Update

Reading Pioneer Woman's Blog today about receiving blankets(as well as pics of Walter being swaddled with them) reminded me of how useful those little blankets are. Since I had a seriously spitty refluxy child I used them as burp rags but even now we still have several floating around. One is a extra soft dish towel, others in the garage for washing cars, baby blankets for Avalons dolls and then I always keep a few for when Avalon is sick.

Her post also made me wish I had a cute little dog like Walter. BUt alas I have Garbage Gut, I mean, Murphy. A poop eating, garbage digging, Moon dough chowing beast of a beagle. Actually I've noticed a bit of ritual. Besides the occasional garbage incident and barking, Murph is pretty well-behaved during the day. What can I say, I run a tight ship. :) But the minute Jeff walks through the door, he becomes a whining howling begging dog and is pretty much horrible until Avalon goes to bed and he resigns to the couch for the evening.

I've been having trouble sticking to my dieticians instructions. Instead of overeating though, I've been undereating. I just don't see much success doing it her way and I'm also not hungry. I try not to be a doctor using the internet as my resource but even that tells me something different.

Got an email from my biological father that was quite a doozy. I'm not even sure how I got it, as I thought he was blocked so I need to go check that. He alludes that he is reading this blog but I couldn't know for sure. Frankly I don't really care as I have nothing to hide. I'm tempted to post his email on here just to show you his craziness. Part of me doesn't want to indulge him. I don't know, I haven't decided. His accusations are laughable. In addition to he usual complaints,he's added a bit that I'm not in his will and will not be allowed at his funeral. Sorry but I would never take money from him, whether he is dead or alive. Too many strings attached. And I've known for years now that his funeral will be something I won't be attending. Crazy, I tell ya!

I've had the feeling that I am forgetting something but for the life of me I can't remember what. I have lists all over for things I need to pick up or buy, drs appts, things to do and I still have that nagging feeling I'm forgetting something. I have a feeling that may have to do with things a bit out of my control. As I've said before we've been on the house hunt for some time and for me, I just see the timeline for moving getting even shorter as my goal is to be somewhere new by the time Avalon goes to school next fall. But this economy/housing market makes that tough at least to sell our house.

Still I want Avalon to be able to start her schooling career without having to disrupt that and I definitely don't want her to going to the ones in our area. Not being from Billings I've learned alot about the area schools from my time at Poohs Daycare and the children that attended the area schools. Also my mother-in-law has worked at 2 of the 3 southside schools and some of the things that go on, really confirm my feelings. So I did some research with a couple of rating sites. Not so good!, Ponderosa rates below even Orchard with a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10. Also has failed AYP 3 times in the past 5 years.(AYP=adequate yearly progress through No Child Left Behind) (How can you meet AYP if the students aren't adequately fed or clothed)

Jeff works with a gal who has kids that go to Ponderosa and contemplated switching her kids but ultimately left them there becuase she and her husband wouldn't have been able to transport them due to their jobs. She actually had quite a few positive things to say especially about the staff but her chief complaint is that teaching to the bottom of the class and for kids whose parents actually care, their kids are left hanging without challenges. SHe said she has frequent conferences with their kids teachers to ask that the teachers challenge those who are ahead.

It all just scares me. And as those of you with kids know, most parents will do anything to provide the very best for their kids. And as Jeff and I are in a position to do so, I feel it is our responsibility to do it. An education has to be one of the most important things your child can get. So in short i think my anxieties over things like that make me feel like I'm forgetting something.

Got quite the backhanded compliment today in the hot tub at the Y today. It was of course from the guy I've labeled "the conspiracy theorist." I usually avoid him like the plague because he always has so many crazy idea. He's constantly reading "studies" that provide his facts but has admitted that he doesn't have internet the newspaper or a tv because it's all away to brainwash us. Also told me not to eat pork as it's all cloned meat and his wife was the one who said not to "innoculate" Avalon with Gardacil as it will give her HPV.

Anyway, after we swim, Avalon and i sit in the hot tub for a while before we shower. He got in the hot tub about 3 minutes after we did. He complimented Avalon on her swimmigng and then told me that it looked like I was losing weight. Then he says, "Well you got a pretty face, when you lose the weight, you'll be the full package." EXCUSE ME?!? I am the full package be-yotch! It's nice to have people notice but he should just kept his mouth shut!

Speaking of Avalon swimming... She is just doing incredible. She is able to swim without her life vest on whenever she wants. I let her wear it for about the 45 minutes of our hour swim so she doesn't wear out so fast. (I do laps when we swim to get exercise and without her vest she can only last about 25 minutes before she's completely tuckered out. But recently we've really made some leaps. She is now swimming on her back without a vest as well as floating, she can front crawl and do the breast stroke. And in the last two weeks, she's overcome some major fears. SHe hates putting her face in, but goggles have seemed to eliminate that and then she finally has overcome the fear of jumping in. Then last week, we worked on actually jumping in and not bellyflopping. Success, we didn't bellyflop at all.

Then last week her swim teacher said to me that she can swim and she can put her face in but not at the same time. When she puts her face in, her body goes limp. So today, we practiced and practiced and she is putting her face in and swimming! And now because her face is in, her butt comes up and she swims even faster! She swims faster on her back than I swim. Not trying to make my kid out to be a swimming prodigy but I am really proud of her. Its just amazing what she can do when you cultivate that talent.

I've been a little stressed out thinking about how I am going to work out this summer when I can't get Avalon to go to the Y daycare without crying. I think at this point it is the fear of the unknown because it has been so long since she's gone there. But i love working out and while I can do somethings at home i like working out at the gym and having some alone time. If anyone has some tips on getting her to be more agreeable, that would be great.

I am trying to find some more options for the summer for her to do and so far I think I've lined up a once a week art class at the Y, maybe swim lessons(depending on who the teacher is) rock tumble and roll class at the Y or gymnastics, and movies at the theater. Carmike Cinemas has a deal on that every Thursday at 10 they will show a previously released movie for only a dollar with snack trays for only $4. I don't want her every day scheduled but definitely want her to try new things. I'm sure we'll spend plenty of time at the spray park also. Maybe it's been this long winter but I am tired of being home.

Only a 3 more weeks till our trip! So excited to relax and hang out with the family.