Battling the insurance company....

On a weekend day, my son came down with strep throat. He was miserable! The trip to the after-care doctor went smoothly, they called in a prescription to the pharmacy close to home that we have used for years. This is where the nightmare began! My husbands insurance through his job requires a HUGE family deductible before the employer starts paying. We met that ridiculous deductible by using a flexible spending account. Any time we needed to pay for co-pays or prescriptions we used our flexible spending account card (fsa). So what is supposed to happen next is that the employers contribution card kicks in. But of course, on a weekend it didn't kick in. My option was to fight with the company who holds the card or pay out of pocket $127.00!!!! So I opted to try and fight the company for an hour or two. You can't get through to a live person - you have to leave a message. Eight messages later, no one called back. We finally decided that we needed to scrounge up the money to pay out of pocket then fight for reimbursement later. Go to the pharmacy - they are closed! Figures! Called the insurance company and prescription company (yes they are separate) and tried to get the prescription at another pharmacy.....strings, strings, strings! They would have to void out the first prescription because it was filled already (yeah like I'm really in the market for a double dose of antibiotics!). Then we would have to call the pediatrician to call in another prescription at another pharmacy. Oh wait, we have to find one that's open on Sunday at 9pm! Then we would have to call the prescription company back for approval, and so on and so forth. We we literally on the phone for more than 5 hours - and sadly nothing can get done until 8am Monday morning. Do these big companies care that my son feels terrible? No they don't.

Reflecting on Motherhood

When they're babies and you've had countless sleepless nights, you think to yourself "when they're older, it will get easier." Then you blink and they're in school. You volunteer for the PTA and collect box tops, soup can labels and other fundraising points until your head explodes! You volunteer to help work the book fairs, class trips, gift shops, and other special events. You attend all the class plays, music concerts and meet the teacher nights. You go shopping at 10pm for poster board for a project you only found out about at the last minute. Then you blink and they're teenagers. They want to drive, and date and don't want to be seen with you. Their homework is more difficult and you scramble to help them with trigonometry that you haven't done in 20 years! You lose sleep filling out college applications and waiting for responses. Then you blink and they're all grown up. We pour our hearts and souls into our children. Once they move out on their own we reflect back to their childhood and would give anything to just hold that precious little baby once more - lost sleep and all!

online writing

So for a couple of years now, I've been writing articles online in several locations. I've managed this and another blog, and managed a facebook fan page for "lilmrsknowitall"! The money comes in in drips and drabs but hey, it's money! I recently was told by a friend about a new writing site called "List My Five". It's just lists and it hasn't been ranked by Google yet but people are making money! So, I figured I'd give it a try! So far it's slow but of course I have my hopes up!

so far so good..

My girl scout camping trip went extremely well! Everything went as planned and the girls really seemed to enjoy it! They cooked out of their box ovens that we made, started the campfires with firestarters we made out of dryer lint and candle wax! They also took their duties seriously and without complaints, they cleaned the latrines, set up the dunk line, and pitched the tents. Overall, I'm glad that the first time is over-with because I was getting so anxious that my stomach hurt! We're definitely going again in the Spring!
The kids have been in school for over a month already and I just can't keep up with all the activities! I've been using my crockpot to cook dinner almost every day just so that a home-cooked meal is ready and waiting while we're all running around! I am so thankful for that little bit of pre-planning when I get home and am too tired to cook!

girl scouts...

So, I'm taking my scouts camping for the first time! I'm truly excited and nervous at the same time! I took the overnight outdoor training and learned to cook in the coolest ways! We are going to make our own firestarters and box ovens. I think my girls will love the experience and have a great time! I hope all goes according to plan! Please pray for no rain!

jealousy...

Ok so I'm talking with some female coworkers at lunch the other day and we get on the topic of all the actvities our children are involved in. School has just started and already the fall PTA fundraiser has been sent home. Not to mention, girl and boy scouts started, ballet, and after school intramurals. I tell them that I love my slow cooker for for preparing meals in the morning so dinner is done when we get home. Granted I am one of the few part time workers in my office. A comment was made that well at least I have the time in the morning to set up my slow cooker, as they arev schlepping their uncooperating babies around to day care before work starts. Not for nothing, but I work my ass off in the office and at home. My kids come home to me being there, checking homework and involved in ALL their activies! To me, this is just another example of jealousy. I know they are physically in the office 3 more hours per day than I am, but iI will trump them in that I am a dedicated, involved and reliable parent! Don't worry baby, Mommy's here!

Back to school!

I've written some tips on how to get ready for back to school time. http://www.ehow.com/how_4484006_back-school-ready.html It's important that the transition is smooth for the kids AND you! We need to get ourselves organized, start the school year fresh - you know, because we're going to join the PTA this year and actually attend the meetings! lol Seriously, there are many things to get ready. I've got both school supply lists, doctors forms are ready, summer reading is in full swing, and the bed times will be progressively shortened! Yes, moms, it's that time. We look forward to it, and yet we also dread it. It's a brand new school year but our babies are getting older. Many different emotions circling around, but in the end I'm confident that we will all make it through together!