Mid-Week Randoms

-This has been a crazy week so far! All week long Arnold has been having extra stuff to do at work, so he has been having to go in at 6:30 am (he is used to going in after 8 every day!) So the days have been extremely long for both of us. He usually drops the kids off at school on his way to work, but Ive been taking them in. So getting them all 3 up, dressed, fed and off to school before 7:30 is definately a challenge! Ive been going to bed early, needless to say! Poor Arnold was wiped out last night, and fell asleep beside me in the bed at 7:30 (yes, the night owl really did go to bed that early!)while I stayed on the laptop for awhile. I will be ready for this week to be over!!

~Yesterday was my Mom's 60th Birthday! She hates me admitting how old she is, she says between this blog and FB people know way too much about her, thru me! ;) For the record, she doesnt look or act that old! And im not just saying that because she is my Mom! She is still extremely active and hard-working. And a really fun Grandma to the kids! When I called her yesterday she said "Yeah, the old lady is still hanging around!" Haha, she is so silly.

~I haven't said anything about it yet, but Monday I started my next step of lowering my anxiety medicine doseage and weaning off more. I am now down to a quarter pill in the morning and afternoon. I can tell the difference, because I have been really irritable this week.. its been hard to be patient with the kids! And I had to fight off a panic attack this morning, but I was able to get it under control, so I was proud of myself. I know one of these days I will beat this anxiety thing. And Im not at all ashamed that I have taken pills for it. No shame in asking for help sometimes. But of course a pill wont cure you, you have to work hard at it!

~I got that book "Forgotten God" in the mail the other day, and read it in one day. It was a quick read, but I was also very into it. I love Francis Chan now, does anyone know if he has any more books out? Because Id love to read them! I also got "Bossypants" by Tina Fey in the mail lately and I guess that will be the next one I start. Arnold said he is thinking about getting me a Kindle for Christmas and I wonder if I am going to like it, since I am so used to my actual BOOKS. But I am excited about the thought of having a little portable device to throw in my purse and take along everywhere with me. The kindle Fire looks awesome! so much you can do on it.. not just read books.

~Tonight is Lifegroups again! I am always looking forward to that day of the week now. I have made some good friends. Cant stress enough how awesome these groups are, and that everyone should seriously consider being in one! Plus, Ray has been on his FB break all week, so its been strange not to see him on there every day! I know we all miss him. I hope he will come back tomorrow. Come to think of it, I need to take a FB break sometime.. I know it would be good for me. But I cant seem to tear myself away!! I dont know why i feel the need to stay connected to everyone at all times, like Im afraid Ill miss something!

~This morning I took Rachel to a playdate at the mall with two friends and their kids. Beth brought homeade blueberry muffins for everyone, thought that was so sweet of her! I am not big on muffins OR blueberrys, but these were soo good! I wish I had the love for cooking/baking like a lot of people I know, we would be eating GOOD a lot more often ;) But anyway, the kids had a great time playing together, and I had fun chatting with friends.. i cant believe how quickly the hour and a half passed that we were down there! Then we all decided to take some laps around the mall for some exercise. Although we didnt get to go very fast because Rachel insisted on "helping" push one of the strollers :) Around 11 Joanne had to go home, and Beth, the kids and I went to have lunch. I got Rachel and I Chick-fil-A (its become one of her favorites!) I hadnt been planning to eat at the mall but Rachel started saying "lunch, lunch!" and I cant resist her cuteness ;)

~Even though money has been kind of tight this week, Ive managed to put back just enough for Arnold and I to go on a little date Friday night. My mom is picking the big kids up from school and taking them out, then for a sleepover at her house. So we are going to try to get the inlaws to take Rachel, and Arnold and I hope to go to the movies. We will need a date after this week, for sure!! I had planned on going on a Girls' Trip to Concord Mills this weekend, but money ended up being tighter than I had thought, and I knew I wouldnt have enough for the gas, lunch, and shopping, so we changed it to next Saturday instead. Arnold is supposed to get his bonus check next week at work, so its perfect timing! Even though most of that $$$ is going to have to go to heating oil. Which is sooo expensive by the way, its ridiculous. But Im hoping Ill have a little extra to start Christmas Shopping! Or continue I should say, because Ive already started filling up a closet with stuff Ive been buying along the way :)