Miss Crankypants and a Good Cause

I am feeling very cranky today. Actually, I felt pretty cranky yesterday as well. I am cranky because I can't seem to shake this damn cold I've had for 3 weeks. I am cranky because we are still living in a trailer in the yard. I am cranky because my dog who is now 12 is shedding even more hair than the usual 1,234,556 hairs every day and coating the entire small trailer we currently live in with hair, hair, hair. Dog hair on my bed. Dog hair on my clothes. Dog hair in my coffee. Dog hair on the kids. It's bad. I am cranky because I am tired and feel like I never get to just sleep in. I am cranky because it always feels like we have something to do, all the time. I am cranky because my pants are too tight and I don't have the desire, energy or will to do anything to change it. Sigh. I guess I am just cranky. Last night I had all these dreams (did you ever notice you dream more when you don't feel well? Maybe I had a fever.) The one I remember is that I was at the doctors office waiting to get checked out, but the doctor was running late. I kept staring at the clock, knowing that I had to leave in exactly 12 minutes in order to get home and get Jack off the bus. I watched the clock and felt tense and then when 12 minutes were up I had to leave. So I left. I never saw the doctor. Also I couldn't find my chapstick and emptied out every part of my purse, pockets and the entire doctors office looking and could not find chapstick. Well, you don't have to be a dream scientist to figure out what this meant. I am #1, feeling sick and #2, too busy to do anything about it. Oh, and my lips are really chapped.

On another note altogether, I want to introduce you to another adorable little cancer warrior. I know, I know. No more! you say. I understand, and also understand if you just stop reading right now. I myself have purposely NOT clicked on links to new kids for this very reason. I just can't take any more right now. But for me, this one is a little different. Bryce Frebowitz is the son of my friend Suzy's really good friend from High School. This isn't some child I don't know. Although I've never met Bryce personally, I've met his mom and have been following their story since the beginning. He was diagnosed last April, when he was 13 months old. He is doing GREAT and the family is even as we speak enjoying themselves in Disneyworld. If you feel up to it, check out his site. Just go here to visit Bryce. Most of the updates are written by his father, Micheal, who quit his job to take care of Bryce full time. For most of us who's husbands can't even find the hamper to throw their dirty socks into, reading thoughtful and meaningful posts written by a man is enough to keep you going back to hear more. There is even a benefit in Bryce's name happening on March 20th. This is happening in PA (where they live) so if you happen to live in the area, will be coincidentally visiting on that date, or just want to check it out, click here. All proceeds benefit CureSearch.

So although it is all too easy to forget the good things in your life, especially when you've got on those damn tight crankypants, lets remember to always be thankful for our kids being healthy, being here.

Sadness

I was going to write a post about the exorbitant amount of snow days that Jack has had this year (8) not to mention delays and early dismissals. I was going to write about our

l. . . o. . . n. . . g

day yesterday stuck in the trailer together, playing Candyland, Operation, Princess dress up, and I Spy Bingo while the never ending ice and snow pelted down outside. I was going to write about how the sound of the phone ringing with our automated school closing announcement was starting to really get on my nerves. I was going to write about starting to count down the days (6) until I leave for St. Thomas. I was going to write a lot of things, but when I checked my e-mail this morning I saw that there was an updated post about my little Carepage cutie that I follow Coleman. Tragically, sadly, unfairly, he lost his 2 1/2 year battle and died Monday night. So now I am just sad. Sad and mad. And sad. Sad for his parents and his twin brother Caden. Sad for all the parents. And glad that I got to spend the day stuck in a trailer with my 2 healthy children playing games. Cancer sucks. That's all.
On another prayer, if you can send out some extra thoughts for my Nanny who is in the hospital with Pneumonia, I would appreciate it. She's going to be fine I'm sure, a little rest and recuperation (along with some tasty antibiotic's) and I'm sure she will be back where she wants to be soon, which is HOME!.

Chili's

We were at Chili's tonight. Were you? I would like to say that we had a delightful meal while at the same time helping to raise money for St. Judes, but in actuality it was really quite stressful. There is a reason that we DO NOT go out to eat on Monday nights! We were all tired and had the cranky "Monday blues" and I worked my long (well, long for me) day and didn't get home until 4. I had to get the kids into the tub before we went out to dinner because they were filthy and I knew when we got home it would be too late. It was my brother's birthday so we met him, his girlfriend and my parents at our local Chili's around 6:30. For us to get there it takes a 1/2 hour, plus we had to stop and get some cash. It seemed like I was yelling at everyone for the entire hour before we left the house, because NO ONE seemed to be cooperating. The kids DID NOT WANT to have a tub at such an odd time, and then they DID NOT WANT to get dressed again after and Abbey DID NOT WANT to have her hair dried with the hair dryer and Jack DID NOT WANT to have his hair brushed at all! By the time we got to the restaurant I felt ready to collapse. I expected it to be crowded, due to the whole "100% profits to Childhood Cancer" day, but it was depressingly not. It seemed that the word didn't quite get out there, or maybe all the other families just played it smart, succumbed to their Monday blues and did Car Side to Go or something.

In any event, the 8 of us were there, slightly cramped into a booth, enjoying our family togetherness. I have to admit right now, we never really eat at Chili's. It's not close enough, and I think we would all rather go to an Italian place, or a good burger joint instead. Also, my family isn't exactly all that keen on any kind of "spicy" food. In fact, in all of my life I've never really seen my father eat with his hands, so for him to order taco's, quite strange. My parents kept saying how hot and messy everything was. On the upside, they were quite impressed with the $2.99 Margarita's (but I think I heard my brother ask if there was any alcohol in them). They were all good sports though, considering I practically forced them all to eat there. But I was annoyed. For a place only half filled the service was s...l...o...w. Super slow. The kids used up all of their patience waiting for their food to arrive, so that by the time it actually did they were all done and just became antsy, annoying and all-around pains in the asses. In fact, I brought my camera with me, expecting to get a nice family picture to put here on this post, but do you see a picture? No. Because the kids would not sit still long enough for such a thing, and by the time the check came we were wrangling them out of there, and happy to go.

In the end I will admit that the night was not that bad. The chips were salty and delicious, my chicken tacos were tasty and the company (not including my children) was delightful. I would like to give my parents a GIANT thank you for treating us all, and when it comes right down to it, any food that is prepared, served and paid for by someone else is always a damn good thing.

Did You Know?

Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month?

Did you know that cancer is the number one illness among children?

Did you know that each year one in every 330 kids will be diagnosed with cancer before age 19?

Did you know that The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) federal budget was $4.6 billion. Of that, breast cancer received 12%, prostate cancer received 7%, and all 12major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3%?

Did you know that one out of every five children diagnosed with cancer dies?

Did you know that Cancer in childhood occurs regularly, randomly, and spares no ethnic group, socioeconomic class, or geographic region?

I didn't. But I do now. There are tons of things you can do, but one is very simple and also quite tasty. Eat at Chili's. They have made a 10-year, $50 million commitment to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and on September 29th they will be donating 100% of their profits. 100%! I wasn't planning on eating at Chili's on September 29th (which happens to be my brothers birthday) but now I will. So Matt, how about joining me & the kids at Chili's to celebrate your big 3-0 (oops, did I put that here)? I'll probably have the fahita's. Or maybe the Bacon Burger. Or perhaps the Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad. Ahhh, choices, choices.