Down with my back

I am totally completely down with a back injury. I tweaked it at the grocery store on Monday, then when I climbed up on my kitchen counter today to put away some Christmas things, it took things to a whole new level. I honestly thought I would have to spend the day on the kitchen counter because I couldn't move at all, but eventually I made it down. I think it's a pulled muscle, but it's agony to even walk or sit or move at all. I'm stuck in a chair in my living room with a heating pad and my laptop. I just hope to hell that I don't have to go to the bathroom because trust me, it's not happening. It hurts all the way to my toes. And don't tell me to go to the doctor because there's no stinking way I could get to my car right now.

On another note, I'm sorry I missed you all yesterday. My normal blog time was filled up by one of my dogs being sick and pooping or vomiting in approximately forty places in my living room. Yes, I said forty, but it might have been more. So that put me way behind yesterday (and I took a kid to the doctor, drove to the middle school four times, etc.).

But on another note, I'm writing smoke out of my keyboard on a new manuscript, and it's coming together. I'm very excited. It's BREAKFAST JAM to go with TRAFFIC JAM. I hope you'll all love it, but more importantly, I hope kids love it. It's fun to write. I hope to have it all polished up by tomorrow and now that I'm stuck in a chair, it should definitely be finished.

The kids are all doing well and back into a school routine (as opposed to YS on Monday who laid on my bathroom floor and wailed, "I can't go back to school. I just love Christmas too much!"). They're settling right back into things. My OS is so motivated by this club his teacher started if you make a perfect score on your spelling test, he's just all into it. He got home on Monday and said that he wanted to take a practice test every day all week, so he'd be sure to have a perfect score on Friday. He said,"My teacher is counting on me." I just LOVE that. Wouldn't it be amazing if all our teachers were so gift and adept at motivating kids? Now certainly some kids are easier to motivate than others, but with my kids, if they know the teacher cares THAT one thing is very motivating to them. Like him saying, "My teacher is counting on me." He doesn't want to let her down. Then my girls are all scrambling around for extra credit before the 9 weeks ends next week. I think all the excitement of Christmas took precedence of their best work in December. Just a guess.
It's amusing to watch but I'm really proud of their initiative.

OM is cranking up big time. We've got a big practice this week-end (speaking of which, I need to get all the supplies which will be interesting from a chair...). What's cranking up for YOU this January? Are your resolutions holding? Is anyone else out there trying to lose some holiday pounds? I actually think that my back is just freaking out from all that extra tummy it's carrying around.

It's cold and we're dying for some snow. Please send us some.

Have a great day and enjoy your first full week of the New Year.