Camouflaged Daydreams

Over the Thanksgiving weekend I got violently sick. I also broke out in a rash across my neck that same night.

I have no idea what triggered it. Not for sure. I assumed I may have had an allergic reaction to something. To what I still don't know.

Well, it has happen again. All day yesterday I felt fine. After work I was running errands, trying to fit in a little Christmas shopping, when I started to feel ill. I got home as soon as I could and was very sick last night. During the middle of the night I also woke myself up scratching at my neck.

This morning I woke up looking like something out of a horror movie. My face was red and swollen. My eyes swollen to tiny slits. The rash on my neck, that had not completely gone away yet, had spread further out and down my chest. My throat felt like it was on fire and it was hard to swallow.

I of course called in sick this morning. Besides the fact I feel like I've been beaten up a few times over, and still very nauseated, I couldn't show up looking like a creature from the black lagoon.

I have no idea what made me break out and so sick. I've decided to start keeping a food journal to try and see if possibly it is a food allergy.

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Tomorrow is a Christmas party at Hubby's work. If I'm feeling better, I will take the kids. Honestly, ill or not I will probably take them. I would feel even worse than I do if they miss the big party.

So then I'll be at work tomorrow also. That guilt would get me again if I miss too much work, or go to a party after staying in bed all day. Dang guilt. I just cross my fingers my face looks somewhat better by then. My neck is not a big deal, since it is so cold I can pull off a turtle neck without anyone questioning it.

As the party is approaching I am having flash backs from last year's Christmas party at Hubby's work. It did not go so well...

The post is in my blog for the full story. To make a long story short, Chase suddenly got suddenly and violently ill at the party. I had him hoisted on my hip when it happen. He turned his head and vomited all over me. I had to run, if you call what I was trying to do in my high heel boots running, across the whole crowd trying to find the bathrooms. He continued to get sick and I continued to be covered in it.

Perhaps holidays and my family just don't mix. I believe I am still known as the woman covered in vomit at the Christmas party. Here's hoping my spotchy, swollen face is the only problem at this year's party. All I can say is thank goodness for makeup. This year I'll nix high heels of any sort, just in case. And just to be safe I might bring along extra clothing for us all.

This weekend we visited the Santa Claus House in North Pole,
Alaska.

I'm not kidding, that really is the name of the city.


North Pole, Alaska is the city where it is Christmas year round.

For one night I get to be Cinderella. My prince is taking me to the ball.

For one reason or another I have never been to an Army ball. I was either unable to find a sitter, too pregnant, in the process of moving, or having just moved. This year, since it will Hubby's last in the Army, he said he is taking me.

My Hubby, the man who loves to do things at the last moment, even arranged to have the tickets bought while he was in Hawaii. Even setting up a babysitter, a feat I haven't been able to achieve in the past year and a half I've been in Alaska.

Soon he will take me shopping for my gown. He even promised not to complain too much when I buy a purse and heels to match. While he's in such good spirits I should tell him I want my hair done prior to the ball also.


Okay ladies I need help. Like I said I've never been to an Army ball. I need ideas on what kind of dress to buy. I know it's a formal affair, past that I'm clueless. Any ideas or tips are greatly appreciated.

Hubby and I have reached a point in our lives, a point anyone making a career of the military must make. Hubby has decided to put in his retirement paperwork. We plan to be Texas bound this summer.

This decision was not made easily. We've talked about it for the last couple of years, once he hit 20 years in the Army. We talked even more so this last year.

We've been back and forth and all over the place with our decision. We've talked, we've argued, we've lost sleep over it. Finally I told Hubby that it must be his decision. That he had to be ready. I didn't want him to have any regrets. I told him that I love him and would follow him no matter what he chose. He now feels it is time to hang up his boots, so to speak.

He made the final decision very recently. I then told my boss.

My boss who has been wonderful to me. One that I call friend. I owe her so much. She hired me. Then she was the reason I was promoted from floater, AKA school gopher, to the position I have now. She pushed for more training for me. Now I run the school's entire finances. I am also now highly skilled in Quickbooks, and Excel programs. I now do payroll and taxes.

She saw something in me I didn't know was there. I have learned I love numbers and that I am good at them.

We had an emotional moment when I told her. The announcement was made to the Board of Directors on Tuesday night and then to my co-workers. Soon I will start training a replacement.

Our kids are happy. They took to the news very well.

I can't put into words my feelings right now. They are all over the place. I'm excited, but I'm also terrified. I can only imagine what Hubby is going through.

I know one thing for sure, retirement or not he will always be a soldier. Being a soldier is more than just a uniform or a career choice. For him at least, it is who he is. A part of his being.

One more thing I want to say before I end this post. I just want to say how proud I am of my husband. I am so proud of his service to our country. For his life dedication to the Army. I am proud of the man and the soldier he is. And I am very proud to be his wife.

I've posted very little this week. I blame the sudden darkness and cold for playing tricks on my body. It's now dark when I leave for work at 7:30 a.m. and dark when I come home at 4:00 p.m. By the time I get home I feel like it's 10 o'clock. I barely have the energy to feed my kids before I collapse in bed.

On the work front: my poor desk was falling apart. My boss told me it was about 15 years old. One section actually fell off just as I had pulled my knees out from underneath it. A generous family donated a new one for me. They even come to help me remove the old one, put in the new, and rearrange my office. I can't say how grateful I am for their generosity!

After getting my office in order my boss decided she needed a different look in hers. Loving redecorating like I do, I jumped right in and helped. A one point we had to shut the door to move her desk. The desk is a monster of a thing. A U-shaped metal contraption.

Shortly after the door was closed a co-worker burst in. "I just had to see what was going on. All you can hear out here is laughing and grunting."

On the home front: Hubby has come home, gone again, and will be home once more tomorrow. A couple of days after returning home from Hawaii he let me know he would have to go again in a day or two. For about 10 days this time. We transported some of his clothes from the larger suitcase, which he hadn't had time to unpack yet, into a smaller one. Then I took him to the airport once more and told him to enjoy the sand and sunshine for me.

If this keeps up the crew at the local airport will know me by name.

On a another note: where in the heck is this global warming I keep hearing about? Okay, before you start flooding my comment box with awful comments, please know I am only joking. I am just making light of the fact that I am freezing my arse off.

It is so cold I just don't think it's natural. Every time I come back from running an errand for work I always come in saying the same thing "how do ya'll do this year after year?" They always laugh and shake their heads. Apparently after a year and a half I still haven't learned the secret of dealing with below zero temps...and apparently neither has my van which is still down.

This cold weather is also wrecking havoc on my personal life. I have to dress in so many layers of clothes it is a chore just to get dressed in the morning. Like I need anymore stress getting dressed! I am one of those women who stand in front of my closet and recite the same old adage "I have nothing to wear!" Now I have to compile four layers of nothing to wear.

This is not to mention the fact that I look the abominable snowman by the time I have all my winter gear on.

It then takes just as long to remove all the layers when I return home at night. Getting ready for bed is like peeling layers of an onion. Somewhere beneath the sweaters, shirts, pants, long johns, tights, and socks my body is hiding. Spontaneity in the bedroom just doesn't exist. It would go something like this...

Oh yes honey...wait just a sec let me remove this...no wait, there's two more shirts underneath that...hold on I have two pairs of socks on...can you help me with these tights?...oh forget it! I'm too tired now!

...In Alaskan Living:







Yesterday when I left for work the temperature was 27 below zero. Last year I learned a few lesson about living in such extreme temperatures.

-Wash your hair at night. If you wash in the morning and your hair is even slightly damp it will freeze. Rumor has it then it will break off but I'm not ready to test this theory.

-Wear water proof mascara verses the other kind. That is unless you are into the raccoon eyes look. Your eye lashes will freeze and the mascara will melt off when you go indoors and your eye lashes thaw out.

-Don't leave a soda can in your car. It will freeze and explode. (Yes I learned this from experience)

-Always carry around a little can of "De-Ice"


Those are just a few lessons I learned last year. It seems the lessons continue this year.

Missy was skipping along into her school. I stopped having the older kids ride the bus. Instead I drive them so they don't have to wait in the cold for the bus to show up. It was a short walk from my car to the school doors. In that short time she managed to do something that still has me shaking my head, saying to myself, "only my daughter".

As she skipped her coat zipper flipped up just as she happen to have her mouth open. The zipper stuck and froze to her tongue.

Too embarrassed to go to the school nurse, she ripped it loose, taking little bits of her tongue with it.

If that wasn't enough, that same day my van broke. Apparently it got so cold that my power steering line froze and burst.

The irony of it all is my co-worker's car broke down in the parking lot (Also caused by the extreme cold). Her husband was in the process of dropping her off and then taking their girls to an appointment. I handed over my keys and said they could use my van. My van which had happen to work just an hour before and now chose to mess up.

We are only in November and the weather is going to get a hell of a lot colder. I am already whining and wishing I was back in Texas. When I leave here I will be perfectly happy if I never see ice or snow again.

I want to take a moment to honor our veteran's and those who currently serve in our military.


Thank you.








You stay up for 16 hours
He stays up for days on end.
_________________________
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.
__________________________
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.
__________________________
You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.
__________________________
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.
__________________________
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.
__________________________
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.
__________________________
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.
__________________________
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.
__________________________
You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet
__________________________
You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.
__________________________
You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.
__________________________
You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told.
__________________________
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.
__________________________
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him.
If only there were more men like him.

Author Unknown

The reason I never post pictures of my children (at least not ones that show their faces) is mostly for their safety, partically because occasionally I will post story about them that would, in my daughter's words, cause them to "die of embarrassment" if anyone knew who they are.

This is going to be such a post...

Missy recently started acrobatics classes. She had been wearing shorts and tee-shirts until I could find her a leotard. Which is not easy this time of year in Alaska. If you want long johns, no problem, but leotards are no where to be seen. I had to order them online.

She went to her first class with her new pink leotard and matching pink dance pants. (Of course, everything has to be pink) Her class started and I noticed she was still wearing her tee-shirt over her leotard.

I called her over and told her to take off the tee-shirt. "You can't do your hand stands and back bends with your shirt hanging in your face."

After shooting me a 'give me a break mom' look she took it off and ran to rejoin the class.

A few seconds later she turned my way and I wanted to run over and cover her back up with her tee-shirt...and maybe a sweater...and a jacket.

OMG! My daughter is starting to get breasts!

When in the world did this happen?! I didn't notice when she was wearing her baggy tee-shirts (thank goodness they are in style!). She still plays with Barbies and watches cartoons for heaven's sake.

I glanced around to make sure no boys from the Karate class across the gym were looking at my daughter. I know they are kids too, but at that moment I might have been tempted to knock one to the ground if they looked in her direction.

Yesterday I took Missy to buy her first training bra. She of course picked out a pink one.

Before I leave Alaska there is still a lot of sight seeing I want to do.

I haven't been to Denali National Park. I haven't seen Mount McKinley. I haven't gone skiing yet. Walked on one of Alaska's glaciers. Or been to the hot springs.

But if I were to leave tomorrow, I can say I did see this:

I woke up to a cold Monday morning. When I drove to work this morning it was 15 below zero.

The temperature eventually rose to 6 below on my drive home.

...Now where did I put those long johns?...

My Halloween decorations are put away and the Thanksgiving decorations are now taking their place.
One holiday is over and it is time for the next.



I am starting to think of what to fix for our Thanksgiving meal. Our is very traditional. Turkey, ham, stuffing, homemade rolls, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, a veggie tray, etc...

The only thing we seem to be missing from a very traditional thanksgiving meal is pie. Hubby and our kids do not like pie. I used to fix a pie anyway. But it became too much of a waste for just myself. I think maybe this year I'll make pumpkin bread instead of pumpkin pie.

My biggest problem with the Thanksgiving is we tend to cook too much. We all want all our favorite traditional dishes but it ends up to be so much food for just the five of us.

Hubby has come home from Hawaii. He missed Halloween but he be home for Thanksgiving.

He's not exactly loving this cold weather. He came home just in time to experience 5 below zero. I picked him up at the airport with his heavy jacket in my hand.