Karin’s Blog

Well the highly anticipated day is here.

The house has been for a couple of weeks slowly coming down.

First Sophia pulled some of the fence down.

Then some of the light strings came off.

Pieces of the Chimney have been slowly coming off.

Now that Christmas is over I told the kids to have at it and just destroy the house.

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I let them have at it.  They have been begging me since the day we put it together.  First they ate the candy off it then they tore the chimney and fence down.  Next we took it outside (for easy clean up) and they stommped it to death.  It was great!  They even said it was the best part about making the ginger bread house (and they liked making it in the first place).  Next was nap time and Levi was in such a great mood about getting to destroy the house that he didn’t put up a fight at all about taking a nap.  I think this is definately going to be a tradition for years to come.

Last year my sister-in- law sent us a ginger bread house kit.  The kids loved putting it together.  So this year they have been bugging me to do it again.  So I decided to make it from scratch this year.  Not sure I’ll do that again but maybe I’ll buy another kit.  I did it so the kids could have fun putting it together.  It turns out we all had fun putting it together and it was a great family activity.  Yes even Corey got involved.  Of course Sophia just wanted to eat it.  When we were done the boys had fun squirting frosting in there mouth.  It doesn’t look that fantastic but it was fun.

A few months ago I started to run with my friend Andrea about once a week just so she would have a running buddy.  She started to run in a bunch of races and every time one would come up she would ask if I wanted to join.  My reaction was always a hearty laugh and a resounding no.  I would always say “Why should I pay to run my butt off when I can do it for free.”  You see I’ve never been a great runner.  I think the most I’ve ever run was 1 1/2 miles and that was over 10 years ago with my roommates in college.  Andrea was persistent and she finally convinced me to run.  So I started to train with her and Melanie 2 1/2 weeks ago.

This morning, after a very restless night, I got up at 6:30 am started to get ready.  Dropped the kids off at a friends and picked up the girls for the run.  We arrive to a very hot and muggy 26 degrees (yes that is sarcasim).  As we wait for the race to start our fingers and toes slowly go numb.  At this point I don’t even know if I can feel my legs let alone run on them.  Finally the call to line up “ready, set, go”  We set off at a pace that I know will kill me after the first 1/2 mile.  I think to myself, did I leave my legs behind?  We ran a 3 loop course.  That’s where you run 1 loop 3 times.  I start to feel my fingers and toes after the 2 time around.  Last lap I hardly feel like I’m moving I think I’ll be lucky to make it in 35 min.  Oh and don’t forget to smile for the camera (thanks Makenzie).  Finally the last stretch.  Can that be right?  The clock it must be broken.  It’s coming up on 27 min.  Wow I thought I was doing horrible.  Finish time 27:11.  I feel so proud of myself I can’t believe I finished.  Here comes the balloon popper.  Someone tells us that the course was only 2.8 miles.  Bummer but still well within my goal of 30 min or less.  We also had a raffle afterward and I won a $5 gift certificate to Jamba Juice.  My friend Andrea got a months worth of free tanning.  She gave it to Melanie.  Over all out of 90 people I placed 38.  Andrea placed 33.  Melanie did the best out of all of us and placed 20.  It was a cold but fun race.  I can’t say I’ll do it again though.  I still think I can run my butt off for free and get the same results.

Second lap

Melanie 20th place

Andrea 33rd place

Karin 38th place

finish

After the race Andrea, Karin, and Melanie.

Andrea, Karin, & Melanie

I have just recieved a statement in the mail that has really made me angry.  Before I tell you what has made me angry let me give you an understanding where I’m coming from.  71/2 years ago we had great insurance through Corey’s work.  It payed for pretty much everything 100%.  We had eye coverage and dental coverage.  It was a really great plan.  He worked for a really big company and I guess because of that they got good deals on insurance.  Well after a little while Corey lost his job and we were with nothing.  We had to move back in with my parents and had no insurance whatsoever.  Our oldest was 5 months old at the time and unfortunately was sick a lot.  The doctors were great to give me discounts and free samples to help us out.  After about a year Corey found another job but with a small company that had no benefits.  We had to get insurance on our own and paid about $300 a month for the bare minimum.  Finally he found a job with benefits.  It looked promising.  It had eye coverage, dental, and health.  We had a pretty high deductible but it was do able.  Every year since things have gone down hill.  First we lost the eye coverage.  Then the dental insurance went up.  Then they switched dental on us all together and it covers practically nothing. Every year they would take more and more out of Corey’s pay check for insurance.   Just recently they switched our health plan to another insurance company.  I thought maybe things are looking up.  Boy was I wrong.  Our deductible is now $2500.  No way can we reach that in one year.  This is where the statement I recieved comes in.  I took Sophia in for her 15 month well baby check (previously covered 100% on our other plan).  I recieved the statement today and none of it is covered.  All of it goes to the deductible $300 dollars worth.  Can you say puke.  I haven’t felt this way since Corey was out of work.  It seems I can’t take my baby in for shots anymore.  I guess I’ll have to start to take her into the health department like I did with Preston when we had nothing.  It’s almost not even worth putting all that money in every month for insurance when maybe we could be putting it into saviings and do much more with it.  I know, I know,  but what if something huge happens like a broken bone, cancer or some dormant disease laying hidden somewhere.  I’m tired of this what if stuff.  I want the things I need covered now.  This is why I’m with the president in health care reform.  Something needs to change with the health care system.  Especially when those of us who have insurance can’t afford health care despite the insurance.  I’ve been there with 100% coverage, nothing, and a little something.  I say nothing was probably better than a little something.  That is totally and utterly wrong.

Its 9:30 am and I’m sitting quietly watching TV with my two youngest.  Seems to be a great morning and then the phone rings.  I look to see who might be calling and I see it’s the school.  Quickly in my mind I think okay what is wrong.  You see Preston isn’t the kind of kid to get into trouble or fights.  He might be the type to get bullied.  Many times it’s the school nurse calling to tell me he isn’t feeling well.  This is what I expect when I answer.  Instead I get human resources calling.  What!?  Apparently Preston has been telling his teacher we have no money to buy food. Again, what!?

To explain,  Last month we went over budget with trips and going out and the recent painting project.  Corey and I have been trying to stretch the budget this month to get our money to go a little farther.  So we have been putting off going to the grocery store for a week (yes a whole week).  We have run out of milk, eggs, cheese, bread. You know the basics.  It’s been kind of fun to try and think of new things to cook and see what we can do with what we have.  But in the mean time Preston isn’t getting his usuall bowl of cereal in the morning or his usual dinners like homemade pizza.  He has sandwhiches at school made with homemade bread (the poor guy).  I guess at some point he might have overheard Corey and I talking about how we can’t go shopping for food because we don’t have the money.  Meaning no money in the budget not in the bank.  This must be another reason you save these types of conversation out of children’s ear shot.

So the resource person calls and tells me that they have means available if we need help with food.  I told her thanks but we aren’t starving and are doing fine.  It’s just a misunderstanding.  Now I need to figure a way to explain this to Preston so we don’t get a repeat call.

Okay so we are having guest come and visit soon and I wanted to have the house look nice.  So I decided what a better time to paint the hall, entry, and living room.  Yes you’re right I must be crazy.  I started last night by sanding and cleaning walls.  I thought I could get them all done but in the process of doing the hall one of the walls decided it wanted to shed pratically all of it’s old paint.  Corey and I were up until midnight scraping the paint off.  So I still have the entry and living room to do.  Then I need to paint and I would like to get at least two coats on the wall and don’t forget the trim too.  Oh and by the way I can only do it when the kids are asleep otherwise we could end up with some pretty art work everywhere.   When does this need to be done?  8 days AAAAAHHHHH!! I MUST be crazy.

Today Preston woke up with a swollen eye.  Apparently when his dad asked about it he said his head and back itched too.  I didn’t know his back itched until about 5 hours later.  He said “mom I need a back scratcher because my back really itches.”   So I had him lift up his shirt and was horrified to see that his back was covered in hives.  I immediately gave him a dose of Benedryl and rubbed some Benedryl cream on his back.  After about an hour the welts started to go down.  It’s a mystery.   Corey and I have no idea what caused this reaction.  He hasn’t had anything new to eat and his soap is the same.  I just hope it doesn’t happen again.  I’ll have to pay closer attention to what he eats I guess.

This past week I took the kids and we went to Warm Lake Idaho.  This is my childhood camping place my family always went to.  When I was 7 my family went in and bought a cabin with my aunt and uncle.  Then when my parents moved they sold their interest to my uncle.  Now it’s just my uncle who owns it.  We haven’t been back in 11 years.  This visit was bittersweet.  I loved being back there and relaxing but it was sad to see what had happened to the forest all around the lake.  Two years ago there was a huge fire wiping out most of the forest around the surrounding mountains.  One of the days we traveled up to the summit and hiked into summit lake.  This is one of the hardest hit areas.  Also there is a picture of warm lake from the top of the summit.  You can see how the mountains are burned but the area around the lake was saved.  Also while there we went to billy rice beach on Warm Lake shore.  The kids loved swimming there so much that in the picture they aren’t happy because I’m packing them up to leave.  The other pictures are of the campground.  We stayed in the tent while my mom and dad stayed in their trailor and my brother and his family stayed in the site across from us.  For the most part it was an enjoyable week.  Maybe someday I can find a place like this that is closer to home for my family.

Well summer is here upon us again.  Time for me to get started on some more books.  I got started a little early this year and have already read a load of books.  So much so I’m not even sure that I can remember all of them.  I’m starting to get a little book burned out.  Here are a few of the books I have read already and hope that you might be able to start reading too.  I notice that when I do read that my brain works a little better and doesn’t feel so muttled all the time.  I usually remember things better too.  Now I’m always looking for a really good read so if you have any suggestions I’m up for it.  There are a few things I don’t like in a book.  I don’t like a book that is going to make me cry my eyes out.  I also don’t like books that have too much foul language in it.  So if you know of any let me know.

The dragon of Trelain by Michelle Knudsen is the latest book that I have read. The main characters are a young boy and girl about 14. One is a princess the other a mages apprentice. It’s a good story but not my favorite it is similar to other stories I’ve read. It also looks like it will have a book 2. Which means I’ll probably have to wait another year before I can continue the story.  By then I might have lost interest.

The Farwalker’s Quest by Joni Sensel is another book I’ve read.  I really liked this book.  It’s a little different then I’ve read before.  No dragons or anything like that.  It’s a story based on the belief that everyone had some kind of gift.  Some are able to talk to trees others have a gift of healing.  There are many gifts and this is a journey to discover the gifts of two 13 year olds.  It takes them on quite an adventure.  I’m trying not to say much so I don’t give any of it a way.  Over all I really did enjoy reading this book.

The 13th Reality: the Hunt for Dark Infinity by James Dashner.  This is the second book in this series.  The first book was the first book that I blogged about.  I really like the first book.  The second I didn’t like as much but still a good read.  It’s been a year since I read the first and so I had forgotten a lot of characters and events that happened.  So if you have read the first book already then you should review before reading this one.  I think it will go a lot smoother if you do.

The Singing by Allison Croggon.  This is the last book of 4.  I read the other 3 books last summer.  I really got into this series.  It is kind of like the Lord of the Rings series.  I didn’t like having to wait so long for this last book to come out but it was well worth it.  I hadn’t forgotten much anyways and she did a good job of reviewing with it in the book.  If you haven’t already I recommend reading this series.

I think I have included enough pictures so now I’ll just finish with some other books I’ve read.  Fablehaven: the Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary by Brandon Mull.  I love this series and I read the other ones last summer.  There is still yet another but last book to come out next year but I can’t wait for it.  This is a good series to add to your personal library.

Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel.  This is the 3rd and final book in this series.  I really liked this series too.  I think it will be a good one for my boys to read when they are teens.  It’s full of adventure and flying machines.

I also read Artemis Fowl Series by Eoin Colfer.  Its 6 books!  I know I can’t believe I had that much time to read too.  This series is really not my favorite.  I was pretty much reading them while waiting for other books to come availiable at the library. It wasn’t a total waste on a scale from 1 to 5 it would rank a 3.  It was really hard to get into the books but once you got past the first 100 pages things got more exciting.  So if your looking for a series to fill up some time this would be a good one.

Now I’m waiting and have been waiting for months for the new series of Vampire books (first one is called Marked) by P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast.  I don’t know if I’ll like it but I’ll let you know.  But I think I might need a break from fantasy for a while.  Let me know if you have any suggestions.

A couple of weeks ago Sophia had her first birthday.  It came so quickly and she is growing so fast.  We didn’t do much but had fun anyways.  First we opened presents.  Sophia was more interested in the bags and hangers than the actual gifts but that’s expected from a one year old.  Then we ate cake.  It was nice to do a girly cake for once.  Corey didn’t think she was getting messy enough so he put some frosting on her face.  I don’t think she liked it much so I quickly wiped it off.  Hope you enjoy the pics.