L.I.C.E is a four letter word

I mean....literally....and figuratively, too.  At least it is in our house.

It's naughty....very, VERY naughty.  

Why?...because when you say it mommy get's all scared and anxious and starts hyperventilating.  And her head starts itching.....really bad.

At least that is what happened the day we found a little creepy, crawly, egg laying nasty in G-McBabe's hair about 18 months ago (just a few weeks after Mr. Golden Locks was born).

(see here)

 But let me tell you, things haven't changed a whole lot.

A few weeks after the start of school, we got the customary "lice" letter home one day.

You know, the "it's that time of year again when we typically see an increase in head lice" letter?

I hate that letter.

But....not more than I hate the "Nits (lice eggs) and/or lice have been found on a couple of students in the 3rd grade" letter.

That letter came home today.

For a few seconds I thought about falling apart.  (Breath, breath, breath).

Instead I just did a little scream inside......

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!

Why now?  I'm not medicated (at least not for a few more days).

How do you expect a "sister" to deal with something like this unmedicated, y'all?

SO....NOT....COOL!"

I looked at the paper....I looked at G-McBabe.....and then I said,

"You do realize we are going to have to do a head check today, right?

"Yeah.....(sigh)....I know."

Poor kid....he knows his mama all too well.  Let's face it....she can be a little psycho.

We FINALLY got to it tonight just before bed....

Luckily....so far, so good (all heads checked, all heads cleared).....and I didn't even panic, at least not more than once.....or twice.  :)

We ended the day with the "do not share hats or coats or scarfs talk"....the "stuff your coat inside your backpack talk" (what are they thinking making kids share cubbies?)...the "I know you love your friends but just don't get too close to them" talk.

Oh....and I prayed.....HARD!

I think we have it all covered.

Did I miss anything?


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Couponing...only because I have to....

I'm venturing out on another couponing limb again.

It's been a while.  My binder's been getting a bit dusty and the Sunday circulars have been piling up on my computer table.

It's time to dust things of and get a move on again.

If you cant hear it in my typing, I'm not all that excited.

I mean, I LOVE to save money, and I LOVE to get things for free...but, I have four flippen' kids and couponing takes a LOT of time.

I'm hoping I can pull it off now that school will be starting again.

Do you have any favorite couponing blogs/websites to share?
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Lack of Balance, Salt and Pepper, Atheism, and Exercise

I've been out of sorts all morning.  Not only did I stay up WAY past my bedtime, e-mailing a new atheist and depressed acquaintance (find a post on MMUB about it here and his blog here), but realized this morning I had forgotten to take any of my medications/vitamins yesterday.  Not so good when you are taking an anti-depressant. 

When I finally dragged myself out of bed I was feeling a little groggy, a little nauseous, an a whole lotta unbalanced-ness (as if anything is new, I mean the name of my other blog is Methodical Musings of an Unbalanced Woman ha ha...just kidding), meaning I was dizzy.  Right off the bat I had a bum to wipe, a baby upset about being trapped in his "jail" (aka crib), 4 hungry boys and a really messy house.  Such a wonderful way to start off a Monday.

I scrambled to get ready to head out to our local church, where I freely give of my semi-fine tuned Jillian Micheals-like services twice a week (aka teach aerobics--boot camp, mean lady style).  I love it.  It's a fun outlet.  Unfortunately it's not the same as teaching in a gym...I don't get paid (which I am totally okay with) and my kids have to go with me (which I'm only semi-okay with).

It was while we were there, at our church, that the fiasco of the morning occurred.  It was one of my previously mentioned little bundles of energy (the 3, almost 4 year old) that was in the middle of it.

I'm working up a good sweat, kickin' some lady butt (including my own) when #2 comes to me with yet another complaint/question/thought (he's always interrupting).  I heard something about Mini Rob (3 year old), salt and pepper, and glass.  What did I do...ignored him.  "Please go away until I am done."

We're finally done....cooled down...ready to leave when #2 saunters back and requests my attention.  "Okay, Little Red...what do you need?"


"[Mini Rob] and ***** (neighbor boy whom we love and whom M.R. LOVES to get into mischief with) got into the salt and pepper shakers in the kitchen and dumped them out and broke some glass."


"HE WHAT?"


Yeah...they dumped out somewhere around 20 glass salt and pepper shakers and then decided to throw and shatter them all over the church's kitchen floor.  Lovely...just lovely!  At least Mini Rob was wearing shoes, ***** wasn't.  And he managed to escape with only one cut.  Don't ask me how.  Glass was EVERYWHERE!!!!!

*****'s mom and I (with the help of another lovely friend) finally got it cleaned up, amidst the sneezing, while another mommy held my shoeless, screaming one year old.

What a nightmare!

Now it's nap time.  I'm so happy I could cry....but I think I will just sleep instead.


Tell me..what kind of naughty things have YOUR kids done?

When it hits the fan...it hits the fan

I knew I was supposed to be doing something...I just couldn't remember what.

I was on the phone with my sister when Husband calls...and calls...and calls. ("Maybe I should answer that.")

It finally dawns on me...I was supposed to run some cash out to him at work.

Crap.

I pick up the phone, "I'm coming."......."Do you remember what else I was going to do while I was out?"

He rattles off my to do list:

*trip to drug store ("list is on the counter"),
*trip to red and white bullseye place for Rx's,
*trip to neighboring city to drop off a bike at bike shop (30 min drive BOTH WAYS)!

I look at the clock...It's 11:30AM.

Double crap...

"I'm so not going to make it home before nap time."

Sigh...

It's a mad rush to get ready to leave.

I start preparing lunch on the go (more economical, you know)...yell for Little Red and Mini Rob to "go potty and get shoes on"... Mr. Golden Locks is still in his jammies...heck, I'm still in my jammies...gotta get the bike in the car...don't forget the coupons... 

I'm feeling a little frantic at this point.  So much to do.

(Thank goodness for therapy!)

I try calming myself using some anxiety relieving techniques (inhale slowly 1,2,3,4...exhale slowly 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...inhale slowly 1,2,3,4...exhale slowly 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...you get the idea).

"Mom!," I hear from the other room.

I continue to peel carrots while going over the checklist again in my head.

"MOM!" 

Yeah...still peeling carrots...lost in my own thoughts.

Finally,  "MOM!  MOM!  MOM! MOM!"

"WHAT?!?!?," I yell.

"[MR. GOLDEN LOCKS] THREW YOUR KEYS IN THE TOILET."

(goodbye new found calm feeling)

Carrots forgotten I RUN (literally) to the bathroom.

My worst fears are confirmed....my keys are in the toilet...so is Mini Rob's urine...and two or more weeks worth of bacteria (yeah, I've been meaning to get to that.)   UGH!

(Have I mentioned I'm a semi recovered OCD-ish germ-a-phoebe.)

Not good...not good at all.

I order the kids out...and ask Little Red to assist Mr. Golden Locks in the detoxification process (hand sanitizer).

I grab the keys out of the toilet and throw them in the bathroom sink.  I begin the first of several wash cycles (with anti-bacterial soap, of course) while alternating between panic and self-control in my head ("sick, disgusting, I will never be able to touch them again"... "get a hold of yourself, calm down, you will clean them well, you will move on, and you will be okay (positive self reinforcement...ya know)).

While in this back and forth debate with myself (between the OCD and the sane Melanie) I forget what I am doing (other than white knuckle scrubbing these keys)...there are soap suds everywhere.

Little Red comes back into the bathroom, takes a look and says "Mom...your wasting water."

I swear I could have shot lasers out of my eyes just then.  Instead I had to settle for "the evil eye" and "the nostril flare."

"What?", he says casually.

AAARRRGGGHHH....

Once I finally got control of myself (and the sane Melanie won out), I did pretty good.

I cut off a fabric key chain that was soaked in toilet water (who needs it anyways), bathed them in Clorox Clean-up (literally), and washed them again (all that you ask?  Yeah...and that's the SANE Melanie)

Deep breath...Done!

Until...


Husband calls..."Are you coming?"

Sigh....

Forget economical...we're going to McDonald's!

UPDATE:  I also ended up skipping the trip to the bike shop after I took the wrong freeway exit.  A woman can only take so much in one day.


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