Feeling fine

I have been up and around, and I feel great! It figures that today we finally have insurance, and my knees feel better. I am going running again tonight, and we will see how that goes. I do have a little pain, but nothing like it was. If it stays like this, I can deal with it.
Today I have to go back to Coralville to have a one-on-one meeting with my boss. I am not sure why, but now we all have one once a month. He says it is so he can know what is on our minds and address any problems. I told him that it is silly for me to come because if I have a problem I tell him right away. I am too old to suffer through crap in a job that pays me $3.09!!! I am going to get a chance, however, to ask him what happened to my raise. About a month ago I was promised a $.50 raise, and have yet to see it. Gerrick gets frustrated that I haven't said anything yet, but I (as most women) have trouble discussing money. It is a real downfall of my gender!! But today I will be blunt and ask for the raise. I deserve it, and I know that!!!
Last night at Melanie's was a blast. We had been doing this every Friday for a while. I started to think that I was keeping her from going out. So, last week I opted to just go home. She, apparently was upset. She told me that she looks forward to just sitting at home and chilling with me on Friday. We do have a good time. I am getting too old for the bar scene, but still like to hang out with her. She is a great person, and that is sometimes over looked because she can be blunt at times. We have great times discussing life. She is a single person with plenty of fun!! The things that I miss about being single (like the toilet seat down, and watching whatever I want on T.V., and only 3 loads of laundry a week instead of a day) are much less in number than the things she longs for when she is married with children. I am really blessed to have such a great family, and she will have it as well someday. She has the great opportunity to go to Med school. She just graduated this last semester with her Bio-Chem degree from Iowa, and is applying for med school now. She sees it as selfish, I see it as setting up a great life BEFORE you have the kids. What a novel idea! I would never change my life, but it would have been easier to wait five years! But, the joy comes from the struggle, right? If that is true, and I believe it is, I am overflowing with joy!
Sorry for the long rambling!
The kids are getting bathed for their concert tonight. I will definitely take some pics to post. Outside concerts are so much fun! The girls have been great the last 2 nights for their dad, so I think I am going to get them one more thing for their room tomorrow. I am probably caving in, but I really want the room done!
Have a great day, and remember to be thankful for what you have!!!

Blogging from Melanie's

I am sitting at my friend Melanies Enjoying a white russion, or two. I went running tonight for the first time in a while. I feel well, but I have had a white russian to dull the pain. Hopefully I will feel this well in the morning. I will post again in the morning, Melanie is getting off the phone, and I need to talk to her!

Still Here

Hello all. Hope everyone is doing great!!! I had a VERY long night at work last night. We are still doing a fund raiser for a local church that was hard hit by the tornado. Half of our sales on Thursday nights go to the re-build. I think it is St. Johns, but I am not for sure. Anyway, we got hit. There were more old Catholics at the Beefstro than at the bingo parlor last night! It was a fun time, though. I never know if I am supposed to call the priest Father or Sir? I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I call him Sir!

This weekend is the Free Family Fun in Corallvile. We are getting a free Go Fish concert! The kids are very excited. If you all have time, bop down! It should be fun. It is from 5 until dark. There is also a comedian and games. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.
I think Reagan is getting a fever. She was very restless the last few nights. The night before last she was up practically all night. I took the on-off shifts from 10:45-4:30, and Gerrick took the continuous shift of 4:30-7. Now she is really quiet and feels a little warm. We don't have insurance for another day, so hope it is just teeth!!!
Had a scare with the computer today. I erased all my cookies last night, and forgot my blogger name and password. It took me all morning to get it. I am not the quickest person in the world, but that was stupid! The link they gave me to go to was half hyperlink, half not. So, when I clicked on it I got the wrong site. After I figured out that there was a lot of the link that was not hyperlinked, I copied and pasted and was back in business. I can be so blond at times!!!
The kids are staying home today, because of Reagan's ickiness. I will probably take them to the park after rest, but no pool. Hopefully we will go tomorrow before the concert. I know Gerrick is wanting some fun in the sun!!!
Have a great weekend, hope the weather holds up!

Still Working

We are still working on the girls' room. However, we are taking a break. The girls really put a kabosh on the final plans. They threw a big fit at bed time, and really hurt my feelings. I have put a lot of time into it, and I know they are not going to completly understand what it means, but a little respect is required. They seem to think that we are just here to serve them. I just finally got upset about their disrespect. I told them they will have to wait 3 weeks for the rest of the purchases. I deliberatly waited to buy the best for last. I think I had mother's intuition and knew I would need the barganing chips!!
The boys had fun at the pool today. Dax is really getting good at putting his face in the water. I think he will be the most comfortable in the water because he had the advatage of being in the pool from a young age. Maybe Reagan will surpass him, but I will probably guard her more!!!!!
Gerrick and I are off to bed. Gotta get this house caught up tomorrow!!!!!!!

Getting Closer

We are closer to finishing the girls' room. There are still a few things I want to buy, but I will do that gradually with my tip money. They want the tool canopy things that go over their beds and a pretty lamp. Not unreasonable requests! My back and arm are killing me from painting. The walls took 2 coats, and the bed took 4!! I spray painted the metal dresser that I had painted black for me when I was a angry teenager. Now it is white, and looks pretty good.
That is all I have been doing the last few days. I haven't even done the laundry in 36 hours. The house could come to a stand-still if I don't start doing the day-to-day things again.
I am going to take the kids to the pool today. I think they need the running again. They played outside all day yesterday, but they said it was too hot. I was under the impression that it was going to be mild and rainy, so I didn't even plan on the pool. Today it will probably rain because I am planning on the pool!!
I will hopefully post some pics tonight of the room. It is really looking nice!!!

Real Quick

I just wanted to post real quick to let you all know how busy we are. The night before last Gerrick and I decided to remodel the girls room. This is something we promised them over a year ago. So, yesterday morning it was off to the paint store, well, Wal-Mart anyway. They picked out their great Disney Princess colors and I got paint for their dresser and bed. We have been busy cleaning, scrubbing, taping and painting. I took some before pics for the blog, and will take some after as well. It really looks cute so far, and we are anxious to get it done. We have become very good at designing on a dime. We re-did our room for under $200, and it looks like the girls will come in under $150. I get a high off of saving money! We are re-using a lot of their stuff, just painting it. Anyway, I will update the progress.
Other than that, we have been just normal as usual. The boys have been trying to kill each other, and the girls are killing themselves to be nice. They really want the room done, and will do anything to insure that! They even cleaned up the living room without having to be asked!

Sunday Fun

This morning was pretty normal. We got up and ate breakfast, then off to church. One of out worship leaders was married last week, and his bride was asked to come up front. As she walked up, dressed in jeans and a spaghetti strap tank top, my little Braydon yells, "sexy!!" I was mortified. Then, the young new husband said something unheard by my husband and I that sent the whole congregation into a loud laugh. From what was said next I think he was saying a little too much about the wedding night. I just hope no one heard my son!!! We had a guest speaker/performer at church today. David Koblish is a worship leader that has gone all over the world with Billy Graham. He told some very touching stories and sang wonderfully. The Lord really blessed this man with a voice!!! It was really a powerful service.
After church we went to Wal-Mart. I think we should just move in there. I feel like I spend more time there than any where else! We came home and had lunch. The kids were supposed to take a nap, but didn't. The boys were all over the house and fighting. So, instead of going to Cedar Falls, which was our original plan, we will stay home. The kids really take for granted that we will go somewhere because we always do. I hope by staying home they will learn to listen. We do a lot with these kids, and they never act like they appreciate it. We try to take them somewhere fun EVERYDAY! This takes money and imagination. We were going to do the rides and funnel cakes at Sturis Falls, but now we are doing the dishes and laundry in the Stotser house!!! Dax was so mad that he worked himself into vomiting! It was great.
Well, time to break up the fights that have started since I started typing. Keghan has hit Shaelynn with her coat, and Dax has taken Braydon's book. Joy, oh joy, I get to break it all up! Have a great Sunday!