SICK OF THE SICK!!!

Cole is still sick.

I think I am sick of the sick.

Not the one who is sick...just the sick.

After his ER visit last week, he began running fever.

The fever has been off and on since Thursday.

And he has complained of headaches.

I called the doctors office today to speak with a nurse.

I called three times.

Guess how many times she returned my call?

You guessed it.

Not. once.

Guess who did call me tonight?

The hospital.

The urine sample they cultured came back positive for a UTI.

Nice.

They chose to call me how many days later to let me know that the antibiotics Cole is taking will not touch a UTI?

Five.

Does it take five days to get those results back?

I was told I should make an appointment with the doctors office for tomorrow.

Guess who called then?

Yup, the office I had been trying to talk to ALL day.

They suddenly found time to call and to take an appointment.

*oops...this should have posted last night. It helps when you click the PUBLISH button!

IT CAME!!!

Imagine my excitement when my doorbell rang last week and the mailman was standing there with THIS package!

It was my Favorite Things Swap package from Amy!

After prying it gently removing it from Cole's hands, I tore into the box like Christmas morning.

Look at the beautifully wrapped gifts with clues as to what was inside.

And here are a few of Amy's favorite things.

1. A beautiful bracelet.

She said it was one of her hobbies, so I am assuming she made it. What a crafty partner I got!

2. A Brown Sugar Disc.

How is it that I have lived in the south all my life and not owned one of these? You may have saved a life sista!

3. Yummy smelling soap.

4. Apple Cider Packets.

If I make this will fall come quicker?

5. A beautiful picture frame.

6. A cute little note pad with pen.

How I love to make lists. This will come in handy!

7. A glass pumpkin jar full of DOVE chocolate.

Well, it was full until....

Now you may ask yourself...Self I wonder what Wendi sent Amy?

Wonder no more.

Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. Twilight.

My swap partner, Aly, from a previous swap sent me this book. I could not have imagined how much I would enjoy it. So much so that I think I am in love with one Edward Cullen. I got Amy a copy because I want her to love it as much as I do.

2.Stride Sugarless Gum.

3. Burt's Bees Lip Balm.

The best I tell ya.

4. A magnetic book mark personalized with the letter "A".

5. Bath & Body Works. I sent the honeysuckle scent, but I have many favorites.

6. Personalized note cards .

I still enjoy a hand written card, don't you?

7. Poppycock- Chocolate Lovers.

It is pecan and almond popcorn clusters drizzled in chocolate and caramel.

Need I say more?

Thanks Amy for being such an awesome swap partner.

I now have a few new favorite things.

I hope you enjoyed a few of mine!

SO GRATEFUL FOR AIR AND GAS!!!

The past two weeks poor Cole has had a couple of "spots" on his face.

I determined that is was quite possibly a mild case of chicken pox.

Mild meaning he had three "spots" on his face.

Very mild.

Cole's preschool teacher confirmed it.

He continued to go to school as the places were drying in and there was no fever.

Two of the "spots" went away.

The "spot" on his cheek kept getting bigger.

A growing pox? Hmmmm.

When I picked Cole up yesterday from school, he had three new spots.

Tiny, but "spots".

I drove straight to the doctors office to get to the bottom of it.

She would not confirm that he had at any point had chicken pox.

She said it was possible.

But the spot on his cheek was infected.

Nice.

She gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and topical ointment and sent me on my way.

I was relieved to know these "spots" would soon be gone.

Later that evening as we sat waiting for Claire's dance class to dismiss, I noticed Cole felt warm.

By the time we arrived home he was shivering and holding his chest saying he hurt.

When I asked exactly where he hurt he pointed to the area of his heart.

At that point my heart started racing.

Rapidly.

He was better by bed time, but still had fever.

About 2:30am Cole woke up in agonizing pain.

He kept holding his chest and crying.

He could not get comfortable.

A thousand possible case scenarios raced through my head.

I knew one of them was not going to be my four-year-old having a heart attack in my family room.

Chad dressed and whisked him away to the emergency room.

He was gone a few hours.

I was a wreck.

I paced the floor and cried not knowing what was wrong with my baby.

That and I caught up on the days laundry and dishes.

Finally he returned home to me.

He was smiling and excited to show me his hospital bracelet and stickers.

I asked what his diagnosis was.

Chad said that they confirmed the skin infection.

They said to continue the antibiotic.

And to give him Tylenol for the fever.

And the chest pains and trembling?

The chest x-rays showed excessive air.

My child had gas!

I said a prayer of thanks for air and gas.

Never have I been so grateful for either.

SHE'S BACK!!!

My computer is back home where she belongs.

And the best part?

So are the tens of thousands of photos that I thought I had lost.

Excuse me while I go burn all my photos to Cd's, upload them all to web albums, and put them on a flash drive.

I have learned one can never be too sure.

And my poor heart can not stand another scare like that.

I HAVE A BLOB!!!

Remember when I told you about my MIL a few months back?

She is still as sweet as ever.

She is still a classy dresser.

And yes, she still misconstrues words like no one else.

Case in point.

Nana came over for lunch yesterday.

We had a great visit.

One of our conversations went like this:

Nana: Do you still have that blob?

Me: Yes. A blob over here.(pointing to my thigh) A blob over here. (pointing to my midriff) And a great big blob back here. (pointing to my rear end)

Nana: No, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about that thing you write on the computer.

Me: Oh, my BLOG? Yes. I still write on my blog. I love it. Some of my best friends are in my computer.

Nana: (dead silence) ( clearing her throat) (cough)

I am sure she thinks I am crazy.
But atleast I know the difference between a blob and a blog!

* A small reminder. Nana doesn't have a computer. Nana doesn't need to know about this post. Let's keep it our little secret...mmkay?

Favorite Things Swap- The Exchange!

Thanks to all who participated in my first ever Favorite Things Swap!

I had 74 participants.

I was blown away with your response.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful time gathering a few of your favorite things.

I know I did.

Please remember that your packages need to be in the mail by

Monday, Sept. 22, 2008.

As promised, I have finally posted Mr. Linky.

Simply put your name on the first line and your exact post address from your blog on the second line.

Yes, that means you need to write a post, with photos, so we can all share in the fun.

Then link up here.

If you have any questions...please email me at becausewendisaidso(at) gmail(dot) com.

Thanks again for a fabulous swap!

THE KEYWORDS THAT BROUGHT US TOGETHER!

I have spoken of my love for Google reader.

I have shared with you my affinity for Gmail.

Now I must share with you my adoration for Google Analytics.

If you are a blogger, it is a must.

Google Analytics gives you a lot of the same information as your site meter.

Such as who is visiting your blog and where they are coming from.

Google Analytics will give you this information as well as tell you the KEYWORDS used to find your site.

Nothing like finding out what all the crazies are googling to get to you.

So without further ado...my Google searches:

Because Wendi Said So
Well.. duh, that is the name of my blog and I did say so!

Because I said no no no said no you not no for me
Cole, is that you playing on the computer again?

Because I said so Cakes
Did someone say Cake? Send me the recipe.

Big Bertha Children's Program
Not sure if you would call it a program but we do throw our children on an inner tube called Big Bertha. We attach a rope from Big Bertha to our boat. The children are some 30 feet away. We drive the boat at high speeds and the object of the game is to throw the children off Big Bertha. Maybe I am the one who needs a program.

Congrats on your impending arrival.
Thanks! My baby did arrive and her name is Nikon!

Denial of Addiction.
Maybe you missed that post, but I have fully embraced my addictions and have owned up to them. I have even added a new one thanks to twitter!

Didn't you tell me you always love me baby?
I did tell you that but it was in the third grade. Now go get inoculated with that cootie shot before it is too late.


Dogs + Bee stings white gums
Um, I don't think you need to be here. I think you need to take your dog to the vet. Immediately.

Dead Fish Plaque
You definitely came to the right place. I have two of them. I would gladly sell them to the highest bidder. I am completely against wall art in the form of dead fish stapled to a piece of driftwood.

Great face lifts.
I have not had one of those yet. Though I did get a great blog lift recently. I would be glad to pass along her card.

I am a teacher song.
I am not familiar with this ditty. I am a teacher and I do teach songs. Which one would you like me to teach you? Wheels on the Bus is one of my favorites!

Its so EZ to fall in love
Yes it is. I did it and I highly recommend it.

Sugar Mommas Arizona Wendi
I am not a sugar momma living in Arizona, but if you know any Sugar Daddy's living in NC...


Leaking Big Bertha
If your Big Bertha is leaking...don't go tubing. Tubing with a deflated Big Bertha is no fun.
Not to mention dangerous. Consider getting it repaired or go buy a new one.

Talkative gene.
Yup, you found me alright. I have this gene. So do my children. Contact me via email and I will set up a time I can talk your little ears off. Don't think I can't. Ask my friends IRL.

You won the sum of 1,000000.oo ghp, pounds sterling from the ballot lottery international.
They sent me the same email. I get one every day. I sent them all my important information.
My name, address, phone number, social security number, bank information, and blood type.
Whatever you do, don't send them a urine sample. I think it is a hoax. I wish I would have known.

Favorite Things Swap
You definitely came to the right place. Sorry you didn't find us sooner. The deadline is over.
Maybe next year.

EZ Pass not read if wrapped in aluminum foil
Well of course you can't read it. It is wrapped in aluminum foil for crying out loud. My advice?
Carefully remove all foil. Then read your pass. See? Wasn't that EZ?

I DID IT AND AM PROUD TO ADMIT IT!!!

I did it.

I showed up.

Miraculously my key still worked.

After six months of not using it.

The familiar sounds of people grunting and wincing with pain could be heard.

Okay, maybe that was just me.

The point is I did it.

I went back to the gym last night.

My head held low and my self esteem in my back pocket.

I started with a brief walk on the treadmill to get my heart rate up.

That took all of 52 seconds.

I knew I was in trouble.

Moving right along.

I made my way to the free weights.

I worked on my lower body.

My trouble spots.

Hips, thighs, knees, and ankles.

My knees and ankles are really fine, but I wanted to see instant results.

You didn't think that was going to happen with my thighs did you?

I thought I could pick up where I left off six months ago.

So I adjusted the weights as I had before.

I ended my workout with 25 minutes on the elliptical.

I am not kidding you when I say that I had to relearn how to WALK this morning.

I hope the old saying is still true: No pain, no gain.

I am definitely feeling the pain.

But it was invigorating and I felt an enormous sense of accomplishment.

Who am I kidding?

It hurt like hell and I sweated my hinney off!

But the motivation is there.

My 20th class reunion.

Need I say more?

And the inspiration was there too.

Jen, of Daily Mish Mash issued a challenge.

I accepted.

I may not be looking so great by November, but look out 2009!

I will be looking fine.

Anyone else want to join me in my quest for smaller thighs and a leaner backside?

Click here to join.

Monday Mumblings

My poor desktop computer crashed on Wednesday.

As in...nothing works.

Nada.

I can use my laptop, but my desktop houses all my photos.

All 10, 000 of them.

Guess who was depressed and crying uncontrollably last week?

Guess who has been researching external hard drives?

Guess who bought 2 flash drives?

Guess who has been meaning to back up all her photos?

Guess who thought she was invincible?

Yup, that would be me.

My computer guy, who I am now in love with for saving my photos, is being bribed with money food kind words.

I hope he really is able to retrieve all my pictures.

I can't imagine having to tell my kids that there is no physical proof they even existed for the past two years.

****************************************

With one computer out, we are back to sharing the Internet.

I am not good at the sharing.

I liked it better when it was MINE!

**************************************


My Internet is still giving me panic attacks.

It is going out a few hours at the time each day.

I am still wondering if I have readers at Suddenlink who have staged an intervention.

If they are reading: Not. funny.

***************************************


I went to my High School Reunion planning meeting last night.

It occurred to me that I have less than 2 months before the reunion.

I have only known about this for oh...about 2o Years!!!

Why have I procrastinated my weight loss program?

I should be so motivated.

Okay, after last night I AM motivated.

I WILL be at the gym tonight!

*******************************

What do a Sonic Gift card and an autographed copy of Bunkco Babes have in common?

Absolutely nothing.

Except I won both of them this month.

Can you believe it?

Turns out Mr. Random Generator doesn't hate me after all.

Thanks to Beachy Mimi and Laskigal for hosting such wonderful giveaways on their blogs.

*******************************

I am going to try and comment on as many of your posts as possible tonight.

What doesn't get done tonight will not get done.

I am going to try to blog guilt free.

I am taking your advice and I am using my "Mark all as read " button for the first time.

Wish me luck!

******************************

I am in need of one more "swapper" for my Favorite Things Swap.

The first one to respond and give me your information will get a partner.

Email me a becausewendisaidso(at) gmail(dot) com

WHERE WERE YOU?

Where were you the morning of September 11, 2001?

What were you doing?

I am sure that most of you have vivid recollections of exactly what you were doing and where you were when you heard the awful news.

I am no exception.

It was a beautiful morning.

It was Claire's first day of preschool.

I took tons of photos and got lots of kisses before finally pulling myself away.

I heard on the radio that the World Trade Center was on fire.

I arrived home a few minutes later to watch the whole tragic story unfold.

I had planned to run errands, grocery shop and clean.

Nothing got done.

I just sat on the couch unable to move.

I remember feeling numb.

I remember thinking this isn't happening.

But it was and it did.

I remember rushing to the school to pick up my kids.

Not knowing what was next.

I felt the need to have them near me.

In the days, weeks, and months that followed I remember hugging my family a little tighter.

I remember taking nothing for granted.

And I remember the pride I felt in being an American.

I hope that as we reflect on that September morning we will remember how we felt.

And we will never forget.

TOP FIVE TUESDAY!!!

The fabulous Dana at "Supernanny, Where are you?" hosts a Top 5 list every Tuesday.

I decided to participate this week and wouldn't you know it...my computer crashed.

So here I am a day late.

This week she gave us 5 questions to answer.

Here are the questions coupled with my answers.


1) How long have you been blogging?


That is easy.

Since January 13, 2008.

Almost eight months.


2) Date/link to your first blog post.


Um....didn't I just give you the date?

I will give you the link though.

Read my first post here.

Very different style than what I write now.

Someone gave me some blogging advice.

They said to keep your post short, to the point, and easy to read.

I stopped writing in paragraph form.

And started writing in shorter, concise sentences.

I also use fragments a lot.

I know it is bad grammar.

It is my style though.

Bad grammar and all.


3) What is the one driving force that actually made you create that blog account?


I did it for one reason.

I wanted to keep an online journal for my family.

And a few friends.

That is still my main reason.

But....there are now 100 others.


4) How did you come up with your blog name and what were other names you considered?


The first name for my blog was our family name. It was The ________ Family.

Pretty boring huh?

I only knew a few family and friends that had a blog and I just did what they told me.

Then I stumbled across a lot of really cool blogs.

Amazing blogs with amazing titles.

Thanks to Anita Renfroe and her fabulous Mom song, I chose "Because I Said So" as my second blog title.

I seriously love that song.

And I also love to use that line on my kids.

If for no other reason than my mom used it on me.

Thus, "Because I Said So" was born.

Then I googled my blog.

Guess what?

About 50 other people thought it was a good name too.

And one of those 50 had a huge following and a book deal.

I started envisioning lawsuits and a blogger uprising.

I changed it as simply and painlessly as possible.

I changed the "I " to a "Wendi" and called it my blog.

Thus "Because Wendi Said So" was born.

The third time was a charm.


Other names I considered:


OCD that is Me!

May I alphabetize that for you?

Seconds from a straight jacket


5) Post a link to your favorite blog post ever.


I am not sure I have a favorite.

I cracked myself up with this one.

You can see the old writing style evolving.

You can read about a major cooking fiasco here.

Here is one of my more serious posts dedicated to my mother.

And here is my 100th post.

If you need more reading material...there are 130 other posts to check out.

Why should you go read more of my posts?

Well....Because Wendi Said So of course!

Monday Mumblings

*Tropical Storm Hanna did finally make her presence known early Saturday morning.
She brought high winds and some rain.
She left lots of debris in my yard.
With Chase's help, we had it cleaned up in a few hours.
I noticed some of my neighbors have not attempted any clean-up efforts.
I am not sure why.
I wonder if they are waiting on the yard guy to do it...or if they will just hold out until the end of Hurricane season.


*My loss of Internet connection over the weekend only confirmed for me that I definitely have serious addiction issues.

*As if that addiction is not bad enough, I have fallen into another.
I am officially a twitterer.
I think they refer to them as tweets.
I kind of see myself as more of a twit!
I would like to thank McMommy for getting me hooked.

*Cole starts preschool today.
That is right.
5 days a week.
3 hours a day.
I am so excited sad I think I might cry.

*I start preschool today too.
Remember how I filled in for the music teacher last year?
Well, apparently I did a little too good of a job.
That or they were desperate.
I am going with the later.
Anyway, I will be howling singing with the children two mornings a week.
I will be creatively moving with them one day a week.
What happened to all the free time I was planning to have this year?
One word: Gone!
Note to self: Learn to say NO!

*After all that cleaning and preparing for Hanna, Hurricane COLE came through and left destruction and devastation in his path.
If you could only see my house this morning.
I may need to call FEMA.

*I had a headache all day yesterday.
I tried to nurse it with Tylenol.
That did nothing.
Then I tried Excedrin Migraine.
It worked.
But with the aid of lots of caffeine.
I have been up ALL night!
When you look at the time I left a comment on your blog...do not wonder.
Yes, it was THAT late!

A Night Like Any Other

Coming to you live from the eye of the storm...

Hanna is quickly approaching the east coast.

(what this really means is that the storm will arrive sometime in the middle of the night or early morning)

Eastern NC is under a Tropical Wind Warning.

(what this really means is you have been warned. There may a breeze.)

The rain bands have started to come on shore.

( What this really means is a few showers can be expected. Your patio furniture could get damp.)

I am so glad the meteorologists have weather gauges and fancy equipment to let them know about this storm and wind warning.

I am not doubting their expertise and knowledge of all things stormy.

They are after all the storm experts.

But hello....

I just walked outside and I don't feel a thing.

Except sticky and humid.

I kept squinting my eyes to see if I could see the trees sway.

I tilted my head to see if I could see a leaf blow.

Nothing.

It isn't even raining here right now.

I am not sure if this is a weather joke or if this is the calm before the storm.

I am thinking that the school may have over reacted by dismissing at 1:00pm today.

I am just saying.

I hope all my preparing and cleaning was not in vain.

Maybe by tomorrow morning I can at least use the word blustery.

Hanna is coming to visit!

I am busily preparing for the arrival of Hanna.

I am a southern girl.

We southern girls like to make our guests feel welcome.

We stock up on extra groceries, we clean the house, we put fresh sheets on the beds and we cook lavish meals.

This guest will not be treated any different.

I have been to the store.

I bought some essentials.

Like bread and canned goods.

I bought some "comfort foods".

Like Oreo's, chips, and sugary cereal.

I changed the sheets yesterday.

I am scrubbing the floors and cleaning bathrooms today.

And when all that is done...I plan to cook meals based on what is in my refrigerator and freezer.

Now some of you may be asking WHY?

I ask myself that question every time a storm comes.

My husband asks that question too.

He thinks I might be crazy.

I really don't have a good answer for you.

I refer to it as my "Storm Nesting Phase".

Prior to any tropical storm or hurricane I go into this nesting phase and clean.

Everything.

And Organize.

Everything.

And alphabetize everything.

I was just kidding about alphabetizing.

That my friends was already done.

So with bleach and Mr. Clean in hand I will be preparing for Hanna's arrival.

I promise to update you throughout the day.

Stay tuned for Phase 2!!!

Who DONE it?

Alright fess up.

Who called?

My internet was off most of the day.

Not. funny.

When I looked out the window..... guess what I saw down the street?

This.

My internet providers truck.

With a guy way up in that box "thingy".

I swear he was looking at me with binoculars.

I know I said yesterday that I might need help.

I know I told you about my addiction issues when it comes to blogging.

I might have even mentioned something about a possible intervention.

This is NOT what I was thinking.

Make them fix it.

Just don't take my internet away.

PUH....LEEZE!!!!

I can stop.

I can.

I just don't want to.

But if I wanted to I could.

Maybe.

Oh my gosh...if my internet doesn't come back on soon so I can post this

check out my favorite blogs check my online banking... I think I might

explode!

I HAVE BEEN IN DENIAL ABOUT MY ADDICTION!

I am back from "Swap Land".

It has been fun, but oh how I have missed you.

So much so that I think my worries have been confirmed.

Houston...we have a problem!

Hi! My name is Wendi and I am a blog addict.

You see, I was reading this post the other day.

Jen wrote a guide that helped to ascertain where you are as a blogger.

She broke it down into four categories.

Use. Misuse. Abuse. Addiction.

Before reading her oh-so-fabulous post I was sure I was in control.

I was sure that I was a casual "use at my leisure" blogger.

After reading her oh-so-fabulous post I was sure that I was in denial.

I thought I would share with you ten reasons I am suspicious.

You may play my therapist and tell me what you think.

Be honest.

But please be gentle.

1. My reader has now reached 204 posts and growing. I have been working day and night on this swap and have not had time to check up on my friends in Blogville. I know there is a "mark all read button". It is just a click away. I can not click it. I am afraid. I don't want to miss out on Beans first step. I know her 100th post is coming up. I always leave with a warm, fuzzy feeling when I read her blog...I can't possibly skip a post. I haven't done any ab workouts this week and I am sure she will make me laugh. Same thing right? (ab workouts = laughter) I don't want to miss a single post. Must. read. them. all. And comment.

2. I used the word Blogville in a sentence. And I truly believe it is my next vacation destination.

3. I have my Gmail page left up on my computer all day. I just happen to walk by the computer one hundred a few times a day to see if anyone left a comment.

4. Comments are my heroine. I need them all the time. When I get one, I am ready for my next fix one.

5. I check my sitemeter and google analytics 1000times twice a day.

6. I was supposed to be balancing the checkbook the other night. I was. Sort of. I was on the banking site and it reminded me of a blog I needed to check so I minimized the bank site and started blogging. When my husband came in to see how it was going, I quickly maximized the banking website only to discover a screen that in very large print said:
SESSION TERMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY!!! Can you say busted?

7. Chase asked me to help him with his homework and I asked him to try to figure it out on his own first. The real reason was I was chatting on Gmail with a fellow blogger and I was really into my chat. Don't call DSS yet.

8. Claire got up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. She walked by my room and was like , "Mom is that you? Are you still on the computer?" Yup, caught. At 1am.

9. If it is late at night and I know some of my west coast friends might be on Gmail, I change my status to invisible so they will not think I have issues never sleep.

10. I have to be in the carpool line early when I pick up Chase on Wednesdays. One of the other moms told me she sometimes takes her laptop to check her email while she waits. When I heard I could pick up the wireless feed from the school I was doing the happy dance! I pick up carpool this afternoon. Would you think less of me if I told you that I have a fully charged battery, my laptop, and my blog notebook already in the front seat? What about if I told you that I plan to be at school an hour early to get in some blog time be first in line?

Okay, it is your turn.

What do you think?

Is intervention really necessary?

I am going to be okay....right?

THE WAIT IS OVER!!!

Check your inbox!

Your swap partners name and information has already been sent.

I am beyond excited about the overwhelming response I had to my first ever

Favorite Things Swap!

I had 70 RSVP's.

Which is a lot more than the 20 I was expecting.

I used a scientific method of matching you.

I wrote all the names on index cards.

I laid them out on a table.

I picked up two at a time.

Very scientific.

I hope you are all excited and gathering a few of your Favorite Things.

Thanks for all your help in promoting what I hope will be a great experience for you.

Things to remember:

1. Go meet your swap partner. Visit their blog or flickr page. Email them. Get to know them a bit.

2. Start shopping. Think about what your favorite things are. Choose three. (or more if you are like me and can't decide)

3. Wrap your gifts. I think there is nothing like unwrapping presents. Make it fun.

4. Mail your package. Please be sure your Favorite Things Package is postmarked and sent by September 22, 2008. This way everyone will receive their packages about the same time.

5. Write a post and display photos of the swap on your blog or flickr page. A few days after the swap I will put up a Mr. Linky so that you can link up your post on my blog and we can all enjoy what everyone got. More details to come.

6. Have fun and remember to send a package that you would be excited to receive!

Happy Swapping!

If you have any questions ...please email me at becausewendisaidso (at) gmail (dot) com