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Sunday, July 31, 2011

A boy scorned...

It all begin with an after dinner swim at the pool.
Cheeks met a girl.  I chronicled the budding romance here.

Last night we went to the pool for our extremely early evening swim.
She was there.
I saw her first and pointed her to Cheeks.

He quickly got out of the pool.
Put his hands on his hips and walked like John Wayne in a last showdown over to her.
She was in the water.
He strutted back and forth.
Finally saying "Hi Alexis"
She smiled.
Waved.
That was it.

Cheeks was not understanding that she was playing with her girlfriends.
2 other 8ish year old little girls.
He just kept trying to get her attention.
Yelling at her, waving, saying "Look at me!"
Alexis was having her girls night out & wanted no parts of a "boy".
Guess playing Cougar for the evening wasn't on the agenda.

I comforted him by letting him play in the splash pool.
He found solace with all the trucks, cars & beach balls in the pool.

We left with the final words from Cheeks being "I guess Alexis left."

I had to pull his lip up off the ground.

Have no fear, he spotted the very tan, brunette 15 year old life guard on our way out.  His eyebrows wiggled and he asked if we could go back and play with her!

Sigh.
This. Is. My. Life.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I. Can. Read.

So I do.
Here is what I just finished reading:
Can I just say...what a great book.
Yes.
Losing It by Valerie Bertinelli is really good.


By the title one would think it would be about losing all the weight she did.
Nope.
It's an autobiography.


She talks about life growing up, life in Hollywood, life with Eddie Van Halen & life as a mom.
I never lost interest.


I was astonished at some of the things she admits.
Her image doesn't really fit with what her life was really like.
Her writing is like listening to her speak on a talk show.
You can hear the sweetness in her voice as a writer.
Which is one thing I definitely admire.


Very easy read as well.
One that I didn't want to put down.
Sad say but her life is a page turner!


If you are looking for a light read to keep you going this summer, then get this book!


Tell me what have you read lately?


Ciao!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

He's a baller, He's a playa...

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Snippets of Life in the Casa

It's hot.
White hot.
Africa hot.
The heat index is over 100 & the humidity...forget about it.
Ugh.
As soon as I open my door to go outside my hair poofs to 3x's it's size.
Then sticks to my neck.
Hate it.
That's life in Jersey.

On a lighter note, Cheeks asked me if he could flick my freckle the other day.
I have a mole on the base of my neck & it's risen, not just flat on my skin.
Of course I told him no & then showed him his own flat freckle on his arm that he could flick.
His response:
No, Mommy, my freckle is flat,  I wanna flick your freckle because its a mountain, no flat.
Um, thanks.

I am in the process of getting him evaluated for ADHD or Hyperactivity or both or none.
This has been going on for a long time.
Roadblock after roadblock is what I seem to hit.
This evening I made a little progress, so keep your fingers crossed that something will give and we will be able to get the help we all need.

What I haven't said is that Cheeks has been kicked out of 3 preschool in a little over a year.
Currently, he's attending a new one.
3rd week and everyday but the first two I have received phone calls in regards to his behavior.

Very frustrating.

If you have experience like the one I am currently having I'd appreciate any advice you are willing to give.

I've put my appointments to get my own health checked out (i.e. severe stomach pains, non stop intestinal issues) on the back burner. 
It sucks but I really don't have the time to take off from work nor do I have the copayment moola.

I digress.

Let's end on a happy note.

It was my birthday this past Saturday & Bobster made me breakfast in bed.
OOOOOH! LALA!
I loved it.
Wish is was my b-day every day.

Caio peeps!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

41 Things for a 41st Birthday

They say it's your birthday.
Danananananana
It's my birthday too!

Seriously, it's my birthday today.
41.
Sigh.
Where did the years go?
One month from today Cheeks will be 5.
5!!!

I digress.
Today I am going to be totally shameless and post a post entirely about moi.

41 things about moi.

Can you stand it?

Let's start:
1.  My middle name is Kathleen.

2.  I am the 13 years & 6 days older than my sister.

3.  I have a birth mark on my pinky toe, which The Nana thought was poo & tried, relentlessy to remove. 

4.  My fav movie is a tie between "The Matchmaker" w/ Janeen Garafelo & Dennis Leary and "Steel Magnolias"

5.  I was on Dancin On Air in high school.  Local dance show that branched to Dance Party USA which I was on that show.  The show that launched Kelly Ripa's career.

6.  I'm LDS.

7.  My favorite dinner is chicken cutlets, green beans & mashed potatoes.

8.  I split my upper lip when I was little & had a huge bump on it for years, it's since gone away.

9.  I failed gym in high school, not once but twice.

10.   I am math challenged.  It's so sad.

11.  I secretly love iCarly.  She is just so cute.

12.  I was 36 when I gave birth to Cheeks.

13.  Flew to Fl to meet a guy I knew just from the internet.

14.  I married someone (not Bobster) that I met on the internet.

15.  Met Bobster on a blind date.

16.  I lived at home til I was 31.

17.  I didn't drive until I was 21.

18.  Still have my tonsils.

19.  Finding 41 things is hard.

20.  I type with my fingers on the correct keys & do not have to look at the board thanks to taking typing in high school....that's right...typing, not keyboarding.

21.  I was playing with Barbie when I was 12.

22.  Favorite # is 15.

23.  I despise water ice.

24.  If I could cook in my crockpot every day I would.

25.  Chore I hate the most...cleaning the bathroom.

26.  Chore I love the most...food shopping.  Could do it every day.

27.  I love to use coupons.  Love it! Love it! Love it!

28.  Favorite color is pink.

29.  Fav ice cream: Turkey Hill Chocolate Marshmallow.

30.  Fav candle scent: Yankee Candle Cherry Lemonade.

31.  I took Spanish 1 two years in a row.  I am a scholar no?

32.  My degree is in English w/ an Elementary K-5 certificate.  Yes, the state of NJ has deemed me educated enough to teach your children.

33.  I work in customer service.

34.  All time fav song: Rock the Boat by some group from the 70's.

35.  Secretly wish I grew up in the 40's.

36.  Glad I was born when I was because if I didn't have a/c, microwaves & cable I'd go stir crazy.

37.  Addicted to blogs!

38.  Lived in NJ all my life.

39.  I was in Dublin, Ireland on vacation and ran into someone I knew.

40.  Love to thrift store shop.

41.  Glad this list is over.

Now tell me something about yourself.

Caio!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Production Duction, What's Your Function?

Alright, who remembers the original School House Rock?
I loved those little education diddies.

Ahem, "I'm just a bill, sitting on Capitol Hill".

Anyway, when I say I've been productive, I have been productive.

First, I cooked dinner 2 nights in a row.
Yea, go me.
Seriously, this is productive.  I usually cook a night, make pasta, then order out, then make a sandwich, then go with cereal, then say screw it & feed the children bagels & yogurt.
I am stellar, no?

Anyway I made Tuscan Pork Chops night before last.
OMG! Delish.
If you want, I will post the recipe.  Let me know.

Tonight, caesar salad & tacos.

Then I cleaned up & made a meat loaf for dinner tomorrow.
Although it is quite small, so it may just be for Bobster but cest le vie.

Then I started the laundry.
Put some laundry away.
Gave Cheeks a bath (well ok he played, I poured soap over him, bath over).

Now I just have to make the King's lunch. 

How have you been productive lately?  Let me know.

Saturday, July 09, 2011

What I've Read Lately

The Borgia Betrayel by Sara Poole
At first many characters are introduced so it was a bit much but all the characters are a vital part of the story.  Set in 1493, Rome Italy, the tale follows that of the Pope's Poisoner, Donna Francesca and her plight to stop the murder of the Pope.

Many twists, turns and attention to detail of that century pepper this novel.  Donna Francesca is a character you can relate too but one that makes you stop & think, hmmm. was a woman really this "powerful" in this century? Perhaps she was, we will never know.

What I really liked about this book is that it makes you want to turn the page, find out what comes next.

What I didn't like, was the ending.  Sara Poole leaves the ending open for sequels.  Smart for her, sucky for me as the reader.  I like a good clean ending.  Tie up all the loose ends.  Happy endings are my type!

Tell me, what are you reading this summer?
Give me a suggestion for my next book.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

What's the number again?

Tonight, Cheeks & I got caught in a really bad storm.


Luckily for us, we were inside the store picking up my medication.


Cheeks is not a fan of thunder...at all. So when the thunder clapped really loud he asked me, in all seriousness, to make it stop.
I told him I couldn't only Heavenly Father or Jesus could.


So with his big blues eyes he looked at me & quietly asked "Would you call Jesus & ask him to make it stop?"
I laughed & said "I can't. You have to pray to Jesus or Heavenly Father & ask them"


Thinking I had averted this situation we sauntered to the front of the store.


Only to have my son ask the crowd, gathered at the door, for someone, anyone, to please call Jesus & make him stop.


He then asked the woman behind the counter at the pizza place.


While sitting in the pizza shop, waiting the storm out, it thundered again.


He put his hands on his ears, looked up at the ceiling & asked "Please Jesus, please make it stop!"


I love him!

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Conversations with a preschooler

Yesterday
Me: How is your new teacher? Do you like her?
Cheeks: Yes, she's cute.
Me: Cute?
Cheeks: Yes, she looks like a kitty cat. She's cuuuuuuuuuu-uuuuuute!


Today
Me: Do you know what tomorrow is?
Cheeks: No
Me: It's Mister Softee day. Do you know Mr. Softee?
Cheeks: Yep, he's the giant ice cream head. Is the ice cream head coming to our school.


I love this kid!

*Disclaimer: Yes that is the most recent pic of me.  I have since "enhanced" my hair & gone a rapid weight loss regime b/c O.M.G!

Monday, July 04, 2011

Latest News in Casa de Meghan

Life.
It keeps us on our toes, no?
It has been keeping me busy, that's for sure.


For instance, we have a graduate among out mists:

That is Miss Vanessa...we love her!
He graduated on a Thursday.
That's my little kindergardener up there.

Can you believe it?
He's going to be 5 this August.
I can't stand it.

Of course, one week to the day of his preschool graduation, the director asked to speak to me.
I knew it was coming.
He was kicked out.

What I don't mention on here is that angelic face up there...he has extreme behavioral issues.
He was evaluated with my district's child study team over the course of the winter.
Passed everything with flying colors.  Academically...smart as a whip!
The team told me to have my pediatrician to evaluate him for ADHD, ADD or Hyperactivity.
My ped, who was my ped when I was a wee lass...that should give you insight on how old he is, says Cheeks is too young to be evaluated for any of that.

So I have been trying on my own to find a behavioral specialist.
I wanted to take him to another pediatrician who is known to at the top of his field in this area...he doesn't take insurance & it's $1300 for the consult.
Well sign me up!

I've contacted my insurance company to give me names.
They did.
So far I am running into roadblock after roadblock.
Either they no longer participate in his insurance or they do not see children as young as he is.

I'm ready to pull my hair out.

On a brighter note, he starts his 4th preschool since March 2010 this Tuesday.
You read right.
His 4th.

Like I said I've been keeping this to myself for the most part.
The first school he was at, was the longest & they suggested the child study team.
He was asked to leave.

The second school said "We can handle him & he will never be asked to leave."
Imagine my surprise, after being told by the "owner" that my child needed Ritalin, when I got a letter in his cubby saying I had 2 weeks to find a new daycare.

This school was the best out of them all.
Very down to earth.
Miss Vanessa...she's the best! 
Very diverse school too but the director, as kind as she could be, told me they couldn't met his needs.  He needs more one on one.

Now he is onto his 4th daycare.
Please pray this one works out.
Keep your fingers & piggies crossed that I can find a behavorial specialist that takes his insurance too.

That's some of the latest news, what's going on in your neck of the woods?