We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. DH was on call Monday, but no clinic and they didn't have anyone in-house, so it was not bad at all. On Friday night, we went out as a family and had a good time. On Saturday, we worked around the house in the morning, and then our sitter came over and DH and I headed out for some shopping, dinner, and a movie...."The Bourne" whatever. It was good! We had a nice time. Sunday after church we headed down to spend the afternoon with our best friends, who live about an hour south. They have three kids about the ages of ours, and for whatever reason (maybe it is because they have known each other since birth?) they can all play together for hours with very little parent involvement. We grilled steaks and had a great, relaxing afternoon and evening. The only thing was that I was coming down with a cold the whole day. Monday, my mom and grandma came down here for lunch, and then my (half-) sister and her husband came over for pizza later. I was kind of out of it, but it was still fun to see everyone. I was sorry to see the weekend end!

DH is working an in-house shift tonight. He signed up for three last month and four this month. He hasn't signed up for October yet, but I have been very clear that I do NOT prefer the in-house shifts during the week. Weekends are fine, as long as he picks nights that he is already on call. The money is good, and chances are he would spend a good part of the night at the hospital anyway. During the week, it is just too stressful.

My older two sons are both on the soccer team at their school, and yesterday was their first game. DS #1 plays goalie, and the game didn't go well....they lost, 5 to nothing. DS blocked far more shots than he missed, but still.....it was a LOOOONG ride home. DS #2 got right in there and didn't seem to be intimidated by the ball or any of the older (bigger) players. Good for him! Besides being long, the ride home was also very smelly due to the game being played in 95+ degree temps, and the fact that both boys chose to take their shoes off in the car. :thud: So gross!

I have been tired today and the afternoon/evening have been full of one stupid thing after another. For one thing, I don't understand it, but I can't seem to get away from school until 2:00 or after, even though I am done teaching at 12:45. I have got to get out of there sooner! Today it was 2:30 when I left, which gave me time to drive home, pee, and then get back in the car to pick up my youngest (the older two had practice until 5:00). I came right back home because I was supposed to give a voice lesson to my sitter (we are bartering lessons for babysitting). She didn't show....whatever. Turns out she forgot. Back to school to get the boys. DS #1 asks if I can take his friend to the airport....he lives with his grandparents, grandmother is out of town, coming home tonight, and grandfather works for Continental Airlines. The airport is a good 25 minutes out of my way, but this is a nice kid with nice grandparents who took him out of a horrible family situation. I don't mind helping them out....so off to the airport (during rush hour) we go. I felt weird just dropping this kid off at the Continental ticketing area, but I spoke to his grandfather, and apparently that is what I needed to do. Homeward bound, at last. DH calls, and asks if we want to have dinner at the hospital cafeteria with him. Well, I have no better plans, so to the hospital we go. Imagine the hell of going through a cafeteria line with three boys. Enough said. Moving on.....we are eating and talking, when suddenly DS #1 kicks the bottom of DS #2's cup as DS #2 is drinking from a straw. The top of the straw goes up between his top lip and top gum and causes copious bleeding. I furiously rip DS #1 a new one as DH consoles DS #2. Two nurses walk by that know DH. We all smile and fake like we are a happy well-adjusted family until they walk on. We go into the courtyard at the hospital and the boys decide to play hide and seek, proceeding to trample all through the landscaping. DH and I make feeble efforts to stop them. Finally we leave. We go home and I give clear instructions about who is to do what, in what order when we walk in the door. Things seem to be going well.....piano gets practiced, the dog gets taken out, etc. Then I find out that instead of doing homework, DS #1 is reading a damn videogame magazine. I take it away, and things progress. I finally catch up on this website, and as I am reading/typing, out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of a HUGE black spider crawling across my bed. I beat it to death with the videogame magazine and hope it doesn't have friends in the area. I am ready for this day to be over!

Some good news......#1 I have lost 8 pounds since school started, with very little conscious effort. Here's hoping it continues. #2 DH went through our debts and added things up. We have paid off a third of our debtload (not including our mortgage) in the past 27 months.....$42,000.00! That is really encouraging to both of us, and we hope that the rest of it will be gone in about three years. But I still want a new computer!

Sally[/QUOTE]