Ow

Almost a week between posts.

Let's see:

-Last Thursday: took my oldest daughter Elizabeth to a ZoeGirl/Jump5 concert in anticipation of her 8th birthday. After the opening act (4 or 5 songs) and 2 songs into the first of the 2 main headliners - she sat down and rested her head on my lap. It was past her bedtime and she was getting tired. We almost left, but she really wanted to see Jump5. We got home about 10:30pm.

-Friday: her actual birthday. Rubi and I spent all day running errands and getting stuff - decorations, etc - for her party Saturday. Then we picked her up from school and took her home. Then my parents came over to give her their gift. They visited for about a half hour then left. Then Rubi's sister (Aunt Sara) showed up to take Elizabeth shopping for her birthday gift and a dinner at TGIFridays (I'm jealous - I like Friday's!). While she was out, I ran to Rubi's best friend's house (Susan) and helped her husband (Russ) move an Air Hockey table from their garage across the county to Rubi's parents garage. Russ and Susan gave their Air Hockey table to Elizabeth as part of her birthday, because Russ is getting a new model from his work (a sporting goods company).

-Saturday: Elizabeth's 8th birthday party, scheduled for 11am at Rubi's parent's house. I leave the house at 7am to get Elizabeth's gift my parents house because I forgot to the day before - we bought her a new bicycle and stored it at my parents house so Elizabeth wouldn't see it. It was pouring down rain. I woke up my parents knocking on their door at 7:30 in the morning, and then got soaked by the rain trying to squeeze the bike into my trunk. I ended up putting it in the back seat. I'm back about 8, and Rubi heads out at 9 am to grab some last minute stuff and go decorate and re-plan the party, because she had planned for an outside party - and it's been raining since midnight. I leave a little after 10 to head out to the party with Elizabeth and my other kiddos.

The party is a success. Great fun was had by all, yada yada.
Oh. Did I mention Saturday was also my 11th anniversary with Rubi? We get home about 2pm, get the kids cleaned up, get us cleaned up, REST for a bit and then take the kids to my parents house. My parents are babysitting them so Rubi and I can go out for dinner and a movie. Except: no movies showing we want to see (saw HGTTG last week). So we have a wonderful dinner at a local establishment. Then, like the old boring people we are, we return some of the decorations and party supplies that we didn't use to the stores we purchased them from. Then Rubi and I went out for ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Had a nice leisurely dessert. We picked up the kids and called it a night.

-Sunday: Elizabeth has her all-school picnic at a local lake-park-camp thingy from 1pm-4pm. I was supposed to be at work at 3pm (really 2:45ish). We get there and have a good time for a bit, but then I have to leave for work. I get to work and, since there is another supervisor working with me on 2nd shift that I wasn't aware was working today, I take a sick day and go back to the picnic. I take Alexander on a paddle-boat ride - but he can't reach pedals, so I get to do all the pedaling. Hence the title of this post: "Ow." I think I pulled something in my lower back.

-Monday: My back still hurts. It hurt all afternoon and evening Sunday, kept me from getting a good nights rest last night, and still hurts now. OTC pain killers dull the pain, but it still aches even after taking 3 Aleve. I've been wearing a Thermacare heating pad on my back for 6 hours now, and it hasn't helped. I soaked in the tub in hot water and epsom salt earlier this afternoon - felt good, but didn't help my back.

Alexander had his all-school pre-school end-of-the-school-year picnic today from 9-noon. I thought it was from 8:30-11am. Rubi's new job started at 8, so after dropping Elizabeth at school, we took Rubi to work and then made our way to the picnic.

It was fun: Alexander and Catherine got to play at a really cool playground for awhile. We had a hot dog and chips and stuff. Alexander got lots of loving attention from his teachers and then, when I realized it was almost 11:30, we left to go get Rubi from her job. Then we went home and the above soak took place.

Now I'm at work, barely working (can you say "burnout"? -I knew you could!), and mentally whimpering at the pain in the back.



Ow.




Ooh! Star Wars Episode III Revenge of the Sith comes out Thursday!
I'll probably go to a midnight showing Wednesday night/Thursday morning, and then Rubi and I will go Thursday afternoon.

Ow