Mr. Fantastic's update

Yesterday we returned home from a fast trip to Omaha.  Popeye and I (along with children 1, 4, & 5) stayed in the fancy-shmancy Hilton Hotel.  It was so nice.  Down comforters (not those polyester things that Days Inn has) and CLEAN sheets, I actually felt fine climbing into bed and sitting on the bedspread.  Granite counters in the bathroom, lovely entertainment center, view, service.  Oh yeah - and the BILL.  Not so lovely.  I now remember why we don't stay at 4 star hotels.  Parking was $9.  No free continental breakfast. To use the gym in the morning cost Popeye $10.  (Had he realized that, he would've gone running outside.)  But the bed was so luxurious!  And the free lotion was really lovely, too. 
Anyway.  I don't think we'll be able to afford to stay there when Mr. Fantastic has his surgery, we'll probably stay at the Ronald Mc Donald house or with family.  But I'm glad we did.

So we went to Omaha for the last round of tests for Mr. Fantastic.  He had a speech/language evaluation, he got his new processor reconfigured and we had an expectations meeting with the head audiologist.  It was a super long day.  And everyone held up famously!  Funny thing.  His new processor is so high tech.  He hears WAY better now.  And when he turns his volume up too loud his eye starts twitching.  It's super funny to see!

So now what?
Well, the cochlear implant team will get together on Wednesday and review Mr. Fantastic's file.  They'll write up their report and submit it to the insurance company.  The insurance company wants to see that he's using his current CI and that he's benefitting from it.  Of course he is, on both counts.  So hopefully, by the end of May, early June, we'll be heading to Omaha for 10 days for surgery. 

Now listen. Don't get all excited thinking he's going to magically hear right away.  That's not the case at all.  His brain doesn't know how to hear from his left ear.  The last time his brain had to deal with those neurological signals was when he was 2.  So his brain is going to have to re-learn all of that information.  He may hear just as well (over time) on the left side as he does on the right.  He might only be able to hear noise on that side.  Only time (and intensive therapy) will tell.

But we are optimistic.  When Mr. Fantastic was in the hospital with meningitis, the blessings he received told him he would be as if he never got sick.  I know he will be able to hear out of his left ear again.  It will take a lot of practice and work, but he wants this.  He'll work at it, I know it.

Anyway.  We're proud of him for making the choice and we're glad he's so excited for it.
I'll keep you all updated as soon as we know more.

(On a side note.  Princess Monkey Eyes taught herself how to ride a two-wheeler on Monday.  No help from Popeye or myself - we just watched as she kept trying and trying.  And now she can't be stopped! - unless she's headed for the neighbor's lawn, then she crashes there.)

busy?

Wow, it's been a while since I posted.  I've enjoyed having Popeye home.  He's a big help.  No, really, he is.  Those first few days were a little rough but we're back on track now.  In fact, he's helped me install the kitchen floor on Tuesday and has been busy trying to help me get the house ready to sell.

Yes, we're going to sell our house.  We live in a home that is just too small for us.  It was too small for us to begin with, but there's nothing we can do about that now - other than sell it and look for something bigger.

So, if you'll look on my side bar there's a LOOONG list of things for me (er, I guess Popeye will help a little, but not as much as I'd like) to do before we list it.  Check it out if you dare.  It might take a good 15 minutes to read, it's so long.  But imagine it being longer, because I got lots done while Popeye was gone.  And those things aren't even listed.

So if anyone's feeling ambitious, you can come help me tackle those things.  If you'll look hard, most of it is painting trim.  Thanks be to Little Sister and my mother for all the new trim in my house.  It was a blessing and my house looks SO pretty with it in.  But now comes the task of painting it and there's lots of it to do.  Lucky me.

Sariqd asked me how I do it all.
Caffiene.  Lots of it.  It is my best friend.  And yes, I know that I'm addicted.  I have a problem.  I don't think I'm strong enough to do all of these things on top of my daily obligations without the help of 2 huge adrenaline rushes during the day.  If someone has a secret, please share.  If not, don't judge me.  You like your diet coke, I like my slim quick. So there.

Anyway.  Keep looking at the sidebar every now and then.  It's gonna get shorter - and fast.  Today's task (after work) was to pick up some 2" wide trim for under the cabinets in the kitchen.  I cut and installed those, installed the heat register and finished off the edge of the step down out of the kitchen onto the landing.  Looks good.
Tomorrow I think I want to finish installing trim.  My friend needs her nail gun back, I'm sure.  And that would be several things off my list.  But with 5 - 11" of snow in the forcast, my better bet would be to install the bathroom floor. 

Ah well.  Wish me luck!  (And pop over to Sariqd's blog, she just had a baby and has posted pics!  He's a doll!!!!)

Tomorrow!!!!

Popeye comes home tomorrow!  I'm just so excited!!!!

That's all.

Tuesday Tip!

Hey.  I've still been busy. More painting and such.  And you know what?  Today's tip has NOTHING to do with home improvement, aside from the fact that I took a break from it yesterday morning.

And during my break, I came across this great tip.

I went to our enrichment activity - UFO (UnFinished Objects, er, Projects).  While I was there amidst the squealing of delight from little girls dressed up like princesses and little boys playing with balls, I was able to get some adult conversation in.  (My project was finishing a hat for Sara's new little boy.)

The Cowgirl walked in with a Gogurt for her daughter.  My kids love Gogurts.  Love them.  Do I buy them?  Rarely.  I'd get mother-of-the-year for sure if I bought them more regularly.  Alas, I do not (they get eaten WAY too quickly).  Anyway.  I love the concept of them.  Yogurt on the go.  You can't beat yummy yogurt anywhere - well, you can.  I dont like it all over my kids' clothes and hands and faces because they can't use a spoon to get it into their mouths.  I don't like that I have to open it for them.  And I'm not particualrly fond of the clean up afterwards.
Do you know how to remedy that?  Huh?  Do you?  I'm sure you do and this was a new concept to only me, but I thought it was genius!
FREEZE THEM. 
That's right peeps.  Put those bad boys in the freezer and you have popsicles - frozen yogurt style.
Now that's what I call cool.

So onto today's adventure.  I'm having The Cowgirl and her munchkins over for a playdate/sanity day.  I'm wanting to finish hanging the trim in the girls' room and the hallway.  The last two rooms aside from the kitchen.  But if I can't get that done, then I'll paint a wall in my bedroom.

So far during this break I've:
scraped ceilings
painted walls
puttied trim
fixed holes
installed light fixtures
refurbished a china cabinet
threw away junk into the dumpster
and all the household chores that demand my attention
(You wouldn't know that I've cleaned my house multiple times, I have 5 kids that think, "Do your chores" is spoken in a foreign language so they ignore it.)

Anyway.  This week's last project will either be to paint my wall or install the trim.  And then I'm done.  The next 3 days will be spent putting it all back together again.  And the "Cleaning Lady" comes on Friday, just before we leave for the airport to pick up Popeye.

I miss him.  Princess Monkey Eyes REALLY misses him.  Grand Duchess gets all kinds of giddy when she hears his ringtone on my phone.  We're ready for him to come home.  And so is he. He has NOT enjoyed his stay in New Orleans at all.  He had a hard time coming home from Seattle last year (Thanks Seattle-ites for showing him a good time)!  This year, he's ready.  And he's been ready since the moment he landed.  Bummer.

Well, it's time to get the kids to school.  I should feed them some breakfast.
Have a great day!