Friday

Brr! I'm cold again! That north wind is buffeting us today and bringing in some "bitterly cold weather" as the weather people seem to delight in informing us. I am convinced that if we didn't know how cold/hot it was in degrees, we wouldn't be bothered quite so much by the weather. It's just like the daily reports on how bad the economy is. But that's a topic for a different day...

I had to get up before 6 this morning to get Paul up to Ames. He's been taking part in an epilepsy drug study since last spring. I'm trying to remember why we agreed to this. But since he drives a company van, we think it prudent that he not drive it up there, so I always have to take him up. He's been dragging so much since his 84 hour work week at Christmas. The dr. pointed out that that was about the time he started a new med. dosage. So, we're going to adjust that. If he's still this way by our next visit in 8 weeks, then he's going to have some thyroid testing done. But you know, every weekend since Christmas we have had something going on. Now, the calender is wide open so maybe that will help, too. Of course, if I quit nagging him to get the work done on my house, that might help as well! But I can't do that!

I ran a bunch of errands in Ankeny - found my new living room drapes on sale at Menards. I only spent $40 for 2 panels and 2 sheers. I had priced them in the Penneys catalog and thought I'd have to spend at least $100. Of course, they were out of my first color choice, but I can live with my second choice for that much savings. Now Paul has to get the wall done so I can actually hang the curtains!

I went to lunch with Kirsti and Jake, which was good. I hadn't seen them since before Christmas. I had so many things I wanted to tell K but with our time constraints and the boys, it was just impossible. Jake was an angel, but Sam had enough of his high chair and that was it. Our next get together will be sans children, that's for sure! I came home with half my burger and Will, Ben, and David fell on it like starving African children. They have a way of making me feel very guilty for getting lunch out without them!

I also went to Kohls and found a new winter coat for David on clearance - still more than I wanted to pay, though. Does anybody really pay $100+ for their kids' coats? That just seems outrageous to me. We have had a bad year for coats. I bought Ben a new one last fall - a Columbia, even - and it fell apart before Christmas. Fortunately, I was able to return it and then, in the meantime, Paul's sister had found one for Ben at a garage sale. But this week the zipper on David's broke, too. I looked at Kohls and Target unsuccessfully for a red and a white long sleeved tee or turtleneck for Sam - nothing. He has a couple of cute overalls that he can't wear until I find matching tops to go underneath them. I'll scout around tomorrow at the mall, but I'm not feeling too optimistic at this point.

Tomorrow Ben has Kid's Club, which is respite care for sp. needs kids. It's out in Johnston, a good 40 min. drive from here. They are going swimming. That makes me a little nervous because Ben tends to lose his swim trunks when swimming. He's so skinny that they fall right off his hips. As Mom, I can keep an eye out for that. In addition, when he dresses himself, he doesn't pay attention to how things lay and it's not uncommon for him to just yank on clothing, whether it be swim trunks, pjs or underwear and have them all rolled up and half his derriere exposed. I have a feeling he's going to be flashing himself tomorrow. Ugh! I wish I could everywhere with him for the rest of his life.

Well, I need to scoot. Paul has been hinting that he'd like to eat steak and I know I have a few in the freezer. I need to call the bank, see what this payday deposit was and figure up our $ for the next two weeks. I also need to make a menu and grocery list for shopping on Monday. And I have to run Will out to church at 6. They're going to a b-ball game and a family's house afterwards. One of us will have to pick him up at 11. I'm voting for Paul on that one!