2023
Friday, December 31, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Don't be afraid...
...with Google Voice you can ditch your landline and those monthly bills.
Even if you hold your laptop up to your face like a flip phone, talking into your computer is lame. You want to use Google Voice like a real phone—with buttons and stuff. Here is how.
You're going to need a Google Voice account. You can get a Google Voice number right here, for free. Do it. This will be your new "Home Phone Number".
The key to all this fun, is the little device I got for christmas this year. The Linksys PAP2T, only $49.99 on amazon.com.
The Linksys PAP2T is a little box that turns your home phone into a VoIP phone. It's simple: You just plug your home phone into the PAP2T's jack and plug the PAP2T into your home network (Internet). That's it; your hardware setup is done.
The real magic (and a little bit of work) is in the VoIP service Sipgate. Sipgate is a VoIP service that gives you a free phone number and free incoming calls.
Google Voice gives you free outgoing calls in the US.
Sipgate's free incoming calls combined with Google Voice's free outgoing calls, is a perfect $0/month solution.
You won't notice any difference when it comes to receiving calls. Your home phone will ring, just like it did with your landline.
Making outgoing calls is a little less convenient because you'll need to use Google Voice's website to set up calls. Google voice will call your home phone and then connect you with the phone number you entered at the website. This is a small hassle but that tiny trade leaves you completely free of monthly bills. The other option is to just make outgoing calls with your cell phone.
Two other items of note. Sipgate will allow you to call 911 for approximately $2/month if you sign up and configure it, otherwise no 911 from the home phone. Also, if you have a home security service, they generally require a more formal landline service.
Here's how to do it:
• Sign up for Sipgate and get your free phone number. (mine was a California phone number, but it doesn't matter)
• Set up Google Voice to forward calls to your new Sipgate number.
• Plug a phone into your PAP2T, grab a pencil, and dial "****"
• After the prompt, dial 110# (here's why you need the pencil), and write down the IP address it recites back.
• Type that IP address in your browser
• On the resulting page, go to "Admin Login" and choose "Line 1"
• Insert the proper info, Sipgate's website has detailed instructions on the exact information you'll need to plug into your PAP2T.
Even if you hold your laptop up to your face like a flip phone, talking into your computer is lame. You want to use Google Voice like a real phone—with buttons and stuff. Here is how.
You're going to need a Google Voice account. You can get a Google Voice number right here, for free. Do it. This will be your new "Home Phone Number".
The key to all this fun, is the little device I got for christmas this year. The Linksys PAP2T, only $49.99 on amazon.com.
The Linksys PAP2T is a little box that turns your home phone into a VoIP phone. It's simple: You just plug your home phone into the PAP2T's jack and plug the PAP2T into your home network (Internet). That's it; your hardware setup is done.
The real magic (and a little bit of work) is in the VoIP service Sipgate. Sipgate is a VoIP service that gives you a free phone number and free incoming calls.
Google Voice gives you free outgoing calls in the US.
Sipgate's free incoming calls combined with Google Voice's free outgoing calls, is a perfect $0/month solution.
You won't notice any difference when it comes to receiving calls. Your home phone will ring, just like it did with your landline.
Making outgoing calls is a little less convenient because you'll need to use Google Voice's website to set up calls. Google voice will call your home phone and then connect you with the phone number you entered at the website. This is a small hassle but that tiny trade leaves you completely free of monthly bills. The other option is to just make outgoing calls with your cell phone.
Two other items of note. Sipgate will allow you to call 911 for approximately $2/month if you sign up and configure it, otherwise no 911 from the home phone. Also, if you have a home security service, they generally require a more formal landline service.
Here's how to do it:
• Sign up for Sipgate and get your free phone number. (mine was a California phone number, but it doesn't matter)
• Set up Google Voice to forward calls to your new Sipgate number.
• Plug a phone into your PAP2T, grab a pencil, and dial "****"
• After the prompt, dial 110# (here's why you need the pencil), and write down the IP address it recites back.
• Type that IP address in your browser
• On the resulting page, go to "Admin Login" and choose "Line 1"
• Insert the proper info, Sipgate's website has detailed instructions on the exact information you'll need to plug into your PAP2T.
Friday, December 24, 2010
The Pergola Kid
The concrete has been scored in a 2' x 2' diamond pattern; waiting to be stained later. The Lifetime Lumber arrived and a guy was here today to start the pergolas. Gib and Taryn think they look very shrine-ish and so of course Gib had to go outside and break them in.
I was supposed to work from 2-6 today. Last night I started feeling pretty bad. One eye began swelling and I had a low grade fever. This morning, I woke up with both eyes swollen; I was pretty sure the excision was getting infected. I felt bad making the Dr come in on his day off, but figured better today than Christmas if it got progressively worse. I got a prescription for a different antibiotic than the one I've been taking. I am nervous about trying one I've never been on before, however, since antibiotics and I have an unpleasant history.
I called CWC and they said the really needed me there, but would put me in the fitting room since I look like Quasimoto and don't feel so chipper. When I showed up, the store had slowed down to where there were more sales associates than customers. I was dropped off by Mike 15 minutes early, so I was hanging out in the break room, and was promptly sent home before I even clocked in. I am now on stand-by here at the house since I am 5 minutes away should things change from 4-6 when they go down to two associates to close. I am working forever the day after Christmas, so I think the assistant manager wanted me to be ready and raring to go then. Return City and Mega After Christmas Sales. Sure hope I can smile by then.
After I got cut at CWC I helped Mr. C with all the last minute errands of the Night Before Christmas, including a stop at the grocery store for sugar cookies with sprinkles on top. We figured Santa would like those just as much as if Mariah had made them, and we wouldn't have a kitchen to clean! It's just one of those kind of years. I think there will be a little something extra in the stocking to make up for it, but that's just a guess.
I was supposed to work from 2-6 today. Last night I started feeling pretty bad. One eye began swelling and I had a low grade fever. This morning, I woke up with both eyes swollen; I was pretty sure the excision was getting infected. I felt bad making the Dr come in on his day off, but figured better today than Christmas if it got progressively worse. I got a prescription for a different antibiotic than the one I've been taking. I am nervous about trying one I've never been on before, however, since antibiotics and I have an unpleasant history.
I called CWC and they said the really needed me there, but would put me in the fitting room since I look like Quasimoto and don't feel so chipper. When I showed up, the store had slowed down to where there were more sales associates than customers. I was dropped off by Mike 15 minutes early, so I was hanging out in the break room, and was promptly sent home before I even clocked in. I am now on stand-by here at the house since I am 5 minutes away should things change from 4-6 when they go down to two associates to close. I am working forever the day after Christmas, so I think the assistant manager wanted me to be ready and raring to go then. Return City and Mega After Christmas Sales. Sure hope I can smile by then.
After I got cut at CWC I helped Mr. C with all the last minute errands of the Night Before Christmas, including a stop at the grocery store for sugar cookies with sprinkles on top. We figured Santa would like those just as much as if Mariah had made them, and we wouldn't have a kitchen to clean! It's just one of those kind of years. I think there will be a little something extra in the stocking to make up for it, but that's just a guess.
Merry Christmas Everyone! We hope your Christmas is joyful and filled with the Spirit of the Christ Child whose birth we celebrate, not only tomorrow but all through 2011.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Stitches
The title should be sufficient warning! 3 out of 4 kids think it is disgusting beyond belief. I like to think they just hate to see their beloved mother in stitches.
Today is much better. Sleeping comfortably is difficult.
I really hope when the stitches come out, the dr is right that it will eventually (key word, I'm thinking) look like another forehead wrinkle.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
My Aching Head
I had a rough night and do not feel good today AT ALL. After insisting on prescription pain killer, I ended up having a reaction to it. When the Dr. gave me Lortab, I thought I had taken it before, but I guess not. I knew I should have asked for Darvocet, which I know I can tolerate. How I hate being so sensitive to meds. I no sooner had taken the 2nd Lortab, a hydrocodone mix which by the way wasn't working anyways, when the itching began. After awhile, I thought I'd better get up and see if I was starting to turn colors like I do when I have an antibiotic reaction. Well, after nearly fainting but seeing that I was just a ghostly white, I went back to bed and took myself off the painkiller. I got up at 5 am in too much pain to sleep, and tried taking Tylenol. After dozing on the sofa for 30 minutes, I began to feel faint from the pain, and was dripping in sweat. I debated barfing, then decided not to. Good call, huh?! I REALLY don't handle pain well.
So I called the Dr. at a reasonable hour of 7:15 which I thought was nice of me, before he started seeing patients. I described my experiences of the night before and the morning fun with the Tylenol as pain reliever. He wasn't willing to prescribe Darvocet since he really felt in the first place that I would be just fine with OTC. Seriously? 500 mg Tylenol covers the pain from a chunk of skin removed equal to the diameter and thickness of a nickel? After some discussion, he said I could alternate it with Motrin since the threat of bleeding is now pretty much passed. Well.... the threat of MY bleeding is. I am a cranky person when I have a head wound people!! Beware!! We ended the conversation with an out that if by late afternoon I am still in bad shape he will call in some kind of non-opiate pain reliever. Whatever, dude, I don't care what it is, I just don't want to barf.
So the actual procedure: they marked my head with sharpie, then iodined my whole face. The nurse gave me several injections to numb the area. I am not afraid of needles, but she got me a little worried because she said they would really sting and burn. I am not sure you should be saying that! I think it would have been better described as a "Stick and a Sting". Once she got about 3 in, I didn't hardly feel even that, except for a couple of less numbed areas going in. After 15 minutes they tested to see if I was indeed numb. There were a couple spots not numbed enough so I got needled again. Then the dr came in and next thing you know, I feel a line being drawn across my forehead. I kept my eyes closed and went to my happy place, trying hard not to think about the fact that was a scalpel cutting into my skin there. Ewwww.
After a bit, I was roused from my happy place by a very distinct snip-snip-snip. I could even feel the tugging, but no other sensation. I gotta say it was really gross. So of course, I said "that sounds an awful lot like scissors" and the dr confirms he is using very small scissors on me. My reply? "That is so disgusting". I considered sharing the conversation Indy and I had about how gross we think his job is, but decided to save that for another time.
In between cutting, snipping and stuff, they were cauterizing. Eww, ewww, ewwwww. I told them before anything began that I would be the stillest person ever if they would just warn me ahead of the cauterization so I could hold my breath. Otherwise they would probably have a gagger. Their choice. I can hold my breath for a really long time too. So everytime he had to do that, I would take a deep breath and hold it. One time I jumped and he thought I had felt it. I said, "it almost hurt, but it didn't". It was kind of like a shock that I could feel in my hairline. I thought maybe a wire was moving in my hairline that I didn't know was there. He said it was a nerve that runs vertically and he was probably hitting it. Umm, ok, stop?! It kept happening after that.
When all of that FINALLY ended, and I gotta say it took so long my happy place was not happy anymore in the slightest, the sewing up began. That took even longer. I thought I could amuse myself by counting stitches. I stopped after a good long while, probably somewhere after 20. Mostly because I was distracted when I started to regain some feeling. At one point I go "I kinda felt that!" and the dr said "kinda?" I told him if it was the last one on the far right I could tolerate it, but if he was going to do anymore leatherworking over there, I needed more local first. Complete silence. Oh, that went over quite well. Then he said he was done there until the next row. Next row?! By the time he hit my forehead side I got a real zinger and went for an "OOWWW!" lest they think I was lying about my pain level tolerance being a ZERO. I think he did it on purpose. So I got re-numbed all over and the work commenced until it was done. My dr is really a nice guy, and I hope to see that he's as super talented as well. He said it will be a thin ridge for about 6 weeks. I will have a quizzical look for a couple of weeks as he had to pull the skin pretty tight making one brow higher than the other. My bangs better be long enough to cover that! The lab results come back in a week to 10 days.
They cleaned it all up, put a several layers of bandages over it. I thought about asking to see it, but decided my stomach was done for the day. Besides, now I have something to look forward to, hahah. A pressure bandage on top of all that and gave me a bunch of post-op instructions. They tried to talk me out of my prescription painkillers. And here we are. I am left wondering, if they find any more signs of melanoma next week that I will have to do this for?! Ugh.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Snow, Exams, Indy, Quilt, Paint, Guest, Taryn, Patio
It's been a week since my last blog..... and alot has happened since then! We had some snow, and that closed school for a day on Monday, then the kids went to school late on Tuesday. Indy arrived in the middle of it all on Tuesday night. On Wednesday they went to school on time, but came home at noon due to the threat of an ice storm, which never arrived. Sheesh! It wouldn't have bothered me except for a pesky little issue of final semester exams. Gib missed his afternoon exam on Wednesday and had to take 3 on Thursday. Everyone went to school for full days Thursday and Friday and got to finish all exams resulting in a relaxing Winter Break without the prospect of taking an exam in January looming over their heads.
Nobody was more relieved than Gib who pulled tanked grades up and got 2 A's and 3 B's for the semester. He came home and got his grades online, and requested the return on his cell phone and facebook account. He had to text his dad for the password. His dad replied "good grades". Gib thought it was a question, so he texted back YES. Turns out, Mike had changed Gib's facebook password to "good grades" during the duration of the weeks he had to go without it while working on his academics. I thought that was hilarious. I'm not so sure Gib found it as funny as I did.
Preschool ended on Thursday for the holidays. We had a half day with the Christmas program which was so adorable. The program was centered around my favorite childhood book of Twas the Night Before Christmas, with a narrator reading the story, a slide show with the pages of book as he read along, and at certain points each preschool class sang a song. Very cute! Afterwards, they all had class parties and went home. We broke down classrooms and then all the staff went out to lunch and we had our gift exchange. My boss knew I wanted to get this one teacher to make a quilt for her gift. She does so much for our school, the community, etc., and I wanted to give something extra back to her. I got this idea a long time ago to make a quilt based on the units she teaches; I browsed the material store to see if it was possible. Boy, was it!! So by some stroke of luck, my boss handed me her name and said she had drawn it for me since I wasn't going to be at school the day of the drawing! Wow, what a coincidence!
My mom and I had alot of fun shopping for material. It features Eric Carle heavily since the teacher starts with that unit and uses their Eric Carle inspired paintings all year long in their art projects. Mom and I spent alot of Thanksgiving placing the fabric. 
Here is the back of the quilt, done in subway tile pattern.
Another project finished this week, finally, was painting Taryn's new college girl bedroom. Indy helped me since I only got 1 wall done on Monday. She and I cranked it out and when Mike and I left on Sunday to get T, all that was left was one wall of touch ups and to put the furniture in place. I could have finished the touch ups if Killer Bunnies hadn't called me away! We wrote a message on the wall to her friend Charlie who will be remembered forever for losing in Rock-Paper-Scissors and having to stay in the "turquoise room" when he and Trevor came for a visit. We thought for sure the guys would be fighting over the bed, but nooo, they fought over the pull out sofa rather than lose any manliness in the turquoise room. Trevor and Charlie are on their missions now, but another friend from the infamous EFY group, Brennin, is back from his mission, so he came for a visit this weekend! We were excited to have his company. He had to learn Killer Bunnies, however, we didn't make him stay in the almost finished, paint fumed navy blue room. Indy, Brennin, Gib and Mariah also visited the Opryland hotel; a busy place this season having just reopened since the May flood. There are some great photos on Indy's facebook wall of their Opryland excursion. And one photo that is deep, deep, deep undercover right now. A totally fake marriage proposal from Brennin to Indy that they are going to use to fool Charlie and Trevor into thinking he proposed to her while they are on their missions.
Mike won Killer Bunnies by the way. Poor Brennin could barely keep Bunny Heart alive the entire game and had to revive him once even. He was attached. I do believe there is a photo of him snuggling Bunny Heart.
While Mike and I were picking up Taryn in St. Louis, Indy and Brennin finished her room as a welcome home present! They moved in all her furniture, hung the shelves, put up artwork, and decorated with all her shells and stuff. It looked great! We got home just in time to say goodbye to Brennin who had to return home that night. Bummer. Unfortunately, it was too dark without overhead lights in the college suites to get a photo, because as soon as Taryn moved in, her travelling trunk exploded and that AFTER photo is not going to happen until I see carpet again.
Here is Taryn, utterly thrilled that I texted Mike to send her out for a Rest Stop Photo Op to add to my collection
Fishy!!
The cats haven't used the back door since who knows when. Neither have we, but hey, we're just the humans, it's the cats that use it the most!
Nobody was more relieved than Gib who pulled tanked grades up and got 2 A's and 3 B's for the semester. He came home and got his grades online, and requested the return on his cell phone and facebook account. He had to text his dad for the password. His dad replied "good grades". Gib thought it was a question, so he texted back YES. Turns out, Mike had changed Gib's facebook password to "good grades" during the duration of the weeks he had to go without it while working on his academics. I thought that was hilarious. I'm not so sure Gib found it as funny as I did.
Preschool ended on Thursday for the holidays. We had a half day with the Christmas program which was so adorable. The program was centered around my favorite childhood book of Twas the Night Before Christmas, with a narrator reading the story, a slide show with the pages of book as he read along, and at certain points each preschool class sang a song. Very cute! Afterwards, they all had class parties and went home. We broke down classrooms and then all the staff went out to lunch and we had our gift exchange. My boss knew I wanted to get this one teacher to make a quilt for her gift. She does so much for our school, the community, etc., and I wanted to give something extra back to her. I got this idea a long time ago to make a quilt based on the units she teaches; I browsed the material store to see if it was possible. Boy, was it!! So by some stroke of luck, my boss handed me her name and said she had drawn it for me since I wasn't going to be at school the day of the drawing! Wow, what a coincidence!
My mom and I had alot of fun shopping for material. It features Eric Carle heavily since the teacher starts with that unit and uses their Eric Carle inspired paintings all year long in their art projects. Mom and I spent alot of Thanksgiving placing the fabric. Then mom went to work on all the sewing!
Here is the back of the quilt, done in subway tile pattern. Everyone loved it, especially the teacher I gave it to! She couldn't believe we got all her preschool units into one quilt. My mom did a great job on it didn't she?! We make a good team. I love to choose the fabrics and she loves to quilt.
Another project finished this week, finally, was painting Taryn's new college girl bedroom. Indy helped me since I only got 1 wall done on Monday. She and I cranked it out and when Mike and I left on Sunday to get T, all that was left was one wall of touch ups and to put the furniture in place. I could have finished the touch ups if Killer Bunnies hadn't called me away! We wrote a message on the wall to her friend Charlie who will be remembered forever for losing in Rock-Paper-Scissors and having to stay in the "turquoise room" when he and Trevor came for a visit. We thought for sure the guys would be fighting over the bed, but nooo, they fought over the pull out sofa rather than lose any manliness in the turquoise room. Trevor and Charlie are on their missions now, but another friend from the infamous EFY group, Brennin, is back from his mission, so he came for a visit this weekend! We were excited to have his company. He had to learn Killer Bunnies, however, we didn't make him stay in the almost finished, paint fumed navy blue room. Indy, Brennin, Gib and Mariah also visited the Opryland hotel; a busy place this season having just reopened since the May flood. There are some great photos on Indy's facebook wall of their Opryland excursion. And one photo that is deep, deep, deep undercover right now. A totally fake marriage proposal from Brennin to Indy that they are going to use to fool Charlie and Trevor into thinking he proposed to her while they are on their missions.
Mike won Killer Bunnies by the way. Poor Brennin could barely keep Bunny Heart alive the entire game and had to revive him once even. He was attached. I do believe there is a photo of him snuggling Bunny Heart.While Mike and I were picking up Taryn in St. Louis, Indy and Brennin finished her room as a welcome home present! They moved in all her furniture, hung the shelves, put up artwork, and decorated with all her shells and stuff. It looked great! We got home just in time to say goodbye to Brennin who had to return home that night. Bummer. Unfortunately, it was too dark without overhead lights in the college suites to get a photo, because as soon as Taryn moved in, her travelling trunk exploded and that AFTER photo is not going to happen until I see carpet again.
Here is Taryn, utterly thrilled that I texted Mike to send her out for a Rest Stop Photo Op to add to my collection
Fishy!!We haven't seen much of Taryn since she got home Sunday night. She has a cold and doesn't feel well. She is pretty much sequestered up there with her Betta fish, named Fishy, who had to travel with us in a Parmesan cheese shaker because it had a lid with holes and could fit in a cup holder. I thought that was totally ingenious on my part, especially since it was 2 am when I came up with it.
WHEW!!! this is long, isn't it?! Yesterday, Christmas came early and we got concrete!!!
The cats haven't used the back door since who knows when. Neither have we, but hey, we're just the humans, it's the cats that use it the most!Chino was given Top Cat honors.
Not sure about this!
Haven't quite figured out there was stairs yet. He eventually did.
Not sure about this!
Haven't quite figured out there was stairs yet. He eventually did.Give Chino the time and he'll get there.
Heading to his sidewalk, happy as he can be!
Mom's prison window will be replaced soon with a longer, bigger one.
Heading to his sidewalk, happy as he can be!
Mom's prison window will be replaced soon with a longer, bigger one.Still no bars. She hasn't tried to escape so we're rewarding her Good Conduct. From the inside the difference is amazing! So much natural sunlight in her kitchen and living room now! Yay!
Next: The patio will be scored in a diamond 2x2' pattern tomorrow. It will be stained when the weather warms up and it has cured. The pergolas will be built and the fire pit and elevated portions of the patio will be bricked. Also we have some brick columns going in which will be topped with outdoor lights flanking the sidewalk. And the wrought iron guys comes tomorrow or Thursday to start the railings.
Next: The patio will be scored in a diamond 2x2' pattern tomorrow. It will be stained when the weather warms up and it has cured. The pergolas will be built and the fire pit and elevated portions of the patio will be bricked. Also we have some brick columns going in which will be topped with outdoor lights flanking the sidewalk. And the wrought iron guys comes tomorrow or Thursday to start the railings. Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Happy B-Day Tuesday!
Today is Happy B-Day Tuesday to Mike! We are celebrating with the girls when everyone is gathered this weekend. But Mike has a white birthday this year to go with the silver starting to show in his hair. It happens to all of us eventually.
School starts 2 hrs late. That is to give the roads a chance to de-ice. If conditions just aren't going to work out, the school board cancels school after all. That way, nobody can say they planned a day off. Unfortunately, it's semester exams and the show must go on, or else Friday's exams would have to take place in January and nobody wants that!!! So we are all quite certain that school will start 2 hrs late today; I think I heard something on the recorded message about bus drivers using "discretion". Wow, what a concept. The entire school district doesn't have to miss school on account of one patch of ice in the back country a bus can't go around or skip that pick up destination altogether?!
This afternoon, Indy will head home in her blinkie black bug. Say that 3x fast. The turn lights and electrical system have gone beserk. When she uses her turn signal, all sorts of lights start flashing. It's kinda comical, unless you need to drive... or pay to fix it. She needs to get the fuel line looked at too. Oy.
School starts 2 hrs late. That is to give the roads a chance to de-ice. If conditions just aren't going to work out, the school board cancels school after all. That way, nobody can say they planned a day off. Unfortunately, it's semester exams and the show must go on, or else Friday's exams would have to take place in January and nobody wants that!!! So we are all quite certain that school will start 2 hrs late today; I think I heard something on the recorded message about bus drivers using "discretion". Wow, what a concept. The entire school district doesn't have to miss school on account of one patch of ice in the back country a bus can't go around or skip that pick up destination altogether?!
This afternoon, Indy will head home in her blinkie black bug. Say that 3x fast. The turn lights and electrical system have gone beserk. When she uses her turn signal, all sorts of lights start flashing. It's kinda comical, unless you need to drive... or pay to fix it. She needs to get the fuel line looked at too. Oy.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Snow Monday
Gib says I blew it not having a Thursday, Friday or Saturday post last week. Well, I was busy and didn't have anything! Hello?! Am I the only one here that can do this thing? I think not.
Good news to start our week: School was cancelled today! No Power Monday blues for Mariah because everyone got to sleep in... except me. I got to go next door and take care of the pups. Diego went first just to make sure all was still OK in the world. He got as far as the sidewalk and came right back in.
12 degrees and Rudolf's nose lit my way thru the frosty snow
Good news to start our week: School was cancelled today! No Power Monday blues for Mariah because everyone got to sleep in... except me. I got to go next door and take care of the pups. Diego went first just to make sure all was still OK in the world. He got as far as the sidewalk and came right back in.
12 degrees and Rudolf's nose lit my way thru the frosty snowThis time I didn't wear slippers like last night at 10:30.
Once daylight hit, the kids were outside, a balmy 16 degrees and just enough snow to sled
Gib and Thomas
Thomas saying something goofy about his gloves
Mariah giving me ALOT of grief about sending Mike a text to bring better winter gear down to us. This is her "you've got to be kidding me" mad face. She didn't care for my hypothermia/snow gear/frost bite/don't-eat-snow advice. I threw Gib's snow jacket at him and had Mike bring Mariah his ski jacket. Yeah, it went down to her knees, but then they were WARM knees, weren't they!
Mike also brought a new beanie for Mariah and water bottles for the kids.
Once daylight hit, the kids were outside, a balmy 16 degrees and just enough snow to sled
Gib and Thomas
Thomas saying something goofy about his gloves
Mariah giving me ALOT of grief about sending Mike a text to bring better winter gear down to us. This is her "you've got to be kidding me" mad face. She didn't care for my hypothermia/snow gear/frost bite/don't-eat-snow advice. I threw Gib's snow jacket at him and had Mike bring Mariah his ski jacket. Yeah, it went down to her knees, but then they were WARM knees, weren't they!
Mike also brought a new beanie for Mariah and water bottles for the kids. Because you REALLY shouldn't eat snow.
And then he drove me home :) ~ Love him!!!
And then he drove me home :) ~ Love him!!!
It wasn't too much longer before the kids appeared on our hill. Then Mariah came inside for hot cocoa. Gib and Thomas appeared soon after. They all had chips & salsa, sandwiches, and whatever else they could find for lunch. We had fun chatting, watching video of the boys "Being Stupid Take 4" and now Gib and Thomas are back outside.
And....
I've GOT to paint Taryn's room!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
What's Up With Wednesday?!
The news just kept getting weirder and weirder by Wednesday. On Tuesday, I got the call from Taryn that she was really ill. She is now feeling much better now after taking the meds her health center gave her, and drinking the electrolyte fluids they provided. The pain in her lower abdomen went away so she is off the watch list - whew! Dodged a bullet there.
But on Wednesday, I got another similar call from Indy! She was in terrible condition and very distressed. I told her to call her student health center and ask them what they could do for her so she wouldn't waste a trip down there if they were just going to send her away. An hour later they hadn't called her back. Her student health center is pretty bad. Taryn's seems to be pretty good - so there you go.
Indy ended up calling around to find someone who didn't have classes that day and they drove around looking for a walk in clinic. They finally found one and Indy staggered in and said she needed to see a dr badly. She ended up being hooked up to an IV, given antibiotics and stuff to stop the nausea and other medications. Poor Indy!
Somewhere in the middle of searching for the clinic, Indy's health center called back. They were closing for lunch and then the dr was only going to be there for another hour, so she was pretty much out of luck so it was a good decision she made to bail the campus and seek emergency medical care elsewhere. Too bad she didn't think to refer to the handy blue notebook I provided that told her where to go in the event she needed a clinic, complete with mapquest directions.
Taryn only has a couple choices and none are on our insurance plan so it doesn't really matter where she ends up going. What a week - My poor babies!! I sure hope Taryn does well on her make up test today, and that Indy's professors will all excuse her absence today as she sleeps and recovers from her illness. They both need to be in good health for final exams next week!!!
My wacky Wednesday yesterday was subbing in the 4 yr old preschool class. Nothing exciting happened. We worked on the parent gift for Christmas. I turned it into a 3 stage snowflake project. First we glitter painted the wooden snowflake. After Chapel we put decorations on it. After recess, I called the kids over one at a time during their "nap" and we put glue and sprinkled tons of glitter all over it. They got to choose what color glitter. I let a couple artistic kids go wild and put all 4 colors on theirs. Their teacher will wonder what happened to her glitter because I do not recycle the leftovers back into containers. Who has time for that?! Plus it got mixed up on the table!! I am just not that careful when I create. Today they will put their photos in the middle and their cute little answers to the questions what is special about themselves, their mom and their dad. I loved the ones that said stuff like Mom makes macaroni & cheese, and dad gives me raspberries; and I like jumping on my bed with my sister. Too precious!!! I do love my job.
After preschool I tried to get out of CWC but they really needed those calls completed so I went in early and knocked it out of the park with the other gal. We had those phones going like crazy and got it done in under 2 hrs. Then they let me go home. Nice! I was tired. I picked the kids up from church and we watched Survivor! What a great evening after a very long day!
I touched base with both my sicklies and they were doing ok, so I was able to rest well. And now I wonder... what will Thursday bring?! Dare I even ask....
But on Wednesday, I got another similar call from Indy! She was in terrible condition and very distressed. I told her to call her student health center and ask them what they could do for her so she wouldn't waste a trip down there if they were just going to send her away. An hour later they hadn't called her back. Her student health center is pretty bad. Taryn's seems to be pretty good - so there you go.
Indy ended up calling around to find someone who didn't have classes that day and they drove around looking for a walk in clinic. They finally found one and Indy staggered in and said she needed to see a dr badly. She ended up being hooked up to an IV, given antibiotics and stuff to stop the nausea and other medications. Poor Indy!
Somewhere in the middle of searching for the clinic, Indy's health center called back. They were closing for lunch and then the dr was only going to be there for another hour, so she was pretty much out of luck so it was a good decision she made to bail the campus and seek emergency medical care elsewhere. Too bad she didn't think to refer to the handy blue notebook I provided that told her where to go in the event she needed a clinic, complete with mapquest directions.
Taryn only has a couple choices and none are on our insurance plan so it doesn't really matter where she ends up going. What a week - My poor babies!! I sure hope Taryn does well on her make up test today, and that Indy's professors will all excuse her absence today as she sleeps and recovers from her illness. They both need to be in good health for final exams next week!!!
My wacky Wednesday yesterday was subbing in the 4 yr old preschool class. Nothing exciting happened. We worked on the parent gift for Christmas. I turned it into a 3 stage snowflake project. First we glitter painted the wooden snowflake. After Chapel we put decorations on it. After recess, I called the kids over one at a time during their "nap" and we put glue and sprinkled tons of glitter all over it. They got to choose what color glitter. I let a couple artistic kids go wild and put all 4 colors on theirs. Their teacher will wonder what happened to her glitter because I do not recycle the leftovers back into containers. Who has time for that?! Plus it got mixed up on the table!! I am just not that careful when I create. Today they will put their photos in the middle and their cute little answers to the questions what is special about themselves, their mom and their dad. I loved the ones that said stuff like Mom makes macaroni & cheese, and dad gives me raspberries; and I like jumping on my bed with my sister. Too precious!!! I do love my job.
After preschool I tried to get out of CWC but they really needed those calls completed so I went in early and knocked it out of the park with the other gal. We had those phones going like crazy and got it done in under 2 hrs. Then they let me go home. Nice! I was tired. I picked the kids up from church and we watched Survivor! What a great evening after a very long day!
I touched base with both my sicklies and they were doing ok, so I was able to rest well. And now I wonder... what will Thursday bring?! Dare I even ask....
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Terrible Tuesday
Well in keeping with the accidental blogging theme created, today was Terrible Tuesday in alot of ways:
- Taryn is Totally Sick. Really sick. Hopefully she only has the totally terrible rotten stomach virus going around campus, but I did get a call from her and the school nurse that she is on...appendicitis watch. She missed an exam today and has finals next week. Her ECON prof said she can make up today's exam next Thursday. Pray, pray, pray for T that she recovers her good health SOON and that it is not her appendix!!
- It's Totally Freezing here! After dinner tonight, Gib, Riah & I went outside to move some cement and gravel ditched beyond the creek. We never used to see it until Tree Guy came and cleared the place out. It was an eyesore. The dumpster will be leaving soon and Grammy wanted the debris gone. We all got frozen fingers. Gib had a nice little song going there about how he couldn't feel his fingers while we worked. I was the only one with gloves and they were just my driving gloves. We all needed to thaw afterwards.
- Today was a Total Bummer because I had to return to real life. No more sick pass for me. Back to the 6 days a week grind. But I am feeling a tad better. The antibiotics are kicking in. Tomorrow I gotta pull a double shift though. Ugh. Actually I'm gonna call it a triple because I am subbing in a pre-K class, so that counts as a double, and then working at CWC afterwards. Not looking forward to it much. I only have to make phone calls at CWC but I may not have much of a voice and zero energy. I will turn in early again tonight and hope extra sleep helps.
Power Monday
Yesterday was Power Monday for Gib. The high school administration meets and does teacher stuff and students start school at 8:10 instead of 7:30. If you take the bus, it picks you up same as usual and the kids hang out in the cafeteria. I drive Gib to school on Power Monday's, which pretty much gives him a whole extra hour of sleep. Mariah declared her dislike of his extra hour of sleep loudly and often. Both before school and after. Why this particular Power Monday pushed her over the edge, I don't know, but it sure rankled her. Totally not fair that Gib got to sleep in and she didn't! Maybe it was walking to the bus stop alone... no that can't be it, she had to sprint to the bus because she almost missed it. Just jealousy, pure and simple.
She was still riled about it and gearing up for another rant, while Gib and I were in the kitchen getting ready to serve dinner. We were about to try the consolation approach that she would get her Power Monday's in a couple of years too, but that little devil on my shoulder whispered in my ear (he was probably tired of the complaining!) and I winked at Gib and mouthed watch this... Mariah walks in and hearing the last of Gib's attempt at teasing/mixed with consolation, I go "yeah, you'll have a turn...oh noooo, wait. Your new high school (we were rezoned) doesn't have Power Mondays!" You should have seen her face. I was projecting utmost tragedy, more angst at the rezoning, and the most sincere sympathy I am capable of... I was only going to let it go another 10 seconds. But Gib, he couldn't take it, he goes "They have Power Wednesdays Mariah". I'm all "GIB!!!! I was gonna tell her in a minute!" and he says, "Mom... didn't you see her face?" Ahhh, what a good big brother. And then they ganged up on me and discussed what kind of mother does this stuff to her kids. The BEST KIND I say, the best kind.
That would be the same mother who drives her kid to high school on the Power day just so they can sleep in that extra hour. And Power Monday just so happens to be my day off! But wait, I'm the mom, and there's no such thing as a day off, right?! Besides, I love that drive to school time with Gib in the car. We enjoy it. There was this one morning when it was really cold and I don't have my driving gloves out yet. So I had my sleeves over my hands. I'm telling Gib how he probably shouldn't drive this way, since all our drives are now instructional. Some dodo is blocking both lanes to make a left turn, another dodo turning left across traffic stops in the middle of it and BOTH vehicles are in my way! Of course I honked! I threw up my hands in a C'MON! Move It! gesture, and Gib starts cracking up - we both did - because my hands are completely covered by flapping sleeves. Oh, we laughed all the way to school. :)
On a similar vein, Mariah got more teasing from her dad last night. Poor Mariah was just getting all our attention last night. Grammy and I stopped at Platos yesterday afternoon to get Mariah a couple pair of jeans for Christmas and we found a great leather jacket at an unbelieveable price which I knew Mariah would love. You can only make returns within 7 days, so I had to know if they fit even though it was all for Christmas. She was trying them on and modelling for us. The jacket was a Medium, but it was a good fit across the shoulders, just a tad long in the arms and big in the body. She can grow into it. Mike pronounced it too short for her and it had to go back. Mariah said I was the expert! Hah. Then she tried on jeans. She told me she wanted the longest ones I could find so that's what I went for. One pair has about 2" on the ground - she says it's perfect! Dad said "too short!". I tried to talk her into doing a modelling walkway run show for us with a headtoss turn, but no go. C'mon, work those jeans and leather jacket Girl!!
Now instead of hearing about Power Mondays, I will be listening to how cold it is and how much she neeeeeds that leather jacket before Christmas every morning. :))
She was still riled about it and gearing up for another rant, while Gib and I were in the kitchen getting ready to serve dinner. We were about to try the consolation approach that she would get her Power Monday's in a couple of years too, but that little devil on my shoulder whispered in my ear (he was probably tired of the complaining!) and I winked at Gib and mouthed watch this... Mariah walks in and hearing the last of Gib's attempt at teasing/mixed with consolation, I go "yeah, you'll have a turn...oh noooo, wait. Your new high school (we were rezoned) doesn't have Power Mondays!" You should have seen her face. I was projecting utmost tragedy, more angst at the rezoning, and the most sincere sympathy I am capable of... I was only going to let it go another 10 seconds. But Gib, he couldn't take it, he goes "They have Power Wednesdays Mariah". I'm all "GIB!!!! I was gonna tell her in a minute!" and he says, "Mom... didn't you see her face?" Ahhh, what a good big brother. And then they ganged up on me and discussed what kind of mother does this stuff to her kids. The BEST KIND I say, the best kind.
That would be the same mother who drives her kid to high school on the Power day just so they can sleep in that extra hour. And Power Monday just so happens to be my day off! But wait, I'm the mom, and there's no such thing as a day off, right?! Besides, I love that drive to school time with Gib in the car. We enjoy it. There was this one morning when it was really cold and I don't have my driving gloves out yet. So I had my sleeves over my hands. I'm telling Gib how he probably shouldn't drive this way, since all our drives are now instructional. Some dodo is blocking both lanes to make a left turn, another dodo turning left across traffic stops in the middle of it and BOTH vehicles are in my way! Of course I honked! I threw up my hands in a C'MON! Move It! gesture, and Gib starts cracking up - we both did - because my hands are completely covered by flapping sleeves. Oh, we laughed all the way to school. :)
On a similar vein, Mariah got more teasing from her dad last night. Poor Mariah was just getting all our attention last night. Grammy and I stopped at Platos yesterday afternoon to get Mariah a couple pair of jeans for Christmas and we found a great leather jacket at an unbelieveable price which I knew Mariah would love. You can only make returns within 7 days, so I had to know if they fit even though it was all for Christmas. She was trying them on and modelling for us. The jacket was a Medium, but it was a good fit across the shoulders, just a tad long in the arms and big in the body. She can grow into it. Mike pronounced it too short for her and it had to go back. Mariah said I was the expert! Hah. Then she tried on jeans. She told me she wanted the longest ones I could find so that's what I went for. One pair has about 2" on the ground - she says it's perfect! Dad said "too short!". I tried to talk her into doing a modelling walkway run show for us with a headtoss turn, but no go. C'mon, work those jeans and leather jacket Girl!!
Now instead of hearing about Power Mondays, I will be listening to how cold it is and how much she neeeeeds that leather jacket before Christmas every morning. :))
Saturday, December 4, 2010
SAT Saturday
Today is the day the younger half of our progeny take the dun-dun-dun (I am really going for the musical special effects this week) SAT. Yes, it is SAT Saturday, as opposed to SON Sunday huh Mickie?! Indy and Taryn both took the ACT, so I thought it was time to try the SAT on for size. The SAT tests in Math, English, and Writing.
Mariah is taking it voluntarily as a 7th grader as part of the Duke TIP academic talent identification program. Mariah qualified to take it due to scoring 100% on math TCAP in 5th grade, and 99% in 6th. Because she has not had much Science yet, I wondered if the SAT would be a better fit for her.
The Duke TIP thing gives her an opportunity to experience the test early. Whoooweee, kind of like riding a roller coaster, huh?! Ah, the thrill. And in return, somebody gets your money and you get in their program for the next 5 years. Supposedly, it helps us develop a diagnostic education plan for Mariah. It may also lead to academic offerings over summers for Duke TIP participants such as math or science camps. The students may have some scholarship opportunities if they do well, but that is not the main goal. I, however, rather think it is the main goal of parents who are looking at the high cost of a college education these days! And of course, I expect we will get alot of college brochures in the mail for the next 5 years. I don't mind; we could use that for both kids.
I wasn't really planning on Gib taking it, but at the last minute, we signed him up too. He was so pleased. But he missed the PSAT offered at his high school when his wisdom teeth were taken out. I also liked that Gib can go with his 12 yr old sister, where they will be with mostly 17 yr olds. I'm just freaky like that and everyone knows it.
It will be a good baseline for both Gib and Mariah. And what a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!
Mariah is taking it voluntarily as a 7th grader as part of the Duke TIP academic talent identification program. Mariah qualified to take it due to scoring 100% on math TCAP in 5th grade, and 99% in 6th. Because she has not had much Science yet, I wondered if the SAT would be a better fit for her.
The Duke TIP thing gives her an opportunity to experience the test early. Whoooweee, kind of like riding a roller coaster, huh?! Ah, the thrill. And in return, somebody gets your money and you get in their program for the next 5 years. Supposedly, it helps us develop a diagnostic education plan for Mariah. It may also lead to academic offerings over summers for Duke TIP participants such as math or science camps. The students may have some scholarship opportunities if they do well, but that is not the main goal. I, however, rather think it is the main goal of parents who are looking at the high cost of a college education these days! And of course, I expect we will get alot of college brochures in the mail for the next 5 years. I don't mind; we could use that for both kids.
I wasn't really planning on Gib taking it, but at the last minute, we signed him up too. He was so pleased. But he missed the PSAT offered at his high school when his wisdom teeth were taken out. I also liked that Gib can go with his 12 yr old sister, where they will be with mostly 17 yr olds. I'm just freaky like that and everyone knows it.
It will be a good baseline for both Gib and Mariah. And what a wonderful way to spend a Saturday!
Friday, December 3, 2010
What Did You Get Today?
Did you get a pile of..... GRAVEL?! Ours actually arrived yesterday. It might be smaller by now, who knows. I'm too busy coughing to find out.
This is where it has been going. There is alot of noise going on out there and a big ol' wheelbarrow dumping more in, so yeah, the pile must be getting smaller. Soon, this will be the new backyard porch leading to the patio. The stairs going down will be on the left. Boy will it feel good to be able to open the back door again!
This is where it has been going. There is alot of noise going on out there and a big ol' wheelbarrow dumping more in, so yeah, the pile must be getting smaller. Soon, this will be the new backyard porch leading to the patio. The stairs going down will be on the left. Boy will it feel good to be able to open the back door again!
I took this before the workers arrived, super early, in the freezing cold. OK, it was 7 am, but I still consider that early and it WAS cold!
Grammy is supposed to get her window today! It looks so small right now, doesn't it? But it had to fit in her kitchen between cabinets, and there is a ceiling and a floor above her, so it couldn't be much wider or bigger. I'm sure once everything goes in, it will not look so forlorn. Plus we discovered prison bars were way more expensive than one might think, and Grammy hasn't tried to escape yet. And I know that looking out, the window will be absolutely wonderful!!
So. Guess what I got today? I'm supposed to be in bed watching HGTV... at least that is what I usually do when I'm really sick. My CWC boss is not a happy girl right now, but I am the "lucky" holder of a 3 day work furlough due to Acute Bronchitis. All I went to the clinic for was some prescription tussin cough pearls so we could all get some relief from the stupid non stop coughing and I could work the weekend without consuming an entire bag of Halls (which by the way, gives you a tummy ache). Instead, I got the cough prescription, inhaler, and 3 day pass!. I've never had an inhaler before. Wow, am I getting old or what?!
Grammy is supposed to get her window today! It looks so small right now, doesn't it? But it had to fit in her kitchen between cabinets, and there is a ceiling and a floor above her, so it couldn't be much wider or bigger. I'm sure once everything goes in, it will not look so forlorn. Plus we discovered prison bars were way more expensive than one might think, and Grammy hasn't tried to escape yet. And I know that looking out, the window will be absolutely wonderful!!
So. Guess what I got today? I'm supposed to be in bed watching HGTV... at least that is what I usually do when I'm really sick. My CWC boss is not a happy girl right now, but I am the "lucky" holder of a 3 day work furlough due to Acute Bronchitis. All I went to the clinic for was some prescription tussin cough pearls so we could all get some relief from the stupid non stop coughing and I could work the weekend without consuming an entire bag of Halls (which by the way, gives you a tummy ache). Instead, I got the cough prescription, inhaler, and 3 day pass!. I've never had an inhaler before. Wow, am I getting old or what?!
Along those same medicinal old lady health reports (geez, hate reading those, eh?!): I cancelled my excision on 12/6. I just had "that feeling" about the place. I called and spoke to the chick who was to perform it. Thought, pondered and prayed. Woke up about 3 am with a very strong feeling not to go there. Called a friend and we talked, and I discovered the chick is a Physicians Assistant and while she may be very qualified, I really don't want a PA doing what I am now quaintly referring to as my "forehead removal". When she told me I would be losing nerves and all feeling for 3-6 months I was concerned about whether or not a Plastic Surgeon, or at the very least, someone quite specialized should be holding the scalpel! So I cancelled and started searching.
I got several names from people I trust who have gone through this, but it's hard to find someone who "is the best" and on my insurance. I got a match but couldn't get in until 12/30 for a consult. A friend had an appt on 12/9 and was going to try to switch with me. We prayed over the phone as we hung up. Thank goodness for friends and prayers! This morning, two other friends helping me out sent an email with an awesome referral which was on my insurance. I called and got an appoint for next week. I didn't get the dr she said to ask for since he wasn't taking new patients, but I took the first available appointment hoping for the best outcome the Lord would provide. Next thing I knew they called back, and I was asked to send my labs in for a potential appt with the dr I wanted in the first place! I did that, and then made use of my time waiting to hear back at the Walgreens Take Care Clinic. I figured I didn't want to hack all evening at CWC like I did on Monday. Ugh, that was horrible. While I was at the clinic, I got the call: My appointment to see the golden Dr. Pennington (aaaahhhh! - you have to make the music noise) is on Monday. It's a consult. A consult mind you. They said that 3 times. Yes, I understand. I may still be passed to an underling doctor who graduated summa cum laude from Harvard, Vanderbilt... or (gasp) University of Tennessee, but I will take what I can get. Nashville Skin and Cancer Center looks like an answer to prayer to me. Plus, Father Randy went there and he's bald and I can't even see his scars! I think he might have even prayed me there. Alot of people offered alot of suggestions and prayers and I really appreciate the extra support when I started to get overwhelmed yesterday.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Going, Going...Gone
WARNING: super long post! do what you need to do first....
Mike and Taryn left a bit ago on their way back to MS & T. It was so wonderful to see Taryn again! Despite the many care packages I have sent filled with sour patch and candy, Taryn has not gained a pound. We managed to fill her break with appointments to the dentist, the chiro, the hairstylist, a wellness/nutrition dr, and her Internist. That dr was surprised she hadn't gained any weight and said she could use a pound or two. Taryn replied that the food wasn't that good and you had to walk really far to get to it. I love her dry sense of humor. She got her flu shot too. She wasn't expecting that. Hah! I had to work a 2 pm to 11 pm closing shift last night and am coming down with a cold so I decided not to go on this drive and will instead pick Taryn up in December. I did get up to make sure she packed everything because you know how hard it is to replace a toothbrush. Taryn is looking forward to getting back to her friends and into the swing of things at college. She is changing her major. Taryn has decided the chemistry in Nuclear Engineering is more along the lines of what she likes. Glow, Taryn! Glow! Something about fusion, half-life, atoms... I can't remember this early what all she said. I just keep picturing my tiny human in a white radioactive suit. I'd know her anywhere - she'd be the little one! Or, perhaps with an explosives engineering minor she'll be working on weapons. She'd like that. You should have seen her firing at us with her nerf gun. She likes kill shots and injuries to vital areas. Oh wait, that was Mariah. All I can say is I never let them have guns for toys as children and still, see what happens?!
So Mariah and Taryn are trying the bazillion-million probiotics, food enzymes, and BioEssence the wellness guy recommends they try for the tummy problems they have. It will help with eczema, hay fever, ADD and stuff too. We'll see. We're on a 2 week trial. I also got some Zinc chewable stuff that supposed to help keep you from getting sick. I was already exposed by a coworker at preschool to this lovely cold so I am trying to shorten its effects. Plus, Gib is getting alot of canker sores and zinc is supposed to help prevent that. I sure hate canker sores. I used to get those from stress too.
Indy leaves today too. She had to spend the last couple days of her break working on assignments. She was none too pleased about that. At least she had the help of the brilliant and creative minds that live here. One assignment was to make a web page, and another from her Great Books class, was to make a mosaic. She wanted to put Mariah on that, but I guess Mariah was all postered out. When I got home from CWC, there was a nice rendition of the Young Women's torch done in red, purple, blue and gold sequins. Indy was trying to perfect the image of the facial profile. I tried to help by cutting some sequins rather than leaving them whole. After alot of work, we didn't like it, and went back to the way it was the first time. I suggested she make other people feel lame if they couldn't see the face. My advice was to say stuff like "what do you mean you don't see it?! A beak?! I don't know what you're talking about!" It was funny how she was patiently telling me in an irritated voice (you know the one that says "mom's such a ratard") that she wasn't going to be selling her piece and the only one seeing it was the professor. At least she got the chance to catch up with a couple of friends while she was here, and we enjoyed having both girls home again! I do believe Indy has decided to pursue a Masters degree. She also has been accepted to go on another study abroad trip this summer to Africa with the Mercer on Mission. The destination is Ethopia. They will be working on water again, but in a different way. Not sand filtration, but sounds more like wells to me. This will be followed by her Service Scholars trip to Armenia to build a house. She has alot of work in store for her in the next semester and summer!
We had a great long Thanksgiving weekend! We love having the house full. We watched some movies, played Killer Bunnies and the kids got started on Christmas. This year they are in charge of gifts. Santa will still deliver on Christmas Eve I'm sure, since most of them are more Nice than Naughty, but otherwise mom and dad are out of the gift buying. I thought that was a genius move on my part. The kids love the thrill of shopping with someone else's money... who doesn't?!?! They all have a budget to spend and buy gifts for their sibs & parents. Taryn even helped with a purchase that will be a gift for a certain someone from other certain someones in the family.
Taryn went with me to work on Black Friday to do her shopping. She zigged and zagged her way through the crowds. I got to see her a couple times at CWC as she zipped in to show me what she found, drop off her jacket, stuff like that. Later on, all 3 of my girls showed up! That totally made my day to see all 3 of their smiling faces. What an awesome surprise!! It was a couple hours before my shift ended and they were taking me home when I got done. They helped Mariah with some of her gifts and we went home to a delicious Thanksgiving 2.0.
As you know, we do a Surf & Turf Thanksgiving. We've tried it all, fried turkey, honeybaked ham and turkey, the usual turkey... nobody ever feels like Thanksgiving is a hit unless we Surf & Turf it. So we had some yummy Ribeye and Alaskan King Crab. Indy's friend Kristy joined us. Afterwards we watched Letters to Juliet. We enjoyed the movie, especially the super cheesy ending. So fast forward to Friday... Grammy made turkey with all the fixin's!!! It was kind of weird, in a delicious sort of way, because it felt like we were eating it a day late. I did enjoy getting to have my mashed potatoes and turkey gravy though, and I didn't have to do any of the cooking, so I'm not complaining. The kids don't care much for turkey, and with it being just us, there's alot of leftovers, so that's why we don't usually do a big ol' Thanksgiving turkey in the first place. But hey, this year we got two thanksgiving dinners, and whaddya know, I didn't cook either of them, so it's all good!
As for BLACK FRIDAY at Coldwater Creek, we got some fantastic news on Saturday. We knew we were rocking it on Friday. The store was busy but we were handling the pace really well. With all hands on deck, our team was moving like a well oiled machine and the line never got super long, the fitting rooms moved along well, and we were pulling people in and making our store the happy safe harbor in the mall. Apparently it worked, because we were the #1 Coldwater Creek store in the NATION on Friday.
Other things we did this weekend: We worked on Taryn's new room in the College Suites part of the house. Haha. These are the tiny little rooms created out of the bonus room. The girls share the closet off the bonus room and are some distance to the nearest bathroom. However, they are way up high and just across from all the trees so it is like being up in the woods. Feels like it too! They have the DRAFTIEST windows ever. We will replace Taryn's curtains with some white ones we already have and hope they cut down on the draft but still let light in. Taryn doesn't like the room darkening ones that Mariah had. We also got Taryn a really cool beach scene canvas that is a long narrow rectangle and an awesome bedside table. Taryn chose a new paint color. I guess aquamarine turquoise blue is a 9 yr old thing. I will work on that and hope to have it done before she comes home for Christmas. We also bought Mariah a canvas print for her room because Taryn lifted one off the wall that was hers! Well, we knew she would, I was just putting off getting one for Mariah until we found one that was just right and until I absolutely had to replace empty spot. That would be now. Perfect timing because BB & B had the ultimate picture and we had a 20% coupon!
Grammy, Mariah and I unloaded the Christmas stuff from the Man Cave. I hoped to have the porch decorated Tuesday before Thanksgiving because it was a warm and balmy 60 something degrees. Then Taryn, Mariah and I went to BB & B instead. Maybe Wednesday? Nope, Taryn and I went to TJMaxx and found better, cheaper stuff for her beach theme room. Now it is cold and frosty here and I will shiver and freeze when I decorate outside. Mariah and I put the Christmas tree up yesterday. We still haven't found the lights yet, so my hopes that the tree would be decorated by little elves when I got home last night were crushed.
Mike and Gib worked the Scout Christmas tree lot the past two days. They always fill their 4 required shifts the two days after Thanksgiving, when the tree lots open up to customers. They sold alot of trees on Saturday. It's the source of all fundraising and financial support for a very large scout troop and takes many hands. There are 3 lots across town staffed by 3-4 scouts and 2-3 adults.
So I know there will be a request for pictures. Been a little busy but I am off today. I know Mike put up a couple on his fb of Thanksgiving, and I put one of us playing Killer Bunnies on mine. I don't think any others were taken of people. Sorry! When I finish T's room, I will take a picture of it because I know she will want to see how that turns out. I will have Mariah take one of her cool canvas. Other than that, you know we live the quiet life here and there just isn't much to photograph! However, that said.... Christmas break isn't that far off and Taryn will be coming home with MS & T shirts for everyone and I feel a new family photo coming on.
Mike and Taryn left a bit ago on their way back to MS & T. It was so wonderful to see Taryn again! Despite the many care packages I have sent filled with sour patch and candy, Taryn has not gained a pound. We managed to fill her break with appointments to the dentist, the chiro, the hairstylist, a wellness/nutrition dr, and her Internist. That dr was surprised she hadn't gained any weight and said she could use a pound or two. Taryn replied that the food wasn't that good and you had to walk really far to get to it. I love her dry sense of humor. She got her flu shot too. She wasn't expecting that. Hah! I had to work a 2 pm to 11 pm closing shift last night and am coming down with a cold so I decided not to go on this drive and will instead pick Taryn up in December. I did get up to make sure she packed everything because you know how hard it is to replace a toothbrush. Taryn is looking forward to getting back to her friends and into the swing of things at college. She is changing her major. Taryn has decided the chemistry in Nuclear Engineering is more along the lines of what she likes. Glow, Taryn! Glow! Something about fusion, half-life, atoms... I can't remember this early what all she said. I just keep picturing my tiny human in a white radioactive suit. I'd know her anywhere - she'd be the little one! Or, perhaps with an explosives engineering minor she'll be working on weapons. She'd like that. You should have seen her firing at us with her nerf gun. She likes kill shots and injuries to vital areas. Oh wait, that was Mariah. All I can say is I never let them have guns for toys as children and still, see what happens?!
So Mariah and Taryn are trying the bazillion-million probiotics, food enzymes, and BioEssence the wellness guy recommends they try for the tummy problems they have. It will help with eczema, hay fever, ADD and stuff too. We'll see. We're on a 2 week trial. I also got some Zinc chewable stuff that supposed to help keep you from getting sick. I was already exposed by a coworker at preschool to this lovely cold so I am trying to shorten its effects. Plus, Gib is getting alot of canker sores and zinc is supposed to help prevent that. I sure hate canker sores. I used to get those from stress too.
Indy leaves today too. She had to spend the last couple days of her break working on assignments. She was none too pleased about that. At least she had the help of the brilliant and creative minds that live here. One assignment was to make a web page, and another from her Great Books class, was to make a mosaic. She wanted to put Mariah on that, but I guess Mariah was all postered out. When I got home from CWC, there was a nice rendition of the Young Women's torch done in red, purple, blue and gold sequins. Indy was trying to perfect the image of the facial profile. I tried to help by cutting some sequins rather than leaving them whole. After alot of work, we didn't like it, and went back to the way it was the first time. I suggested she make other people feel lame if they couldn't see the face. My advice was to say stuff like "what do you mean you don't see it?! A beak?! I don't know what you're talking about!" It was funny how she was patiently telling me in an irritated voice (you know the one that says "mom's such a ratard") that she wasn't going to be selling her piece and the only one seeing it was the professor. At least she got the chance to catch up with a couple of friends while she was here, and we enjoyed having both girls home again! I do believe Indy has decided to pursue a Masters degree. She also has been accepted to go on another study abroad trip this summer to Africa with the Mercer on Mission. The destination is Ethopia. They will be working on water again, but in a different way. Not sand filtration, but sounds more like wells to me. This will be followed by her Service Scholars trip to Armenia to build a house. She has alot of work in store for her in the next semester and summer!
We had a great long Thanksgiving weekend! We love having the house full. We watched some movies, played Killer Bunnies and the kids got started on Christmas. This year they are in charge of gifts. Santa will still deliver on Christmas Eve I'm sure, since most of them are more Nice than Naughty, but otherwise mom and dad are out of the gift buying. I thought that was a genius move on my part. The kids love the thrill of shopping with someone else's money... who doesn't?!?! They all have a budget to spend and buy gifts for their sibs & parents. Taryn even helped with a purchase that will be a gift for a certain someone from other certain someones in the family.
Taryn went with me to work on Black Friday to do her shopping. She zigged and zagged her way through the crowds. I got to see her a couple times at CWC as she zipped in to show me what she found, drop off her jacket, stuff like that. Later on, all 3 of my girls showed up! That totally made my day to see all 3 of their smiling faces. What an awesome surprise!! It was a couple hours before my shift ended and they were taking me home when I got done. They helped Mariah with some of her gifts and we went home to a delicious Thanksgiving 2.0.
As you know, we do a Surf & Turf Thanksgiving. We've tried it all, fried turkey, honeybaked ham and turkey, the usual turkey... nobody ever feels like Thanksgiving is a hit unless we Surf & Turf it. So we had some yummy Ribeye and Alaskan King Crab. Indy's friend Kristy joined us. Afterwards we watched Letters to Juliet. We enjoyed the movie, especially the super cheesy ending. So fast forward to Friday... Grammy made turkey with all the fixin's!!! It was kind of weird, in a delicious sort of way, because it felt like we were eating it a day late. I did enjoy getting to have my mashed potatoes and turkey gravy though, and I didn't have to do any of the cooking, so I'm not complaining. The kids don't care much for turkey, and with it being just us, there's alot of leftovers, so that's why we don't usually do a big ol' Thanksgiving turkey in the first place. But hey, this year we got two thanksgiving dinners, and whaddya know, I didn't cook either of them, so it's all good!
As for BLACK FRIDAY at Coldwater Creek, we got some fantastic news on Saturday. We knew we were rocking it on Friday. The store was busy but we were handling the pace really well. With all hands on deck, our team was moving like a well oiled machine and the line never got super long, the fitting rooms moved along well, and we were pulling people in and making our store the happy safe harbor in the mall. Apparently it worked, because we were the #1 Coldwater Creek store in the NATION on Friday.
Other things we did this weekend: We worked on Taryn's new room in the College Suites part of the house. Haha. These are the tiny little rooms created out of the bonus room. The girls share the closet off the bonus room and are some distance to the nearest bathroom. However, they are way up high and just across from all the trees so it is like being up in the woods. Feels like it too! They have the DRAFTIEST windows ever. We will replace Taryn's curtains with some white ones we already have and hope they cut down on the draft but still let light in. Taryn doesn't like the room darkening ones that Mariah had. We also got Taryn a really cool beach scene canvas that is a long narrow rectangle and an awesome bedside table. Taryn chose a new paint color. I guess aquamarine turquoise blue is a 9 yr old thing. I will work on that and hope to have it done before she comes home for Christmas. We also bought Mariah a canvas print for her room because Taryn lifted one off the wall that was hers! Well, we knew she would, I was just putting off getting one for Mariah until we found one that was just right and until I absolutely had to replace empty spot. That would be now. Perfect timing because BB & B had the ultimate picture and we had a 20% coupon!
Grammy, Mariah and I unloaded the Christmas stuff from the Man Cave. I hoped to have the porch decorated Tuesday before Thanksgiving because it was a warm and balmy 60 something degrees. Then Taryn, Mariah and I went to BB & B instead. Maybe Wednesday? Nope, Taryn and I went to TJMaxx and found better, cheaper stuff for her beach theme room. Now it is cold and frosty here and I will shiver and freeze when I decorate outside. Mariah and I put the Christmas tree up yesterday. We still haven't found the lights yet, so my hopes that the tree would be decorated by little elves when I got home last night were crushed.
Mike and Gib worked the Scout Christmas tree lot the past two days. They always fill their 4 required shifts the two days after Thanksgiving, when the tree lots open up to customers. They sold alot of trees on Saturday. It's the source of all fundraising and financial support for a very large scout troop and takes many hands. There are 3 lots across town staffed by 3-4 scouts and 2-3 adults.
So I know there will be a request for pictures. Been a little busy but I am off today. I know Mike put up a couple on his fb of Thanksgiving, and I put one of us playing Killer Bunnies on mine. I don't think any others were taken of people. Sorry! When I finish T's room, I will take a picture of it because I know she will want to see how that turns out. I will have Mariah take one of her cool canvas. Other than that, you know we live the quiet life here and there just isn't much to photograph! However, that said.... Christmas break isn't that far off and Taryn will be coming home with MS & T shirts for everyone and I feel a new family photo coming on.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Model U.N.
Gib left this morning for the Model U.N. Conference. It is being held at a hotel for 3 days and they got out of school today. I'm pretty sure that is why everyone joined. Anyways, they have done alot of hard work. Here is his group. They are representing the country of South Africa. They compete against other high schools in getting their resolutions passed.
Haha - I told the kid I wasn't going to show his feet in this photo where I told him to stand on the curb. Trust is such a delicate issue. The other three boys know me so much better. I did not send his mother this shot.
The sanctioned shot.
The Dude.
Haha - I told the kid I wasn't going to show his feet in this photo where I told him to stand on the curb. Trust is such a delicate issue. The other three boys know me so much better. I did not send his mother this shot.
The sanctioned shot.
The Dude.Y'all heard about our funny evening last night? Well, here's the long story. First it was the conversation about how Gib was getting there Friday morning at 9. Funnily enough, Mike and I both attended the parent meeting last week together. We volleyed back and forth who could go. I said I could but I would have to move my neuro appt. I just needed to know. We thought it likely Gib might go with one of the guys. Mike mentioned he might work something out. Did anyone do anything afterwards. Noooo. Thursday evening rolls around and Mike goes, "are you taking him?" I'm all, "no, I thought you were. I would have had to move my dr's appt. I could have done that, but now it's too late". Then I get to thinking that if I take the dude up early enough I can get back into town in time for my 9 am appt. And I am seriously regretting agreeing to pick up a shift at Coldwater Friday afternoon.
The carpool comes through. I think Gib probably ran upstairs in desperation and begged. But all 4 boys went together so maybe not. Then I wonder if anyone ever got Gib new black socks? We wrote it down on the paper at the parents meeting that I thought it would be good to get him some. Nope. So Mike figures he'll just run to Costco and the bank and take care of the dude's cash needs and get him new socks too. Super. I made dinner meanwhile and while we were eating, I remember Gib's feet had grown quite a bit and we had been making do for Sunday's with his better looking shoes and he didn't have a more recent pair of suit shoes. I asked him if he had any that fit. He said he could wear them but they were tight. I doubted it, since I remember the last time I bought those shoes and it was a couple sizes ago. Sure enough, they were 9's and the dude's wearing an 11 these days. Off to the shoe store then. He can't go around for 3 days in a pair of size 9 suit shoes with a size 11 foot stuffed in them. He'd be crippled. While there I remembered he might need a belt. He's kinda skinny still and we had to buy a men's suit.
On the way home, Mike called us and said we might as well run through Subway and get Gib a lunch since he was now carpooling and all. Gib was very happy to make a round-about turn and go the back route to Subway to take care of another last minute detail for Model U.N.
We get home and I'm helping the dude pack. I got to steam out some pants and stuff and I cannot believe my eyes. Gib has tried on the pants - 2 weeks ago - just to make sure I didn't need to get them hemmed or anything. Did he say anything about the security tag still attached to the ankle of them?!?! Noooooo. He says he didn't even notice it.
I tagged Mike as IT and he went back to the mall to get it removed. Luckily it was still open, and we are fortunate to live a mile away from everything. Still.... it was all getting to be a bit much!!!
All's well that ends well. The dude is off, and now I must be too. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to take this 12-6 shift. I've got a million things to do and 8 minutes to spare.
Taryn comes home today though!!! Unfortuantely, I can't get much done for her welcome home in the next 8 minutes. All I can hope for now is that I am not so wiped out that I can be productive from 6 pm to midnight! I think she will be arriving in the wee hours. I can't wait to see her!!!! It's been since August.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Speaking of Dr's
Mariah has undergone every test known to man... and her pediatrician has come up blank as to why she is still suffering stomach issues after her surgery. That appendicitis ruined her intestinal tract. It's been 6 months, and that's a long time for what she has been going through. But we now know it isn't a virus, parasite, or bacteria that she picked up before, during or after surgery. The next step is to go see a wellness doctor who will diagnose her differently, knowing that we aren't dealing with a medical problem. Then Mariah will take a bazillion million Chinese herbal pills and stuff to detox and after that she will take a half-bazillion million herbal pills and vitamins on a daily regimen... unless she gets lucky and can go the "grape shot" route and chug-a-lug her daily dose. A side bennie: her eczema will also become a thing of the past... if she takes ALL her pills. The downside: it's not covered by insurance. I think, going by what Indie tells me, I need to time detox to coincide with winter break. Bathroom breaks are essential. Nice.
Other things that have annoyed Mariah recently: 3 huge poster assignments due within a day of each other! She works long hours completing her posters. She finished one where she had to create a world of her own. She asked for some ideas on creating Laws of the Land, with the criteria being they couldn't be common or boring. She didn't want to go with ones that were "too obvious" and she could only have 5. Most of my suggestions were met with eye rolling, but I think my daughter listened to some wise advice in the end. Considering she wanted to be original.
1. Commit No Offenses Against Anyone. (I thought that she was rather clever with that)
2. Do not litter. All trash must be recycled.
3. The government gives you a new laptop every year on your birthday. (hint-hint)
4. You must have a 3 day weekend to every work week.
5. Everyone must volunteer to a good cause once a year.
Parental Rule #1: Make your dad happy by carrying the finished poster to the bus!
Other things that have annoyed Mariah recently: 3 huge poster assignments due within a day of each other! She works long hours completing her posters. She finished one where she had to create a world of her own. She asked for some ideas on creating Laws of the Land, with the criteria being they couldn't be common or boring. She didn't want to go with ones that were "too obvious" and she could only have 5. Most of my suggestions were met with eye rolling, but I think my daughter listened to some wise advice in the end. Considering she wanted to be original.
1. Commit No Offenses Against Anyone. (I thought that she was rather clever with that)
2. Do not litter. All trash must be recycled.
3. The government gives you a new laptop every year on your birthday. (hint-hint)
4. You must have a 3 day weekend to every work week.
5. Everyone must volunteer to a good cause once a year.
Parental Rule #1: Make your dad happy by carrying the finished poster to the bus!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Another Day
Another Doctor....
Ready for another M.D. lesson? Today we get to learn about melanomas. Because I apparently had one... right smack dab on the middle of my forehead. Kind of makes me laugh that it was put there to get my attention. Pretty much that is what it takes these days to make it to my radar and the top of my To Do list. After a couple months of being annoyed by the black spot that had suddenly appeared and freaked me out every time I saw it in the mirror, I grabbed my cell at a red light and called the dermi. They booked me that afternoon. We scraped that sucker off pretty much for vanity's sake; lo & behold, it came back suspicious. It got sent back for another diagnostic and I was called in for the official sit down discussion today. The Dr. said it's a "melanoma that isn't really a melanoma" OK.......
Junctional Melanocytic Proliferation, within a Solar Lentigo (forehead)
(a melanoma in situ arising in a solar lentigo and a junctional nevus associated with one).
Whatever that means.
This represents one of the earliest stages of melanoma with the atypical melanocytes limited to the dermal-epidermal junction and with no evidence of dermal involvement. Depending upon the morphology, some dermatopathologists subclassify these melanoma in situs as:
Lentigo maligna
Melanoma in situ, superficial spreading type
Melanoma in situ, acral lentiginous type
A melanoma in situ stage does not exist for a nodular melanoma, which by definition, is in the vertical invasive growth phase. Desmoplastic melanomas, likewise, do not have a recognized precursor in situ lesion. However, lentigo malignas may give rise to this type of melanomas. Because this melanoma is a precursor lesion to a later invasive lesion, complete excision is curative.
So, basically, if I understand this correctly, I don't need to freak out, but I do need to count "freckles" yes, I know they're NOT FRECKLES and anything that suddenly pops up on my skin is going to be cut out. All this I gleamed when I asked, "didn't y'all count those at my skin check?" I mean, I don't pay attention to this stuff and I know I heard a bunch of weird names and numbers rattled off! She looked at me like I was addled. "Honey..." she goes, "we aren't counting, we are looking for certain things, and they're not freckles-they're MOLES. You're over 45, so ANYTHING that 'pops' up you need to tell me about because it's not bad unless you don't follow up. We're gonna be girlfriends now, and see each other every 3 months. Don't worry, it'll be OK!!" Then she went on to draw all over my forehead debating the best way to not disfigure me for life when she carves out a 5mm margin of where the previous "freckle" used to be to so they can look at the surrounding tissue to see what was around it and if it spread. If I'm lucky I get a forehead lift or botox or something. December 6th... I can hardly wait. December 13th the stitches come out and I get the new & improved Body Scan. Oh yeah, and a new girlfriend.
Ready for another M.D. lesson? Today we get to learn about melanomas. Because I apparently had one... right smack dab on the middle of my forehead. Kind of makes me laugh that it was put there to get my attention. Pretty much that is what it takes these days to make it to my radar and the top of my To Do list. After a couple months of being annoyed by the black spot that had suddenly appeared and freaked me out every time I saw it in the mirror, I grabbed my cell at a red light and called the dermi. They booked me that afternoon. We scraped that sucker off pretty much for vanity's sake; lo & behold, it came back suspicious. It got sent back for another diagnostic and I was called in for the official sit down discussion today. The Dr. said it's a "melanoma that isn't really a melanoma" OK.......
Junctional Melanocytic Proliferation, within a Solar Lentigo (forehead)
(a melanoma in situ arising in a solar lentigo and a junctional nevus associated with one).
Whatever that means.
This represents one of the earliest stages of melanoma with the atypical melanocytes limited to the dermal-epidermal junction and with no evidence of dermal involvement. Depending upon the morphology, some dermatopathologists subclassify these melanoma in situs as:
Lentigo maligna
Melanoma in situ, superficial spreading type
Melanoma in situ, acral lentiginous type
A melanoma in situ stage does not exist for a nodular melanoma, which by definition, is in the vertical invasive growth phase. Desmoplastic melanomas, likewise, do not have a recognized precursor in situ lesion. However, lentigo malignas may give rise to this type of melanomas. Because this melanoma is a precursor lesion to a later invasive lesion, complete excision is curative.
So, basically, if I understand this correctly, I don't need to freak out, but I do need to count "freckles" yes, I know they're NOT FRECKLES and anything that suddenly pops up on my skin is going to be cut out. All this I gleamed when I asked, "didn't y'all count those at my skin check?" I mean, I don't pay attention to this stuff and I know I heard a bunch of weird names and numbers rattled off! She looked at me like I was addled. "Honey..." she goes, "we aren't counting, we are looking for certain things, and they're not freckles-they're MOLES. You're over 45, so ANYTHING that 'pops' up you need to tell me about because it's not bad unless you don't follow up. We're gonna be girlfriends now, and see each other every 3 months. Don't worry, it'll be OK!!" Then she went on to draw all over my forehead debating the best way to not disfigure me for life when she carves out a 5mm margin of where the previous "freckle" used to be to so they can look at the surrounding tissue to see what was around it and if it spread. If I'm lucky I get a forehead lift or botox or something. December 6th... I can hardly wait. December 13th the stitches come out and I get the new & improved Body Scan. Oh yeah, and a new girlfriend.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Veterans Day Tribute
Veterans Day Tribute - watch the photo slides, you'll see Mariah with the choir in a white tee, and Mom, Grandpa and I in a photo taken prior to the program.
Yesterday was a wonderful Veteran's Day for Grandpa. He said it was the best tribute program he's ever been to. He was one of a handful of World War II Veterans, and represented his branch of the Army well. All the branches of the military were in fact represented - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard. The Marine Corps and Air Force had by far the largest showing of family presence in attendance. Several teachers and staff members of the school have served in the military. One of the more recent additions to the teaching staff served in Iraq and Afganistan and now teaches history. He looks like he just graduated college. I was amazed.
The speaker, when announcing those present at the program, mentioned the areas Grandpa fought in as an Private 1st Class infantry soldier - France and Germany 1943-1946 - as "no picnic, that's for sure" and that he saw tough combat. What really struck him though was that in 1950 he signed up to serve his country again; this time as a Sergeant in the Army National Guard, and was called into active duty back to the infantry in Korea where he received 2 bronze stars. Turning 91 on December 1st, and great-grandfather to Mariah - all that contributed to a special round of applause. It was awesome.
Here is the list of medals/commendations Grandpa provided for us:
World War II
Combat Infantry Badge
Yesterday was a wonderful Veteran's Day for Grandpa. He said it was the best tribute program he's ever been to. He was one of a handful of World War II Veterans, and represented his branch of the Army well. All the branches of the military were in fact represented - Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard. The Marine Corps and Air Force had by far the largest showing of family presence in attendance. Several teachers and staff members of the school have served in the military. One of the more recent additions to the teaching staff served in Iraq and Afganistan and now teaches history. He looks like he just graduated college. I was amazed.
The speaker, when announcing those present at the program, mentioned the areas Grandpa fought in as an Private 1st Class infantry soldier - France and Germany 1943-1946 - as "no picnic, that's for sure" and that he saw tough combat. What really struck him though was that in 1950 he signed up to serve his country again; this time as a Sergeant in the Army National Guard, and was called into active duty back to the infantry in Korea where he received 2 bronze stars. Turning 91 on December 1st, and great-grandfather to Mariah - all that contributed to a special round of applause. It was awesome.
Here is the list of medals/commendations Grandpa provided for us:
World War II
Combat Infantry Badge
Good Conduct Medal
World War Victory Medal
European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (the speaker mentioned this told him Grandpa served under General George Patton)
Korean War
Army of Occupation, Japan
Korean Service Medal, 2 bronze stars
United Nations Service medal
Federal Service Ribbon
Korean War
Army of Occupation, Japan
Korean Service Medal, 2 bronze stars
United Nations Service medal
Federal Service Ribbon
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Divergent vs. Disintergration
So, I saw the eye specialist at Vanderbilt. He said I was the 3rd person that day with this problem and that's really unusual. It's an old person thing. I'm too young for it of course. But, Kay, and all you other wimps driving around in terror, his exact words, "you've been managing your condition beautifully... up til now". At least I was proactive and took care of this before there was an accident!
Everyone should take note however, that those MONOCULAR vision correction glasses or contact lenses can trigger the problem. I tried those briefly. I doubt it triggered my problem, since I have not had coordinated fusion since I was a kid, but was able to get away with it... how, I don't know. The Dr thinks I probably had a lazy eye that went undiagnosed.
I got a temporary prism thingy stuck to my glasses to fix my immediate visual problem. After a few days, if I'm good to go, I am to get new glasses with prism. Right now, it looks stupid, but it works! Hallelujah! The drive home in the dark, rush hour traffic, proved that beyond a shadow of doubt. It does mean, however, no more contacts... ever. If the prism solution doesn't work out, then there is a surgery route we can pursue. If I did that, I would guess at some point I could be a contact lens wearer again. Too bad when they fix the eye muscles they can't fix the vision all at the same time! Geez, I'm a busy woman! I don't have time to do these things twice!!
So, the two possible diagnosis are: Divergent Esotropia something or Cerebellum Disintergration. Y'all know I'm just going with Divergence and laughing at the Disintergration, knowing that with my luck I'm about to implode here. Our lesson of the day:
esotropia
[es′ətrō′pē·ə] Etymology: Gk, eso + tropos, turning
a medial deviation of one eye relative to the other fixating eye such that fusion is not maintained. Also called convergent squint, convergent strabismus, internal strabismus. Compare esophoria, exotropia. See also strabismus. esotropic, adj.
I rather like the #3, but #2 is probably my problem:
di·ver·gence (d-vûrjns, d-)1.
a. The act of diverging.
b. The state of being divergent.
c. The degree by which things diverge.
2. Physiology A turning of both eyes outward from a common point or of one eye when the other is fixed.
3. Departure from a norm; deviation.
I didn't find much on the disintergration the dr. mentioned. He said we could do a MRI to investigate further (and I will be talking to my neuro, be sure of that!) but he didn't feel it was warranted since I am not having problems with depth perception, per se, or with balance, dizziness, etc. Memory yes, falling down? No. However, I took a quick look on the internet just to see what a disintergrating future might look like for me. I haven't found much yet, but I did diverge in an interesting direction and found an article about autism and "the dance" with reference to Temple Grandin. A quick read, and interesting perspective.
http://www.autcom.org/articles/Cerebellum.html
Everyone should take note however, that those MONOCULAR vision correction glasses or contact lenses can trigger the problem. I tried those briefly. I doubt it triggered my problem, since I have not had coordinated fusion since I was a kid, but was able to get away with it... how, I don't know. The Dr thinks I probably had a lazy eye that went undiagnosed.
I got a temporary prism thingy stuck to my glasses to fix my immediate visual problem. After a few days, if I'm good to go, I am to get new glasses with prism. Right now, it looks stupid, but it works! Hallelujah! The drive home in the dark, rush hour traffic, proved that beyond a shadow of doubt. It does mean, however, no more contacts... ever. If the prism solution doesn't work out, then there is a surgery route we can pursue. If I did that, I would guess at some point I could be a contact lens wearer again. Too bad when they fix the eye muscles they can't fix the vision all at the same time! Geez, I'm a busy woman! I don't have time to do these things twice!!
So, the two possible diagnosis are: Divergent Esotropia something or Cerebellum Disintergration. Y'all know I'm just going with Divergence and laughing at the Disintergration, knowing that with my luck I'm about to implode here. Our lesson of the day:
esotropia
[es′ətrō′pē·ə] Etymology: Gk, eso + tropos, turning
a medial deviation of one eye relative to the other fixating eye such that fusion is not maintained. Also called convergent squint, convergent strabismus, internal strabismus. Compare esophoria, exotropia. See also strabismus. esotropic, adj.
I rather like the #3, but #2 is probably my problem:
di·ver·gence (d-vûrjns, d-)1.
a. The act of diverging.
b. The state of being divergent.
c. The degree by which things diverge.
2. Physiology A turning of both eyes outward from a common point or of one eye when the other is fixed.
3. Departure from a norm; deviation.
I didn't find much on the disintergration the dr. mentioned. He said we could do a MRI to investigate further (and I will be talking to my neuro, be sure of that!) but he didn't feel it was warranted since I am not having problems with depth perception, per se, or with balance, dizziness, etc. Memory yes, falling down? No. However, I took a quick look on the internet just to see what a disintergrating future might look like for me. I haven't found much yet, but I did diverge in an interesting direction and found an article about autism and "the dance" with reference to Temple Grandin. A quick read, and interesting perspective.
http://www.autcom.org/articles/Cerebellum.html
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Week Ahead
Forecast: Craziness with a brief episode of calm before the weekend
Yesterday I ran around like an idiot trying to be everywhere at once with about 5 minutes to spare. It didn't help that I kept looking at this one clock in the kitchen that was still an hour ahead and it was freaking me out that I was so far behind and needed to leave so soon and had accomplished so little. When I finally figured out what my problem was, I had to sit down and de-stress on facebook for 15 minutes! Whew!!
Tomorrow I have to hurry out of preschool for an appt with a new Dr at Vanderbilt about my eyes. I switched eye dr's and he is trying to get me in better prescription and has also referred me to a surgeon to see if I might need to have corrective surgery for some weird depth perception/fusion problem. I am having serious issues is all I can say. I'm starting to worry. Basically, my eyes have never operated together which is why 3D glasses don't work on me turns out. I always look out of one or the other, and switch which one is dominant. But now, whenever I am getting tired, like at the end of the day or at night when I'm driving and there is different visual input, my brain is tired of it and has decided to just shut it all down - . Like I said, weird. Runs in the family these weird eyes, thank you mom, very much.
Speaking of family, Grandpa is here to visit us now, during Veterans Day week, instead of Thanksgiving this year. I am taking Thursday off from preschool and we are going to Mariah's middle school Chorus program on Veterans Day. Grandpa will be amongst the honored attendees for his military service, especially as he is a World War II veteran, and also fought in the Korean war, and will be 91 in a just a couple weeks. He sure looks great. There aren't too many of these special men around any more who fought in that war. Last year Grandpa came for Thanksgiving and watched the video of the program we taped for him and decided that this year he would attend in person. We are so glad to have him here for this and Mariah is especially excited to share in her great-grandpa's honor on this day.
On Friday, my mom, Grandpa and I will be spending the day together. I don't have to work at Coldwater that day, so it was a nice bonus for us to have another free day. We've decided to go shopping for gaslamps for the patio and then head up to see how the Opry Hotel repaired everything from the May floods, see the Christmas lights, and have a yummy lunch together. The Opry Mall is still not even open. Except for Bass Pro Shops, which cracks me up, because you know they are Outdoorsmen and what's a flood to them. Just put on yer waders, fire up the fishin' boat John Boy and let 'er rip!!! Anyways, the entire Opry Mills Mall had to be gutted; I saw it on TV the other night and it's just open space, and steel beams - no stores or walls. Bizarre. And it sits empty and might stay that way for a long time. I can't even imagine that.
As a matter of fact, I can't even imagine sitting still anymore.....
- Today was just pure craziness.
- So was yesterday.
- Tomorrow calls for additional scheduling woes.
- Thursday and Friday look promising with the right combination of plans & hours in the day to people ratio.
- A weekend of scattered activities
Yesterday I ran around like an idiot trying to be everywhere at once with about 5 minutes to spare. It didn't help that I kept looking at this one clock in the kitchen that was still an hour ahead and it was freaking me out that I was so far behind and needed to leave so soon and had accomplished so little. When I finally figured out what my problem was, I had to sit down and de-stress on facebook for 15 minutes! Whew!!
Tomorrow I have to hurry out of preschool for an appt with a new Dr at Vanderbilt about my eyes. I switched eye dr's and he is trying to get me in better prescription and has also referred me to a surgeon to see if I might need to have corrective surgery for some weird depth perception/fusion problem. I am having serious issues is all I can say. I'm starting to worry. Basically, my eyes have never operated together which is why 3D glasses don't work on me turns out. I always look out of one or the other, and switch which one is dominant. But now, whenever I am getting tired, like at the end of the day or at night when I'm driving and there is different visual input, my brain is tired of it and has decided to just shut it all down - . Like I said, weird. Runs in the family these weird eyes, thank you mom, very much.
Speaking of family, Grandpa is here to visit us now, during Veterans Day week, instead of Thanksgiving this year. I am taking Thursday off from preschool and we are going to Mariah's middle school Chorus program on Veterans Day. Grandpa will be amongst the honored attendees for his military service, especially as he is a World War II veteran, and also fought in the Korean war, and will be 91 in a just a couple weeks. He sure looks great. There aren't too many of these special men around any more who fought in that war. Last year Grandpa came for Thanksgiving and watched the video of the program we taped for him and decided that this year he would attend in person. We are so glad to have him here for this and Mariah is especially excited to share in her great-grandpa's honor on this day.
On Friday, my mom, Grandpa and I will be spending the day together. I don't have to work at Coldwater that day, so it was a nice bonus for us to have another free day. We've decided to go shopping for gaslamps for the patio and then head up to see how the Opry Hotel repaired everything from the May floods, see the Christmas lights, and have a yummy lunch together. The Opry Mall is still not even open. Except for Bass Pro Shops, which cracks me up, because you know they are Outdoorsmen and what's a flood to them. Just put on yer waders, fire up the fishin' boat John Boy and let 'er rip!!! Anyways, the entire Opry Mills Mall had to be gutted; I saw it on TV the other night and it's just open space, and steel beams - no stores or walls. Bizarre. And it sits empty and might stay that way for a long time. I can't even imagine that.
As a matter of fact, I can't even imagine sitting still anymore.....
Monday, November 8, 2010
Campus Reports
Mike and I returned from Macon yesterday. We spent a long weekend with Indie on the occasion of her sorority's Feast of Roses, a dinner to cap off the new pledges initiation. Since Indie and her friend officially pledged last April, they aren't exactly new but they didn't go through this last year. So we took advantage of this opportunity to do so now. It was great to spend the time one on one with Indie and just chill. We hung out, ran some errands, and watched movies (2 at the theater: Red and Hereafter, and 1 at our hotel room: Knight and Day). We enjoyed them all. It was also nice to eat out so many times in a row. I think we were all quite full by the time the weekend was over. Indie has lots of plans and she will be busy next semester and hopefully if everything works out the way she hopes, and like why wouldn't the universe cooperate?!, she will have many service and leadership opportunities on campus and abroad.
As we were pulling away and watching Indie drive toward her college while we headed north, I commented that it was a great visit and now we needed to do the same with Taryn!
Speaking of whom.....
Meanwhile, Taryn was doing all she could just to survive on her campus during the brutal week long Humans vs. Zombie. We are not sure she survived the final encounter as she is seen here in a green bandana and I kind of thought that meant you were a zombie. Mike was reading me the stats today but the page isn't current as of the final battle on Sunday: 159 dead - that means they started the game as humans, became zombies and then died, so they are out. 21 zombies, 69 Humans. I'm starting to wonder if the game will ever end... I think they like it too much! Taryn's boyfriend Tim writes the best logs about it too. At any rate, the fact that Taryn made it as far as she did as a human is definitely something to blog about!!!
As we were pulling away and watching Indie drive toward her college while we headed north, I commented that it was a great visit and now we needed to do the same with Taryn!
Speaking of whom.....
Meanwhile, Taryn was doing all she could just to survive on her campus during the brutal week long Humans vs. Zombie. We are not sure she survived the final encounter as she is seen here in a green bandana and I kind of thought that meant you were a zombie. Mike was reading me the stats today but the page isn't current as of the final battle on Sunday: 159 dead - that means they started the game as humans, became zombies and then died, so they are out. 21 zombies, 69 Humans. I'm starting to wonder if the game will ever end... I think they like it too much! Taryn's boyfriend Tim writes the best logs about it too. At any rate, the fact that Taryn made it as far as she did as a human is definitely something to blog about!!!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Off to the Feast
I am ready 10 minutes before Mike's deadline to leave for Macon! Amazing, huh? We are spending the weekend with Indie to join her for the Feast of Roses - an annual event with her sorority for the new sisters and their parents to welcome them to Alpha Gamma Delta. Unfortunately Gib and Mariah couldn't join us as they would have to miss too much school. Luckily though, Grammy is here to oversee the rest of their candy consumption... or as the case may be for Mariah, the candy clean up.
I think Taryn's college friends should have a celebration dinner for their Humans vs. Zombies war. They could invite their relatives for a Family Feast....question is, who/what would be the main dish?! I wonder if Taryn is still human as of this writing? She is having the time of her life there at MS & T, that's for sure.
Yesterday, the demo crew tore out the old deck. I thought for sure they would find bones and such from the carcasses of rabbits, squirrels or other little rodents from the cats or raccoons or even skunks that have probably resided under there. Or even better, a really cool long snake skin. No such luck. Or, Grammy just didn't see it and the crew removed it. Bummer. I wish I could have been there watching or ask them in my broken Spanish if there had been any dead animals under there. Sure, they would have thought I was crazy, but it's not like they're the only ones who do, right?!
Ok, two minutes until we hit the road! Pictures and updates to follow...
I think Taryn's college friends should have a celebration dinner for their Humans vs. Zombies war. They could invite their relatives for a Family Feast....question is, who/what would be the main dish?! I wonder if Taryn is still human as of this writing? She is having the time of her life there at MS & T, that's for sure.
Yesterday, the demo crew tore out the old deck. I thought for sure they would find bones and such from the carcasses of rabbits, squirrels or other little rodents from the cats or raccoons or even skunks that have probably resided under there. Or even better, a really cool long snake skin. No such luck. Or, Grammy just didn't see it and the crew removed it. Bummer. I wish I could have been there watching or ask them in my broken Spanish if there had been any dead animals under there. Sure, they would have thought I was crazy, but it's not like they're the only ones who do, right?!
Ok, two minutes until we hit the road! Pictures and updates to follow...
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Day Before Demo
Today is Election Day. YAY! No school for any of us! So Grammy elected to put us to work. Tomorrow is her birthday, and for her birthday.... The backyard will be DEMO'D! And the backyard project will begin! Sounds good to us.
I definitely wanted to save my Patio Pot Plant and found a nice spot for it!
The rest we pitched by the sidewalk
Let the transplanting begin... anything in the way of demolition had to be moved
This Hearts A-Burstin' was most important to Grammy
Today Gib, Grammy and I cleared off the deck of all the potted plants and stuff. This is what it looked like after HOURS of work, work, work.....
I definitely wanted to save my Patio Pot Plant and found a nice spot for it!
The rest we pitched by the sidewalk
Let the transplanting begin... anything in the way of demolition had to be moved
This Hearts A-Burstin' was most important to GrammyPsst.... scroll down and see how tenderly we treated it. She'll never know.
The Rose of Sharon - A Big Q of whether or not it makes it. 
Grammy heading inside after a long morning's work
The Rose of Sharon - A Big Q of whether or not it makes it. Gib and I didn't put too much effort into its rootball... we were having too much fun.
Looks good though. Today.
Grammy heading inside after a long morning's work
Here's some of the things SHE DIDN'T SEE.....
They are both Zoom Worthy.
Me & Gib still goofing around at that Rose of Sharon rootball
we liked watching the dirt fly more than we should have. We think you will too.
Gib's bustin a gut tossing that Heart's a Burstin' around before we planted it. Too bad you couldn't hear him going "nwaaaaaaa"
Gib's bustin a gut tossing that Heart's a Burstin' around before we planted it. Too bad you couldn't hear him going "nwaaaaaaa"
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