her why she wasn't at choir, she looked shocked at the thought. Or if I hadn't told her this morning that she had choir. She is a space cadet. I forgot what I did yesterday. I was hoping it was my old age. Apparently it's genetic. :)

Now I just have to remember to pick her up in 40 minutes. And yes, I have forgotten her before.....

I Am Back At The Trainer, Cursing But Surviving...

After my 2 month break while I tried to figure out what was going to happen with Simon (more therapy, appts or what), I went back to working out with the trainer. Honestly, I needed to after the holiday weight gain, and my doctor really stresses weight bearing exercise since I have osteopenia. But I don't want to go. My 3 year olds go to school twice a week. So Mondays and Wednesdays, I have from 9-2 to get stuff done I can't do with them. Appointments with the big kids fall in this time, visits with my mom at the nursing home (easier done when I am alone), errands, you get what I mean. So spending an hour working out just feels like a waste. I'm still going, but I can't promise it will last.

I got new contacts yesterday, apparently they are a step before bifocals. Awesome. Here are your new contacts, grandma. I hate getting older. I do like seeing things though, so it seems to be working well.

I have been really trying to clean house. I did the kitchen pantry, we even have things in bins and labeled now! I thought Billy was going to faint. :) I did both bathrooms and right now Olivia and I are trying to get her room under control. She has the smallest bedroom (but is also the only kid with her own room), so we need to get the crafts and art supplies under control. Then I guess I'll have to get to my closet. That won't be too much fun. I'm afraid to get rid of stuff that I "may" need. It's a sickness.

Sounds like therapy is ending, I better get off of here, have a great one!

That Week Sure Did Fly By.....

Boy, once the kids get back in the swing of school, it all just flies by. Kevin started basketball this week, game is tomorrow morning. I had to buy him high tops and we left with size 8 1/2. Good God. He's 11. Weird part is his twin is 6 inches shorter than he is. They are quite the pair. :)

Biggest news of the week, Simon's neurologist called to tell me that his MRI came back clear.  WHEW... But that he finds his diagnosis of mild cp odd since he can't find it in his brain. So we're in a monitoring phase along with continuing his physical therapy. I can do that, no problem. The doctor did say that we may either see more difficulties with spatial abilities as he gets older or that epilepsy could appear. Well, that's no sweat off my nose (is that a real saying?), I have epilepsy myself, so we aren't in uncharted territory at all. Most importantly, my sweet, sweet Simon seems to be ok. And if something appears later, we will deal with whatever he has. I believe more and more each day that this is the home God intended for this boy from the beginning. :)

Drama news... Olivia came home from school yesterday freaking out because some boy told her that another boy said she was "dating" him. I put quotes on dating because these are 5th graders and it involves saying you're dating and then seeing each other at school. They rarely even talk on the phone. Anyway, then she said when she went to pack up for the day, this lovebird put an envelope in her cubby with a necklace in it. That boy is claiming his woman, isn't he?! She is mortified, she has no interest in any of this and she just wants him to leave her alone. That's my girl! :) Today she didn't say a word to him, but I'm sure there is more to come...

Well, tonight is game night at the Ryann's, so I must end this before I get yelled at. :) Have a great weekend!!

Happy New Year, What's On The Horizon???

Wow, 2011 went by quick... Here I am, overfed and ready to dig into 2012. Of course that means, diet and work outs resume, that goes without saying. And cheating on said diet, keeps you sane you know.... I did gain more than I expected over Christmas, I am kind of bummed about that. You just can run away from the too tight jeans, no escape. Last night we had a buffet style late dinner after church, little ones went to bed around 8, and the big kids, Billy and I waited for midnight with Ryan Seacrest, like so many others... I must say, Ryan looked a bit too fresh faced for my taste, lay off the Botox, men look better with a few lines. He's still cute to me, even hobbit-sized...

To catch up on everything we've been busy with this week, I'll say that in pictures. We went downtown to have dinner and see the lights on the Riverwalk. Billy and I were so disappointed in the new LEDs that our charming mayor insisted we needed. Hundreds of thousands of dollars later and it's crap. No lights hanging from the trees, the lights have a blue hue instead of the warm glow before.

Lights before:

Lights now:

It just isn't the same.... We did enjoy the company, and of course, ice cream at Mr. Ice Cream...



On New Year's Eve we ate a lot and hung out until it was Champagne/Sparkling Cider time...

And this morning as I was taking down Christmas, Billy took the kids out back, armed them with silly string, poppers, and goodness knows what else....



I hope that you all have a healthy and happy 2012...I'm not sure what's in store for us, I hope for good health for my family, wonderful things for my kiddos, and continued success for Billy... On a side note, how fabulous is my new camera?!?! LOVE it!!!!