I Got Ripped Off!

It was one of those typical Sunday mornings...rushing around, trying to clean the house before church so it would be ready for the Open House and then I literally got ripped off!

Here's how the day stacked up:

1. Clean the house~
2. Go to church~
3. Hurry home to grab the dog~
4. Go to dog beach/downtown for 4 hours during the Open House~
5. Come home, drop the dog off and head to the kids basketball game~
6. After the game, run to the store for drinks & then over to my hubby's ex-wifes house for Dillons 18th birthday dinner~

It was just a typical day for us...RUN, RUN, RUN.

Now in between dropping the dog off at home and heading to the basketball game, I noticed something was missing.

I ran upstairs to take my vitamins & prescription meds.

I had an emergency hysterectomy when I was in my 30's due to endometriosis...I almost died (CLICK HERE TO READ THE STORY). So I've been taking hormones daily ever since. I also had some pills for a cough that's been lingering from the flu/cold.

I usually put my basket of vitamins/meds away before the Open House, but I was running late so I left it on my dresser. I went to dig down to the bottom of the basket & the Premarin & cough medicine was gone. I looked around, thinking, "Where could they be...they're always here? No, someone couldn't have stolen them?"

That's when I noticed that the bathroom cabinet was open & my husband said the downstairs cabinet was also open with stuff out.

Someone totally had stolen my meds!!!

How creepy is that? Someone was rummaging through our things!

Our Realtor felt so bad. She held the Open House alone and we have three stories. She said it was packed the entire day, she couldn't walk through the house with everyone because then no one would be downstairs when people got there. She said that nothing like that has ever happened at any of her Open Houses before.

I guess I should feel lucky that's the only thing they took...but I still feel violated!

Guess there's a lot of desperate pill freaks out there who need female hormones!

Celebrate, Reflect and Enjoy-4th of July

My family was all in Utah together for the 4th (we couldn't afford to go), but made the best of it here. It's always hard for us because it's the anniversary of my brother John's death. I usually start to get a little edgy and emotional the week leading up to the 4th. I try to make sure we have lots of plans, the busier I am the easier it is.

I decided to treat myself to a new bike this year...last year we were the Beverly Hillbilly's of OC with our crappy, squeaky, rusty bikes. I haven't had a brand new bike since I was 14 years old! I figured it was time...also I thought it would encourage me to get out and exercise more. I was going to get my usual boys beach cruiser in black, I'm such a tomboy that I don't usually like flashy. But I decided at the last minute to get a shiny purple and silver girl bike. What do ya think?


We rode down to the parade, stopped by to meet some friend's at a house party, but it was all adults and the little guys wanted to hang out with us for a while (we wont have very many years left of them wanting to be with the "parents" since they're 14 & 15. So we told them we'd be back later and rode around with the kids.

Anthony's sister's and all their kids ended up coming down and we met up with them, got some lunch and had a picnic at the park with them and some other friends who met up with us. The boys ended up leaving and me and Anthony headed home for a quick rest before we had to ride back down for the fireworks show.

I had to leave and go pick up Josh from work. I was sitting in the LONG line of cars waiting to turn, when a group of bikers came riding in between all the cars and some parked cars. Some girls were obviously drunk...one girl turned around to talk to her friends and ran smack into the back of a parked car and flipped over the top of her bike, denting the car. Okay now you are all going to know how mean I am...I LAUGHED so hard. I always do when someone trips or falls. I can't help it! I wasn't alone, all the other cars were yelling, honking and laughing too! I didn't feel as bad. She was okay, but she did a bike hit and run. The owner of the car came running out of the house party, but the girl was long gone. I'll take entertainment anyway I can get it.

When we got back down to the beach it was FREEZING. The little guys never came home and had only swim trunks and tank shirts. They were shivering and complaining...we brought them some jackets and I got these pics of them racing toward the backpack and then fighting with a friend for the warmest one.

Elijah, Adam & Friend racing to the backpack for sweatshirts.



The Boys fighting over the warmest sweatshirt.

Even Anthony was cold.






Crowd in the ampitheatre.

Crowds watching street performers.

More Crowds in the dreaded Out House line.

My hubby & me trying to stay warm.



Waiting for the fireworks to start.

YAY...FINALLY!

All in all it was a good day and I didn't even cry once...which was a first. We love and miss you John!

My brothers...John hugging Troy.

Last Day of Vacation

I've been in Utah for the Holidays...first vacation in 3 years! I can't believe how the time has flown by. We've had such a great time hanging out with everyone, even though we ALL got sick. I was so excited because everyone else got sick and I thought I escaped it. But NOOOO my sickness waited until last night on my 9th year wedding anniversary.

We had booked a room in a hotel up in Park City. Just the two of us on a romantic mountain getaway. We had reservations at a great restaurant and then were planning on going to a jazz club after to ring in the New Year.

I woke up in the morning barely able to move and finally dragged myself out of bed at 12:00 p.m. We got to the hotel, after stopping to get me some cold and flu medicine. We ate a quick dinner at the hotel restaurant (too sick to get dressed up and go anywhere else) and then my romantic evening was spent layed out in my sick bed, while my husband had to make two trips out to the car in the FREEZING weather to get me water bottles! Poor guy, he wasn't to happy...but he always takes care of me.

Today I'm doing much better, and it's a good thing because we have a long drive tomorrow!

I'll post lots of pic after we get home.

HOME CURES FOR A COUGH

My middle son had pneumonia when he was four months old. This contributed to a weakened immune system his whole life. The minute he would get a little bit of a cold, it would go straight to his chest. After several years of constant trips to the doctor for bronchitis, at 4 years old I started treating the cold/cough at the first onset of symptoms. I would immediately boil water and make a "croup tent". I would let it cool down a little bit, then put it in a bowl, take a large bath towel and have them lean over the bowl with the towel over their head (holding it out like a tent), this holds in most of the steam. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT LET THEIR HANDS OR FACE GET TOO CLOSE TO THE BOWL! Have them take in deep breathes of steam. You will have to give them a break after a few minutes, then repeat the steps. They will immediately start to cough as they take in the deep breathes, just have them continue doing it, it will subside. The next step is to rub warm (not hot) Vicks on their chest and back. Make sure you rub it all the way down to where their lungs are on their back. Put a t-shirt on and put them to bed.

It can be a little tricky at first, but after doing it a few times, it becomes very simple and it seems to work better than a humidifier. Make sure that you do this procedure at the very FIRST signs of a cough.

This has saved me a lot of time and money. I still do this for all of my kids and stepkids, even now that they are teenagers, they don't like it, but they know it works! I hope this information is helpful and will save you trips to the doctor also.