Busy Busy

Can you tell I'm not very good at this whole blogging thing yet? I have had so many funny or interesting things happen over the last couple of weeks that I think to myself "I've got to add that" (especially because I'd love to have this printed into a book for my kids...like Andrea did - which was part of why I think I actually set this up.) The worst part is getting home and being so tired once I get time to sit at the computer that I can't remember a single thing I wanted to write. Either that or I'm SO busy that I'm all go till bed time and I don't TAKE the time to sit and write.
Ahhh, I remember when I used to LOVE to sit and write real letters, receive them, write in my journal regularly. Now, even though I know I had a really good day, got alot accomplished, or the kids had a great day at school...I still feel on edge come evening time. I know alot of it is my inability to relax because sometimes I'm the ONLY one in the house with a brain that's working, and thinking for 7 can just exhaust a person. Jason struggles with PTSD, and some days are great while there are others he's just not interested in doing anything. Those day's get hard for me to watch and be a part of while being detached. You can't emotionally get upset with the person, because he's not CHOOSING this. Jason is on some VERY helpful meds, but still, I'll be happy when he's happier on a general overall basis.

The kids enjoyed a week off of school, and actually managed to not TOTALLY destroy the house. Of all the weeks I ended up working 3 weekdays instead of 2 it ended up being that week. I actually think we made out pretty well, all things considered. We didn't do anything great or majorly fun because we are saving our time off and money for our ROSBACH FAMILY REUNION!!! Wa-hooo, we can NOT wait. This summer we will get to enjoy my whole side of the family. Just enough to love each other, laugh, drive each other bonkers, and head home. I'm hoping all the kids will get the chance to connect with their cousins and they will all take the chance to keep in touch after all is said and done. With email, text messaging, and the fact they still Occasionally see me use REAL mail...and they love to write letters too - sometimes ... maybe we'll see some great family bonding from this. All I know is I can't wait to see all my brothers and their families, and my sister and parents. Three years overseas with visiting any family at all never an option, that got pretty frustrating. It's good to be back on the same continent with nearly all our family. :o)

So, this weekend I was working a full day on Saturday, and had made a chore list (listed by priority of what MUST be completed, would LIKE to see completed, and COULD be completed for extra allowance -- BEFORE I got home.) Friday nights are the only night Jason gets to stay up late, enjoy movies, or play video games, or draw without looking at the clock, because when he takes his sleeping pill, no matter what time it is, he can still take the time to sleep in for a FULL night of sleep. So to add to the list, I even bribed the kids with extra stuff and money should they get this stuff done AND let Dad sleep.
I was thrilled to get home and have ALL the bedrooms cleaned, vacuumed, stuff NOT in heaping piles on the shelves or shoved in the closet. They'd done ALL the rest of the house (I'd done the bathrooms, so that was a HUGE help for them to not have to do those), including starting the rotation of laundry. We've started to hang nearly everything out on the line to dry. First, it was getting way to hot in the laundry room when we'd run the dryer a lot, and I didn't want to turn on the ac to fight it off. Secondly, I wanted to save money. I did this a lot when I was in Okinawa and our electric bill was $450 over the spring months. By summer, only underwear was dried in the house unless it was raining, and we only used the air conditioning in the rooms we were IN...daytime the living room, night time the bedrooms. Also, no cooking in the oven. Even with all those efforts our summer time electric bill was in the $800 range 3 months in a row. YIKES!! (I'm telling you, we are magnets to energy IN-efficient homes).
Anyway . . .
So since the weather has been so nice, and the humidity levels are low right now, I figured I needed to really push to save some cash. The kids actually listened, and while rotating the laundry, hung stuff OUT to dry. Last month our electric bill was nearly $100 less from that and a couple other things we changed. There may be hope for our summer bill here yet.

Thanks to their efforts, everyone was really able to reap the rewards -- not only did we trade in marbles (that's how we do allowance. They get paid in marbles for chores, helping, etc. They lose marbles for naughty behavior, and they have to pay marbles if they want PlayStation time, computer, etc...unless we've chosen to give ALL the kids rotating turns.) So, they traded in and got their allowance, and while some saw how awesome it was that they worked so hard that day, one saw that his choices to be a trouble maker, or to keep leaving to go off and play instead of help, got him a measly little allowance of less then $2. Thankfully, this child did NOT complain, fully understanding that this was of their own choosing. Whew...I got thru with ONE life lesson somewhere that stuck.
The evening was games, movies, and chill out time. I'm trying to crochet or something. I was too darnd fidgety to really DO anything.

Now we've got a full week ahead of us, and I am hoping it's a good one. I've got a clean house that I'm hoping can be more easily maintained. We've got TWO BIRTHDAY's to celebrate this week. In 2 short days, I will be the mother of a FIFTEEN year old! What the HEY???!! HUH. Okay, fifteen I can handle, till it sinks in, eventually I might want to help him get into the Drivers Ed class and go get his North Carolina equivalent to a learners permit. (Under 18 they've got different levels of driving privileges...I'll probably post about it once I figure it all out.)
Then, Wednesday, Jason will let us celebrate HIS birthday. He could sort of care less, but WE enjoy it and are awfully happy HE was born, so FuN we shall have (till I have to leave for scouts...can't get out of this one, darn it.) I'm excited because I was able to get him a really cool gift, and I was afraid it wasn't going to be delivered on time. However, it was delivered only 3 days after I placed my order....OH was I stressed to figure out how to hide the box AND not tell him about it. Yeah, this is the only thing I like about him not being Fully "connected" all the time. He has not picked up on my excitement for his approaching birthday. I'm sure I'll write about both birthday's later, but for now, can't say a word for fear the birthday boys will actually take time to READ the family blog by Mom and suprises will be ruined.

So, although there are lots and lots of cool things I wanted to say that are still flying around the house somewhere, until I managed to re-capture those thoughts, this'll have to do for tonight. Even when I drop my thoughts and can't manage thought provoking entries, I will still attempt to NOT neglect my blog.

Hope you are ALL well, getting healthier to those that have been ill, and that spring is bringing better weather to those in states not able to enjoy all the fun and sun and warmth we've had here so far.