Wow - where's the last few months go?

It seems like forever since I've added my two cents...so long that it is now probably almost up to a dime now!...It seems like every time I turn around things are getting busier, but that's what I seem to thrive on. I have joined the ranks of my local city's Park Board so that adds a few meetings and the like here and there on top of just running a household of 5 where one of the grown-ups is either gone at work for days at a time, helping friends or fighting fires, etc. But I wouldn't have it any other way...though it would be nice to have a few more dollars rolling in which is why I am now also on the prowl for a home-friendly part-time job so wish me luck!

May is just a blur already and it's almost half over. With all the family birthdays (even starting end of April with hubbies) 2 of my nieces, my mom, my step-dad, my sister-in-law, my daughter and even me turn another year older this month. Good thing we don't do a big gift exchange or I'd me more broke than at Christmas time! We have a family reunion (his dad's side) at the end of the month too but that's always a blast as his family is fun to hang around with. And we go up to the cabin and just chill for a long memorial weekend so it's perfect! This year the water may even be a little warmer with that hot April we had, though most didn't care last year and still went skiing and swimming, not me though, I need warm water in my old age!

We're getting more involved with the community/fire department stuff/school too and that feels really good to do something on that level. I think it teaches the kids some good values as well. They came and helped when we assisted the Lions with tearing down and re-building their park, which is down the road from our house so we utilize it anyway. I think they'll take more ownership it in now and help keep it nice, though as of now my kids don't seem to be, or haven't been, the vandalizing kind and they'd BETTER NOT EVER BE!

One note of personal frustration has been my weight, as usual for most women. I have been eating better and working out more regularly than ever the past few months and it is a little frustrating with how slow it's going, but I am, admittedly, impatient in many aspects so I know I have to just suck it up and keep plugging away. People have started to notice and the clothes are fitting better so it must be doing a little something - except that baby pouch may be my nemesis for a while to come, at least until I have that tummy tuck ;0)

Well off to enjoy this finally sunny string of days and as the weather continues I'll admittedly not be on as much for those pining away for the next story, I'll do my best!

Does PMS come with Age?

OK ladies. I have never had what most would consider PMS ever, until now...I think. Either that or I am just getting tired and bitchy in my old age. I am creeping upon the big 4-0 soon and don't like some of the crap my body is going through these days. First of all before my period starts I at times feel like I am either getting a bad cold or even the flu, and don't even get me started about breaking out! I am breaking out more now than I did as a teenager! This totally bites because it is on my chest and back, areas that are hard for me to reach to put any meds or anything on of course, and not to mention going to the dermo and getting meds is extremely expensive!
So now on to the bleeding levels. I am so surprised that I do not get anemic on those first two days. Most nights I have to get up 2,3 and even 4 times a night so that my bed doesn't look like a crime scene! Talk about feeling so far away from sexy! Then there's the beloved clots that look like I an giving birth to an alien child...all I can say is gross. This is the crap that my mother never talked about, but I am gathering she didn't have any of these issues since she sounds sympathetic and not empathetic when we talk. Of course she had to have a hysterectomy after having me so that could explain it too.
So now I am to the point , and age, in my life where I am sick of this crap and am finally talking to my doctor. We tried going back on the pill, which sucked because my tubes are tied so there so no real reason for taking it. Amoung all the vitamins and other crap I have to remember every day already. That didn't solve it so now we;re getting ready for plan B. Ablasion (basically much like a DNC) stay tuned for outcome. If this doesn't work then my next option is a hysterectomy, which I don't want to have. I am already having a heck of a time getting my stomach back in shaoe and my youngest is now 4! Ugh!

Now a Fire Widow too!

Fire training has started tonight. It will be 2 nights a week for the next 4 months. Ugh! At least this is a set schedule and not the usual fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants schedule that I usually have to live with. But it's all good as thus has really helped him meet some guys in our new neighborhood now that, because of his "real" job, hasn't had time to do. Nice thing for me is most of them are also married so that automatically gets me a few more women friends with common interests as with all my pilot wives!
The more I think this through there a re a lot of different advantages for me with this new fire job too. Besides meeting the wives, several of the firemen are also police in our city and a couple are county sheriffs so I have that little security blanket (literally) and there is now 30 men I can get to know better and call on for assistance is something catastrophically goes wrong with the house while he's on a trip, which all of us pilot wives know that is an inevitable thing...something always happens at least once a year!
The kids are already used to him being gone and they are getting kick out of knowing what's going on around the city before everyone else knows. Of course the joke in the fire hall is that our kids best not do anything "bad" in town or else their dad WILL find out about it because of what he does now. One of the other dads jokingly told us that he told his kids they better go at least two counties over if they plan on being delinquents. I thought that was good humor!