So fortunate ...

So, not much happened here.

Don't get me wrong ... two days inside and I'm going crazy but things could have been so so so so much worse.

What do you do when you're stuck inside with a three year old and a one year old while your hubby fights the good fight at work(because hotels never close, even with an impending HURRICANE because those people from New Jersey seek refuge here in the sweetest place on Earth) and you have 10 days and counting until you close on your house to move into an apartment ...

well you do this ...

Hello, my name is Natasha.  And I am a Thomas the Tank Engine train track designer EXTRAORDINAIRE.

"Mummy, mummy, MUMMMM-Y, I want to build a wall," says Max.
Great wall.

This is where stickers go.

Mark this day ... Max took a nap at home.  Mummy took a nap at home.

Charlie got hives.  Awesome.  

Play-doh.

Mummy's play-doh fun.  Max chose the blueberries on the waffles and the strawberries on the French toast.  Charlie made the sausage links (doo-doo looking items).

DADDY'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blocks.

You look at lots of pictures of Stone Harbor/Avalon NJ and cry.

Honestly, we are so lucky.  First of all, Michael got home before the harsh rains and wind started.  It got noisy out there.  Our power only flickered off and on once during the day.  WE sat on the edge of our seats for quite some time not just for the wind and rain but how scary close some of the trees got to our house.  Sad to say, all Michael and I thought of was outside damage and our house settlement in 10 days.  

We had some night visitors and their names were Max and Charlie.  Max has been in our bed the past two nights.  I got kicked in the face once and in the stomach once.  We survived.

The devastation is sickening.  People have lost everything.  People are stuck, literally stuck in Manhattan.  That would do me in ... NO WAY OUT.  How do you all do it?  My heart goes out to those who have lost anything, especially my good friends Sylvia and Ryan and their sons Aaron and Adam in New Jersey.  I immediately thought of you all.  Take care and know we are all thinking of you.

And now we pick ourselves up and move on.  This will be much easier for us than so so many others.

October 30th, 2012

Hurricane Sandy ...

and it begins.  I will hopefully be able to get good pictures for as long as I have juice in the cameras.  I am expecting RAIN, WIND, CRYING BABIES, CABIN FEVER, SAVE THE MILK, FLYING DEBRIS, did I mention we close on our house in a week and a half ...

Good times.

2 days ago at Wegman's

2 minutes ago - the pond out back.

October 29th, 2012

cough cough give give

I know what you're all thinking ...

No, I am not doing that.

But I am coughing, a lot, and it was given to me.  My throat is on fire.  Literally fire.  I am the Norwegian Ridgeback from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  It burns.  It doesn't help that my chest is heaving, my throat is likely covered in green s*^& and, I will most likely will be diagnosed with something if "this" does not go away by Monday.

Max has had quite a cough for a while ... he gets croup.  Think baby seal barking.  But now I have it, or what he gave me while hacking up all over me while he sleeps on me at night because he won't sleep through the night and MUST climb all over me I soothed him to sleep after he was woken by coughing.      I don't have pink eye, but I feel as though my ears are going to fall off, my head might self-implode, and my body hurts.

Please, feel free to diagnose me.

I have Mucinex DM, ibuprofen, and a bed and I plan on using them all.

October 20th, 2012

My 34th ... Brownie Balls and Conjunctivitis for all!

I turned 34.  No big deal.  I woke up on the couch with a Max crawling all over me.  The norm.  Coffee ... on.  Shower ... check.  Hubbie sends me out to the car for my gift because that is where he hid it (teehee).  It is a blue cardigan jacket just like the grey one of his I constantly try to steal, and have stolen once he leaves for work.  How cute!  Perfect.  I also get A SPA DAY ALL TO MYSELF AT THE HOTEL HERSHEY. 

School was school.  I taught a plethora of classes ... French, art, environmental science, language arts.  The kids sang to me at lunch.  Many teachers wished me well.  Fun day.

On my way to get the kids ...

"Hi Natasha, it's Miss T$&(@."

"Hi, how are you?"

"I'm alright.  Just wanted to let you know, Max woke up with pink eye.  His eye was crusted shut."

AWESOME.

"I'm on my way."

And my afternoon consisted of ...

Brownie balls - think cake balls but brownies
hot compresses
doctor's phone call
go to doctor's office
get Rx
go to Target
Yellow crusty stuff
squirmy kids
eye drops
delicious take-out from hubby
wine
more wine

October 16th, 2012

MIA

I know you have all been quite worried about me.  Where the hell did she go?  Off the face of the Earth.  Did she succumb to the ways of the 8th grade mind, start wearing snapbacks, matching shoelaces, too tight Hollister t-shirts, listen to Justin Bieber or L'il Wayne, and spend her entire life on Facebook.

No, nothing that drastic.

Some events have happened ... not necessarily in this order ...

sold a house
almost bought a house
had visitors (specifically Grammy, Grandad, and Aunt Esmejane!!!!)
Charlie can walk now
taught some math and language art classes
found an apartment
I'll turn 34 next week
Am I pregnant?
not pregnant
blah blah blah

So, I promise I'll be back soon.  Just give me a few days.

October 10th, 2012