Healthy Family, I Guess I Have To Return To The Trainer...

10 days later, I am thrilled to tell you that everyone in my house is well! I took the shorties to school this morning and I think they were officially sick of me. :) That's ok, the cabin fever had gotten to me too. So after I ran to the store for a few things, I got myself over to the trainer after almost a week and a half of nothing. Ummm, OUCH.... I should need traction by morning. I'm quite frustrated with my workout/point counting right now. I have been counting my points and working out (semi regularly) and not a pound of weight loss. That is really unusual for me and I'm freaking out about it. I'm not an unhealthy weight, I get that. But for someone that had to lose a significant amount of weight before and has kept it off for years, any weight gain concerns me. Especially when what I have always done isn't working. Is it because I turned 40? YES. I totally blame that one. :) But maybe not, I just don't know. Maybe I'm eating the same foods over and over and I need to switch it up. Maybe I need to work out more often. (I hope it's not that one...)

I would love to be able to report that my 6th grade boys have it all together and are responsible for assignments and tests at this point. Sigh... Not.a.chance.... I blindly thought that by this time in the school year, they would get it. They would assume responsibility for it. Uhhh, no. I have now decided that they'll get it by 8th grade. Why set a time? Because I cannot fathom doing this, chasing around, asking about daily assignments when they're in high school. No one did that for me. Breathe in, breathe out, and think positive thoughts...

Tomorrow is my Valentines. We had to reschedule with all the cooties in my house last week. This is not going to help my weight loss... But it's to celebrate LOVE! We must celebrate LOVE, right? I mean, Billy and I have been together half my life---poor bastard needs some celebrating! ;)

4 1/2 Ryanns Down.... Go Big Or Go Home....

Whew, what a week. I took the shorties in to the pediatrician Thursday, 3 days of fever and cough got us in. I'll admit, I am not one of those moms that rushes in at the first sign of a cough. I have 5 kids and I'd have to move in. Kevin had a virus about 4 weeks ago that sounded a lot like what the little ones were doing, so I waited. I waited to find out Emi had a raging double ear infection. Mom.of.the.year. The doctor kept asking her if her ears hurt and she just kept saying no. Tough as nails, that girl. Anyway, off we were with our antibiotic and cough suppressant. Friday morning we were watching Max and Ruby (current toddler obsession, by the way) and I noticed dry blood in her ear. Doctor office closed for lunch, Internets here I come! (They must HATE it when we Google....) So according to the laptop, her eardrum ruptured. Here's the kicker. They don't do anything for it. It sounds awful, there's blood, and all they do is send you to Walgreens for ear drops/painkillers. I was kind of surprised, but hey, the girl still isn't saying a word about not feeling well.

Early Friday morning as the big kids were getting ready for school Billy says, "my throat is killing me, I didn't want to have to mention it." No worries buddy, I've had a sore throat for days and I wasn't telling you for the same reason... Today, Billy is sick, Kevin has a swollen gland in his neck and Emi decided to go back to fevers. We don't do anything half way around here.

At least we have a 3 day weekend to recover. And then maybe when the kiddos get back in school, Billy and I will have that nice Valentines lunch we planned. :) It may be closer to March, but well get there.....

Happy Valentines Day! I Got Twins With Fevers!

Sigh.... I must first point out that my lovely husband did buy me beautiful roses that he shouldn't have and we have lunch plans for tomorrow. But today I get grouchy, snot infested three year olds with fevers. Oh yeah.... I probably shouldn't complain, they rarely get sick. This may be their second fever ever. I know, it amazes me how healthy they are. Yesterday I was getting ready to take Olivia to piano lessons and  I touched Simon's arm and it was burning up. 101.8 and we were off... Emi woke up this morning with her own fever and attitude. Poor kiddos. They're in bed now, Simon is fast asleep and even sick, Emi is just looking at books. I want a nap at this point and she's not sleeping.

So we'll see if lunch happens tomorrow or if the shorties are home from school. It's not looking too promising. It would have been yummy though, diet out the window and the best food from The Little Aussie Bakery. All they make is gluten free food and it's ALL good. Their bakery items are something else.... Another time, my babies need me. :) Hope your Valentines is a good one!

So Why Is It That Once Potty Trained, They Sometimes Decide That It's Better In A Pull Up?

My sweet shorties have been potty trained for quite awhile now, 6 months or so. They do still wear pull ups at night, but during the day, we're set.... Until this week... Simon won't stop playing to pee. Then when I see soaking wet pants, he throws a fit and asks for a pull up. This I expect from a boy. Let me be sexist, I have 2 other boys that also regressed on the potty thing. Emi them walks over to me when her beloved "Max and Ruby" ends and casually says, "I pooped my pants." WHAT?!?!?!? I can pause the freaking show, we have a DVR... Then last night, she peed ON THE COUCH.... Can't interrupt Blue's Clues you know... Simon followed up with semi soaked jeans. I swear it's like they're competing....

So I say, with some shame. I am bribing them. Yep. If they stay dry, use the bathroom without complaint, Hershey's kiss. Go ahead, judge me.....

Why Do I Make These Promises???

Remember the "I will be blogging more regularly"? Yeah, me too... Ooops.... Do I have an excuse? 5 kids, I guess. But not really. We've pretty much have this family on a good schedule, even when multiple sports get added. You know what's really happening? I usually post at 2 times during the day. Nap and after bedtime for the shorties. Emi has stopped napping. I am still coming to grips with that. 3 years old and done. Olivia stopped napping early too, maybe it's a girl thing? The big problem is that Simon still naps. He needs them. So I end up dealing with Emi up and down from her bed trying to wake her twin. And after they go to bed for the night? I'm either fussing with older kids and homework or..... wasting time on the computer. Yes, I admit it. I am doing.... Nothing of significance. Sigh....

So here's the catch up from Super Bowl Sunday... First of all, Madonna bored me to tears. Seriously, I was just glad she was dressed. She is too old for half naked performances and I would say that if she was 40. She's 53. You can be beautiful and dressed. Glamorous and dressed. C'mon already...

So we ate and ate.... Bagels for breakfast, chowder for lunch... And dinner... I now LOVE lobster rolls. I have never had them, but Billy and I are sold. So yummy and a nice change for football food. Oh, and the kids had NY style pizza, they weren't interested in lobster.... Emi kept asking to pet the lobster she met the day before. I had to tell her daddy cooked him. :(

Pinchy and the kiddos

Notice the jerseys? The only way the Dallas Cowboys are going to have representation at the game. :) Side note, Kevin (far left) is wearing the jersey of the Cowboy Billy named him after. (middle name) Not making that up.... Simon was not in the mood for the game....

I hope you enjoyed the afternoon/evening as much as we did......



The Super Bowl Menu Has Been Set.... Is Yours?

I have to admit, we do the Super Bowl food a little differently at our house. We pick our food based on the 2 teams' towns. It's been a lot of fun finding out what is distinctly from that area and searching for recipes or ordering food shipped in. (last year the Primanti sandwich needed actual Primanti deli meat, according to Billy...)

So this year we have New England and New York. (I know, it should be Jersey....) Anyway, here's how it's shaping up at Chez Ryann...

Breakfast:

bagels and cream cheese (thank goodness Udi's makes a fantastic gf bagel!)
and something called beet hash... (the kids are scared) :)

Lunch:

Clam Chowder, that you very much. Yum, yum!

Dinner:

New York style pizza for the kids
and Lobster Rolls for the grown ups. (I'm really looking forward to these, and again, yummy gf rolls)

and dessert, of course, cheesecake. Diets are out the window on Sunday. You know, so Monday I have ever reason to run, not walk to the trainer as I have cream cheese oozing out of my pores... :)

Let me know if you're doing anything different for the Super Bowl!