Boys....

The boys and I were watching TV (it's disturbing how many times I start out with that line, but we can discuss my parenting another time) and we saw a boy pinch a girl's behind. I gasped, looked at it as a learning opportunity and told the boys that that was disrespectful (thankfully they didn't point out that daddy does that to mommy all the time) and that girls really really didn't like that and it could end up getting them slapped.

So Isaac says, "yeah, well boys REALLY like it"

hmmm, can't argue with that.

What have I been doing....

Well I would love to have pictures to go with my post but my computer is down and I'm so totally frustrated with it right now! So I'll have to add pictures later....and maybe, just maybe I can talk hubby into a very cool Apple laptop I spied today...I mean it would be my environmental duty to purchase it, it's mercury free and recycled and a bunch of other good 'green' stuff...and it's CUTE, but I digress....

I had my annual ornament exchange party and it was FUN FUN FUN, I'm so glad I did it. Twenty-nine lovely ladies came by, we talked, we ate, we made bawdy jokes. I so love my friends, my neighborhood friends, my dear friends from the past, my new friends. They are all a lovely bunch of women and I'm blessed they are all in my life (even the ones that couldn't make it).

Then a couple days after that, I had about another thirty people over for Christmas Eve. I didn't do a traditional dinner (seriously, I'm just a little insane, not out of this world Martha Stewart insane). I made up three different types of chili (green, meat and vegetarian), threw them in crock pots, had some fixin's and let people munch at their leisure. It was a mix of family and friends and we ended it with a Dirty Santa gift exchange (where you can steal a gift or take one from under the tree). Our friend's sister was visiting from England and she has decided to single handedly introduce this tradition across the 'pond'.

Christmas day was spent in our PJ's the kiddos were supremely happy with Santa's visit. Jason and I loved our gifts from each other. More importantly we had a good time in each other's company. We trudged down the block to my sister-in-law's in our PJ's for a nice Christmas breakfast, came home, played games and then my brother and sister in law visiting from Seattle came with my parents and we visited and munched on leftovers....very satisfying.

So I can't say we've been doing anything exciting, or anything really worth writing or reading about but for me it has been a beautiful week with family and friends. A reminder of how truly blessed I am.

Merry Christmas

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Cookies, cookies and more cookies

These are the cookie platters I'm delivering to the boys' teachers for Christmas. I'm also adding a little gift certificate to Barns and Noble. I never know what to do for the teachers, they deserve so much, but I don't have a lot to give.....

I've been doing some baking....This was one day, I didn't take pictures of day two...just think double what you see here.

Aren't these cute! I made a peppermint cream cheese filling for these guys.

Cranberry shortbread cookies for the cookie exchange party a neighbor is giving this Saturday.

We decorated gingerbread men the other day, and yes, I got a little naughty with one of them (OK, OK, I know I'm a bad influence on my children). So Jason said, "Mommy's mind is in the gutter" and Jake says, "No, YaYa's mind is in the gutter" (that would be Jason's mom----hahahaha) She'll laugh when I tell her....

"No Daddy, I haven't been eating any of the cookies"

my very own goofball! I'm blessed....and I'm not even being sarcastic!

I'm here! I made it

Jason's Christmas party...I think I'll frame this one and give it to Isaac's first girlfriend....

jeeze, trying to get the kids to smile or be good for the camera is insane....they're really much cuter then the pictures may indicate....

so I finished...and hey I finished with two B's and an A woo hoo! Not bad for someone who was almost failing one of those classes....

I barely had a chance to breath and then caught the stomach flu...in a bad bad way....then got a call from the school because Jake threw up on the play ground (yuck, I know). But youth is so wonderful, he was fine that night (actually he was fine after he threw up, but the nurse didn't believe him....and I probably wouldn't have either...so this time crazy school nurse had a point).

I'm now needing to spend a week of baking, cleaning, cooking and shopping...but shall have fun doing it!

and the following...well it's a lesson to Not ask your husband to save you blog draft for you....he might decide to contribute (he's a funny guy, I laugh all the time!)......

Did I mention, my husband ROCKS! He is the most handsome, talented, intelligent and sexy person I know. I worship him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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OMG, kill me now ,Nursing school is hell!

I was thinking about just repeating...Dec 9th over and over, that's when I'm done, that's when I'll have a month of freedom that's when I can burn my Pharm book and dance around the flames like some Puritan at a book burning of the Scarlet Letter or something....but if I did the repeating of Dec 9th in may be too reminiscent of The Shining where Jack typed 5 million times whatever it was he typed...but it was creepy and I don't want to be creepy....I just want to sleep.

I'm so procrastinating my final project, I've played of facebook, I'm updating here and saying absolutely nothing, I even cleaned off my computer desk top and organized my word files.

I need help!

Anyway......If I can stay sane until Dec. 9th, I'll be a happy camper......

finally, photos, fun and a dilemma

Finally, some snow!

Yesterday we went hunting for our Christmas Tree. And darn it if I can't figure out how blogger downloads so these are backwards......

ooooh, can anyone say 'child labor laws?'



The mighty warriors have conquered their prey





Jason, going in for the kill





seriously, can't figure out how these got in the order they did, it's not how I downloaded them...any way...a new use for a bike rack...it actually worked really well...Love my engineer husband.

This is the one...after an hour of trudging around

Nothing to do with trees or Christmas, but the tree farm was also home to a bunch of Alpacas...oh my gosh they're cute...

The finished product...hmmmm, looked less crooked in the forest of trees...and what's with that bald spot..oh well, we had fun picking it out, bringing it home and decorating it

Now for my dilemma......Every year I give an ornament exchange party. This year I've been so stressed about school that I was thinking of forgoing this one festivity. But then our tree went up and I got a bit melancholy about not doing it....so I said to Jason, "maybe I will do it" he answered, "only if you're not going to drive yourself crazy". So here's the deal, I can do electronic invites (did that last year, no one scoffed) I can do pre-made platters from the deli and bakery....this is out of my comfort zone, because one of the things I can do well is put on a spread of homemade goodies and I soooo enjoy hearing the ooohs and aaaahs....cooking for me is an expression of love (probably a major cause of my current weight issue but that's another post)...so it would be difficult to give that up...but having the pre-made stuff will cut my work down by a million percent and it really is about the gathering of friends....I can do the spread next year when I'm less stressed.....

So, should I do it? Should I throw the party minimal style and ask my guests to forgive the meager store bought offerings? Aimee posted pictures of last years festivities here should you need more information to help me with my decision.....

oh hello there! miss me?

and you better say, 'yes'.

So what have I been doing?
1. School is kicking my behind! There is some good news on that front recently...because I've been using my blogging time to actually study, I got an 85 on my cardio test....which doesn't seem that great but it was the highest in the class (and yes, Blaire, I know I'm a b#*ch---but you did great with half the studying). And for this I'm very thankful (do you like how I worked that in). I also got a 100 on my pharm test. Now that, was truly a miracle, because I was so busy studying for the cardio test I only read half the chapters in pharm....I seriously prayed before during and after that test...so I should say, God pretty much got the 100 but I'm very thankful it's on my grade book. I have only two more tests and I'm done for about a month...WOO HOO.

2. I finally got caught up on reading all your wonderful blogs...I feel like such a slacker and I really have been thinking about reading all your wonderful, touching, funny stories (all of which I love to read and for which I am thankful)....but it's like cookies, I can't just read one, so I haven't been reading any. Today I took a few hours -- because Thanksgiving is at my sister-in-law's -- for which, by the way, I am soooo thankful----and I took the much needed time to read and read and it was so good to hear what has been happening to you all.

3. My clinicals are awesome. The people I'm meeting are amazing. I'm learning so much about the ins and outs of being a nurse, not the book learning thing, but the real people stuff. And I love it, and seem to be pretty good at it....at least the people stuff. I am so thankful for that experience and for the ability to be able to talk to just about anyone....finally all those reports that came home throughout my school career about being a 'great kid but talks to much' is finally something that is to be cherished and not something to 'work on'.

4. I spent the day with the boys yesterday, I took them and my niece to the movie Bolt,then to Cold Stone , it was fun. When Jason asked how the movie was, I told him I cried. His response, "You cried at a cartoon" to which I answered, "Shut Up" and he just raised his eyebrows at me....oh pulease, did he just not hear me say shut up? Does he not know that raising eyebrows is akin to SHOUTING......he chuckled then hugged me, I laughed. I'm thankful for 16 and half years of marriage and for knowing this man for over half my life and appreciating that he can laugh at me, I can laugh at him and we both laugh at our kiddos.

5. The boys are healthy, joyful, polite, and wild and just as they should be. It amazing how well they do, even with the poor mothering they've received lately...oh who am I kidding, most of the time....I am truly thankful for the boys they are.

6. I have come down with a cold...so I'm headachy, sneezy and a bit miserable, and I am thankful it happened AFTER the cardio test. And even though it's not serious, I've decided to 'rest' and it gave me the opportunity to play on the computer (oooh and along with catching up on blogging, I got my sister's, mother's, sister in law's and other sister in law's Christmas gifts ordered, and the boys Christmas pajama's....woo hoo).

I hope that this day finds you (even those of you across seas who don't celebrate this day) thankful for what you have in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving

update

1. Failed the test (74---yes that's failing)...arggg, could not have studied more....got a couple phone calls and I'm not alone! I don't even CARE right now as long as I'm still passing the class --well barely, I'm at a 78 and yes, that's barely passing, a 77 is the cut off for failing.

2. Spoke with Jake today, we had some alone time and I asked him what he felt when he was getting together the plates...he said, he just read it and did what the letter told him too and didn't think much else about it. I asked him if his feelings are hurt or he feels sad that I'm back at school and not spending as much time at home. He said, no, we still do fun things and he does things with dad. Then, and get this, he's such a great kid, he asks ME if I'm liking school and I tell him very much and he says that he's glad that I'm happy DON'T YOU JUST LOVE HIM! I DO. He said he hopes he has fun in college too and wondered if there was a college where you could just learn baseball......and then the conversation disintegrated to discussing bodily functions...he is a boy after all.

3. Went to the movies with my family and had a nice dinner with them....test be damned, I wanted to spend time with my family! Glad I did. We saw The City of Ember, it was actually pretty interesting. And very visually interesting.

I'm gonna whine!

I need to study, I have a test tonight and I'm so unmotivated, this class is unfairly hard especially for a 2 credit class. I don't know what to expect on the test. I've failed two tests and did well on two already and I can't find a pattern to my success or failure. I'm not alone in that, most of the class is grumbling. So instead of being motivated to do well, I feel at a loss right now. I hate that. I'm tired, I miss my family, my family misses me. I just want to clean and bake and do something creative and artsy.

ugggg, sigh, poor pathetic me....

okay on to my other boo hoo moment...

Ms. Martha, is the room mom for Jake's class. And she's been very supportive in letting me do things like just bring paper plates instead of some fun home baked contribution. A couple weeks before, I emailed her with my request so I wouldn't have to compete with any of the other moms with the easy peasy contribution. I got her the plates late Thursday night after a twelve hour clinical shift at the hospital. Meanwhile, Jake read the letter that he was supposed to bring plates and he, in a self-sufficient moment, got some paper plates out of the cupboard and brought them to class (which according to Ms. Martha saved the day because there was a lack of serving plates). Here's where I'm torn...I love that he took the initiative, he read the directions, he figured out what to do and he did it. But was it because he didn't have faith that his mom would do it? Is he feeling a burden of making up grown-up decisions because I'm not as available. Is nine too young for this type of independence? Am I just driving myself crazy over nothingness and just really feeling sad because he's growing up? Does anyone else drive themselves this crazy over something seemingly so benign?

It's these things that make parenting so hard for me...wondering if my decisions will help or hurt the boys emotionally. Hopefully when they grow up they'll know that they were loved.

well, okay, I'm going to take a hot shower and hope that I can get rid of this headache (oh yeah, another thing to whine about, I feel a bit illish) and hit the books!

oh, thanks for the suggestions....I went with buying a whole bunch of snacky foods and then a 10 dollar gift certificate to Wallymart, so if they feel the need, they can buy more food or she can get something fun for herself....About half the people brought a small gift for the birthday girl along with the contributions so it all felt very comfortable.

In lieu of

Jake and Isaac got an invitation to a birthday party this weekend. It's with a family I don't know, which isn't a big deal because the party is at one of those fun party bounce houses (ANOTHER business I wish I had thought of...but I digress). Here's my issue. They're requesting that instead of a gift we bring a food donation to their favorite charity. I think the charity thing is a great idea, what a wonderful gift and a great lesson for a child who probably has enough anyway (I'm assuming -- since we live in the burbs in a middle class neighborhood).

Here's my dilemma -- should I still give a gift to the little party girl? I was thinking a birthday card and a gift certificate to one of those girly boutiques where they sell glittery, pink stuff...a good excuse for me to go into one of those stores...since I live in a testosterone dominated house...but would the parents find that offensive? I'll bring a ton of dried food for the charity, but I also want to acknowledge the girl's birthday

arggggg
so here's my question to you all...how set in concrete are the 'in lieu' of's in a kid's birthday invite?

Jake's turn....yes, still studying

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I've been studying and Jason's been bored

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Isaac's Debut

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Booing the neighborhood

Our neighborhood has a fun tradition every year around Halloween. We "boo" each other with a bag of goodies. The deal is, you put together a a couple of gift bags of candy, a couple little fun things and a copy of the directions and a ghost...I added a candle, some glow in the dark sticks and Halloween sprinkles. Then you make a copy of a little 'boo' poem with directions (will add full poem below) then you go to houses that don't have a ghost on their windows (to show that they've already been 'booed' and leave the bag of goodies on their porch then ring and run....it's seriously fun for the kiddos....really it's all about the kiddos, I had no fun at all.
Here's the poem:

You have been "Boo'd" !!!!
The air is cool, the season fall.
Soon Halloween will come to all.
Ghosts and goblins, spooks, galore...
Tricky witches at your door.

The spooks are after things to do.
A spook, in fact, brought this "BOO" to you!!!

The excitement comes when friends like you, copy
this note and make it two.
We'll all have smiles upon our faces.
No one will know who has "BOO"ed
whose places!

Just two short days to work your spell.
Keep in secret, hide it well.
Please join the fun, the season's here
So spread the "Boo's" and
Halloween cheer.

Oh and an update on my test...88 woo hoo...seriously I'm going with a B is the new A...hahaha.

trying not to hyperventilate.....

and this time it's not about my 401K statements.

Test at 1pm today (mountain standard time) so if you have a minute....pray, wish good thoughts, rub buddah's belly...whatever floats your boat...I need all the help I can get to pass my first test in med-surg (medical surgical nursing)....it's on fluid and electrolytes, acid base balances, hematology and immunology....

fun stuff

you are sooo jealous, I know.

Isaac Isaac, what am I ever going to do with you?

My second child is so impulsive, I'm not sure if it's the age (just turned 6), his personality (his father's) being a boy? Jake, Isaac and I are just sitting there watching some TV, waiting for the Chinese food to arrive (I was studying all day yesterday, did like 5 million loads of laundry, some dishes and made beds....I WAS NOT GOING TO COOK TOO), and Jason was at the store buying a mouse trap....don't ask. Isaac got up off the couch, went up to his brother and slapped him on the face. (I am such a horrible mother, I'm laughing now, just even thinking of the expressions on both their faces) Jake looked at me with a 'what the heck' expression as I was trying to blurt out Isaac's name in a voice of authority and reprimand (but couldn't because I was laughing too hard). Isaac turned to me with a "I have no idea what I just did face" and all three of us rolled around the floor laughing. Between my giggles I tired to impart that even though I was laughing I was in no way condoning his behavior.

I think he got the message.
Probably not the right one though.

Sigh, parenting is hard, even if it is very very entertaining at times.

Jason's so funny sometimes

Let me share:
As some of you know, Jason and I sit on the opposite side of the political fence....which is funny because on most issues we agree, I think we just can't agree on how to get there....anyhow, we were having dinner and were talking about church and politics and how I pretty much keep my mouth shut when we're at church because my political leanings are very much in the minority at the church we attend. Then I said to Jason, "I can tell that I must be doing pretty well keeping my opinions to myself (well at church, not so much here on MY blog) because most people at church assume I'm Republican"

here's where it gets funny:
Jason: Well you look like a Republican?
Me: Uh, I do? How?
Jason: Beautiful and intelligent.

bwahahahaha, made me laugh as much as when he introduced us to other Republicans as "I'm Republican and my wife is just wrong"

It's a good thing I'm a Democrat with a sense of good ol' fashioned self-depreciating humor.

OH MY GAW----GOSH

Holy moly, quarterly reports are coming out and did anyone else almost pass out when they got their 401k statements.....oh wait I have to go hyperventilate in a bag again....I'll be right back.

OK, back,
Thank goodness there's still Social Security....

yeah, I crack myself up too...

Conversation with the school nurse

and I wish I was kidding:

Ring Ring
Me: Hello.
School Nurse: This is nurse blah blah, don't worry the kids are fine, I'm just calling about Jake's epi-pen.
Me: OK
School Nurse: I lock up the nurse's station at 3:30 when I go home and DayCare Guy has a key but he's worried about finding Jake's epi-pen during an emergency.
Me: OK, I'll bring an extra one for DayCare Guy.
School Nurse: Oh, Hold on there, you're two steps ahead of me. (what is this? An algebra test, where I have to show all my work?) What I was saying is that it's all locked up, it'll take too long in an emergency to get his epi-pen. (yeah, you just said that, why do you need to say it again?) And DayCare Guy and I were brainstorming about what to do about this situation. The teachers take epi-pens with them on field trips, so we thought maybe we could do something like that.
Me: Uh huh (because, really, I think maybe I'm not actually supposed to come up with a solution)
School Nurse: But then we thought maybe it might be better to have an extra epi-pen for the day care mobile. I know it's expensive (like I'm going to begrudge my child the 45$ for medication that could save his life). But we think it may be a good idea.
Me: So, do you want me to bring in an extra epi-pen?
School Nurse: Yes, don't you think that would be a good idea? (well yes, it's why I said that 5 minutes ago)
Me: Yes, it's no problem, I can do it later this week.
School Nurse: Well there you are jumping steps ahead again (are you freakin' kidding me!) Discuss this with your husband (Discuss it with husband? What? In case he objects to life-saving measures being put in place for his son?) And then decide (What exactly am I to decide here? Should Jake have --- let me say this again --life saving measures -- easily accessible to those who care for him --- hmmm not a hard decision---would any of you out there need a minute to decide this?)
Me: Ah, Okay. (OH MY GOSH, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO RETIRE LADY!)

So glad my kids are healthy.

Ms. Martha...seriously consider taking over....you would make the most awesomest school nurse and my kids love you!

Quirky Stuff

Although I was not officially tagged by Ms. Martha, I am still going to play along with her Meme and list off some of quirky things I do. Sadly, unlike Ms. Martha, I had NO problem coming up with six things, as a matter of fact I could have gone on and on.

Number 1. I think Vincent D'Onofrio as the detective in Criminal Intent, Law and Order, is hot. There's something about a really smart, quirky guy that is a real 'turn on'; come on have you met my husband...He's Vincent but shorter, darker and with a beard.

Number 2. I enjoy more the planning rather then the actual execution of said plans.

Number 3. I like to mix mustard and ketsup and dip my fries in it.

Number 4. When I lock any door and put my keys in my bag, I'll reopen my bag and check that the keys I just put in are still there, then I start to close the door, but right.before.it's.closed I open my bag again to absolutely make sure the keys are in the bag, then I shut the door, but hold my breath, check my bag again and breath a sigh of relief. Periodically, through the day, I'll check for my keys...ok, this is really more OCD then quirky, but we all have our dirty little OCD secrets...(don't we, please say I'm not the only one).

Number 5. Sometimes when the kids are playing nicely I'll scream at the top of my lungs and giggle hysterically while they looked shocked, scared and totally freaked out. They are so going to need therapy.

And, Number 6. When I've done something nice for someone, I'll go buy a lottery ticket, because really, don't I deserve a million dollars for having been so thoughtful to have cooked someone a casserole?

I hope that revealing some of these things haven't completely turned you off from reading my blog.....and if not, please clue the rest of us in on those quirky things you do....Teresa, Chief Rock Chef, Ali and Terri in particular (Danielle got tagged officially by Ms. Martha...but here's another plea to hear what you have to say.)

Damn Drivers....

Dear Lady in the Blue Honda blocking the intersection at the grocery store today,

While I appreciate that you did stop your car to talk on the cell phone while simultaneously consulting a map, could you have done it, say, in a parking spot rather then the entrance to the grocery store parking lot. Me and the 3 cars behind me weren't really thrilled to wait while you got your sh...stuff together. And what was with the honking, did you really think I was going to pass you going against oncoming traffic? And isn't honking really supposed to be reserved for, oh, I don't know, the people who are doing it RIGHT to point out to the idiots that are doing WRONG that they should beware . I should have been honking at you. But whatever, maybe it was opposite day?

Sincerely,
Someone who is glad she didn't have ice-cream in the trunk

For Sale...

The boys have out-grown the play set and want a trampoline. They've had a lot of fun out in the back yard playing on this thing. We (as in Jason) repaired, cleaned and restained it. If you know anyone who wants one, we're selling ours. We'll help (we...hahaha, Jason'll help) with the dismantle; getting it home and remantling it is up to you (is remantle a word? it should be if dismantle is one, right?) Unless you're still up for it Mrs. Kravitz, then Jason'll be happy to help Mr. Kravitz.

Yeah..those are weeds in the back ground...our back yard is next summer's project...why did we buy a fixer-upper at the same time I decided to go back to nursing school, have two young kids and a husband who works 60+ hours a week? Oh yeah, I'M INSANE.

I must be stooopid.....

I'm not really and expert on high finance, I mean I can barely balance my checkbook (although I do do it)so bear with me when I ask this really stupid question....

When did bankrupting a company and then having to be bailed out by the government become something you would get millions of dollars worth of bonuses for AND not be punished?

We're writing this big check to make sure our economy stays stable and we all jump on the bandwagon and have emergency meetings right NOW (what? no one knew this was happening? we couldn't have foreseen this?) and we have to make a decision right.this.very.minute about the bail out....and only after some stalling -- which pissed some people off, we concede to limiting executive payouts....but only if.we.make.a.decision.right.this.very.minute. Oh yeah, limiting...that would be government poking their noses in big-business...and why should government do that, I mean, big business is being run by such moral upright people (hey on both sides of the political fence, I want to be fair here, they're not all elephants)....right? Anyway it's more fun to mess with individual rights -- those pesky things that get in the way of running a tight ship.

So ---700 billion to save some companies and our country from financial disaster....but we whine and complain about fiscal responsibility blah blah blah, when someone wants a vote about a bill for oooh, say health coverage (because really we want people with schizophrenia on the streets without meds...I mean really if they wanted the voices to stop, then they could really get them to stop if they just try hard enough); Social services for the elderly and Oh My Gosh...do we really want to be soooo irresponsible to actually give an extra dime to the schools?

Again....I don't claim to understand...I pay my bills, on time, I have some debt (hey I'm in school, the kids have to go to daycare and I'm not working), My husband and I paid HUGE amounts of taxes this year (don't freakin' get me started...we paid taxes on stock that we could not cash in at a value of 20 a share and now they're worth 5 a share and so even if we could cash them in, why bother!) We paid 20% down on our house and didn't get more then we could afford...even when we were told we could afford 200k more (who does that?). We've been putting money in our 401k's since our very first paycheck at our very first jobs out of college.....we have college funds for the kiddos. We give to our church and charities (I know, I know what are we to do with the bleeding hearts like me). I'm liberal (not a dirty word by the way) and because of that I'm fiscally irresponsible?

Again...I guess that's just me being stupid.

Consequences? What are they?
3rd grade teachers who are sued because little joey can't read coming out of high school?

Schools lose money when their test scores are low? Isn't that punishing the victim?

Nurses lose their jobs and pensions and who knows what else when they give a wrong dose of a wrong medicine after taking care of 5 critically ill people, with no break, and a on double 12's (because we're not really in a health care crisis and we have plenty of nurses, doctors, hospital beds to go around -- hope ya'll are healthy).

If you don't pay your mortgage you lose your house.

If you don't pay your bills you have sucky credit.

BUT if you're a CEO and take millions of dollars in bonuses from 2003-2007 even though technically you really aren't making a profit and it's all about to go poof...nothing happens.

hmmmmm

Sucks to be the average joe (or josephina).

I'm not bitter or anything, I just DON'T UNDERSTAND.

Here's an idea, stop calling me names or people like me names, and let's all work together and make this country a better place!

I so wish (and I know my conservative brethren, if they haven't already stopped reading by now, are going to gasp) McCain would have picked Lieberman for his running mate. I mean that's seriously putting your money where your mouth is (and not in the pockets of bankrupting execs) when you talk about bi-partisan politics. I could so see how that would bring this country together, we could heal and we could make solid decisions about our economy, the war (ok, I'm not so liberal here -- but that's a different blog entry), about health care etc....

If we just worked together, prayed (in whatever religion you choose) for guidance, got our big fat egos out of our big fat hmmm, well you know -- I think we could make this work...

But, that's that pesky, pie in the sky, hopeful, non-pragmatic liberal in me talking....

Ooooh, sorry honey (yeah, yeah, hubby and I are on opposite sides of the fence, November every four years is a fun month in our house -- and before he gets credit for the financial decisions above...that's my territory...yup, the liberal).

oh you all know you still love me.
And I love you too!
We're all in this together.

WW--I can't believe my baby's SIX

From this....sweet, darling precious bundle to.....
"THAT'S RIGHT WORLD, I'M SIX, I'M WILD AND IN TEN YEARS YOU'LL HAVE TO LOCK UP YOUR DAUGHTERS...WOO HOO"

Answers

ok, so if you want to know what we Parkview moms were doing with that box check out http://sittinginsilence.blogspot.com/

so excited that she finally got her welcome to the neighborhood package...yes, she's across the ocean but we Parkview bloggers have all adopted her and are slowly trying to convince her to move state-side!

I'm now back in Denver, grandad's funeral was so nice, more importantly it was so nice to reconnect with cousins and my aunt and uncle. There were bitter sweet moments --my grandad is buried next to my grandmother and my father, my great-grandmother, great aunt and another cousin are all in close proximity. It was such a reminder of what our family has lost. I hugged my kiddos a LOT that day.

Now I'm studying for a test coming up this weekend. Wish me luck -- and, yes, I will slowly catch up with all of you!

Thank you for your well-wishes, thoughts and prayers.

WW-Good Bye Grandpa Al

We'll Miss you

June 1915-September 16, 2008

NURSING SCHOOL IS HELL

Snow?

Benson Cabin, Shrine Pass

Yup, forecast for the mountains, snow. Here on the plains, just a bunch of rain. I LOVE THIS SEASON...seriously, I love rain, I love cloudy days, I love cool breezy weather. Have you heard of Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder (SAD)? It's where you get all gloomy and sad in the winter and happy in the summer. I used to joke around that I had reverse SAD. Well, turns out it's less common but there are people out there who do (just read it in my psych book). That's me! Anyhow, I'm seriously procrastinating writing a paper for my psych clinicals. I had to hang out with a person who has schizoaffective disorder for a couple weeks and then write up a whole paper on him. I had to chat with him before I read his file and when I talked to him, it was this fun conversation about nothing real, since he's totally delusional, but he was clever and nice. Then I read his file and he was there for physically assaulting his last nurse. YIKES. This clinical has really really been a hard one. I feel so awful for these guys, in a different way then the people who are sick with physical ailments. Mostly because there's not much I, personally, can do for them. I think it's a very special person who can be a psych nurse. I am not that person.
Anyhow...we went to Breckenridge last weekend to celebrate Jason's 40th. He's not one for parties and fan fare so this was a perfect way for him to celebrate this new decade of his life. I thought I'd leave you some pictures. And if you want another clue, you'll have to look at my vacay photos...bwahahaha, evil laugh.

View of Holy Cross from the observation deck, off of Shrine Pass. When it snows you're supposed to be able to see a cross in the rock. It's hard to see without the snow though.This deck is actually a very nice hike and wheel chair accessible. It's a new project they're doing, making hiking paths that are available to all.
Isaac had the camera, it was pretty cold and we were huddled together.
Isaac acting crazy...as usual

We took another hike up to Holy Cross City...but it turns out that was a good four hour hike (one way), so we didn't make it. I actually only hiked an hour, went back to the car to study and the boys explored some more. It's a really hard hike, and probably best to have actual hiking shoes, not tennies. Next summer, we'll try that hike first. Holy Cross City is completely abandoned but at one time had 300 people there, a school, church and post office. There's still a bunch of mining equipment left along with the houses and buildings. There were no roads to the town, they had to hike in or use horses.

Let's see, another clue....hmmmm, Across mountains, valleys, rivers and oceans

Oh, alright, I've procrastinated enough...off to write my paper....ugg

HMMM...hints anyone?

Something to ponder

for persons of yonder

WW--what are those Park View Sister Wives up to?

stay tuned....

I've typed like three different things for my title and I just can't think of one....
I have a request of all you who I so enjoy reading...STOP POSTING so that I don't miss anything while I'm stuck studying and taking tests....I was only able to catch up on a couple of you (and I'll catch up with the rest this weekend) but then when I catch up with the others, I'll have to go back and start all over...So, I just need you to post according to MY schedule...I'll post that later.

I totally failed my first math test, but was able to retake it, yay, and got a 90, yay (so now if I am your nurse you can be assured I'll get your medicine dosage right...well at least 90% of the time). Took my first psych test and it was a 92....also yay (however, in nursing school they both equate to B's) Anyhow, my point is, school is starting out okay. Well, at least the academic portion of it...my clinicals? Well, I'm not sure how to even explain it? Except, being on the pysch floor for the past couple weeks makes me realize that my family is most likely more on the eccentric side rather then the crazy side.

I'm so all over the place...but this was cute...Jake was reading a book on myths and he blurts out, "Mom, Jason is a god", I replied, "well, he certainly thinks so" Then Jake goes on to read that Jason fought off lions and Isaac blurts out, "I could totally see dad doing that" and he was serious. I love that both our kids still think we're still cool, smart and fun....I'm not looking forward to when we are idiots to them.

And, we have another 40th birthday in the household..Jason's FORTY today. Happy birthday honey...I love you and believe you can fight off lions too.

Just a bunch of pictures of my kids and not so smart dog

Here's Jake pitching his first game. It was so cute to watch him, he really tried to mimic the pros. He would look at all the bases before he pitched....even though there weren't any other players on the other bases to steal any bases....I'm not sure he knew that's what the pitchers were looking for, he just knew that pitchers surveyed the bases first....

What concentration.....
So the other day I was calling for Hannah and she wouldn't come, so I went to look for here and I found her in the living room like this.
She sat there, confused turning her head from side to side when I talked to her. But rather then save her, I went and got the camera first (I know, I know, I'm a bad mom)

It's hard to get a picture of Hannah sitting still, but here she is, happy and giving her favorite some kisses....I even remind her that I'm the one that feeds her.

WW--How You Know You're Your Mom's Favorite

Thanks Aimee for the forward.

bits and pieces

My Kid makes me laugh:

The other day I was getting frustrated with the older one because he was futzing around and not getting ready for school soooo, in my perfect patient mommy voice I yelled, "Damn it Jake, get your back pack and get in the car!"

Isaac, quietly, patiently and much more grown up then I was acting, says to me, "Mom, you know Jake doesn't like you to use language like that and has asked you more then once not to say that word."

My husband makes me laugh too:

The other night Jason, feeling amorous nods his head toward the bed, he does it twice, maybe thinking I didn't get his drift.
Well I was not feeling so inclined so I said...'What's with the tic, do you have Tourette's?" He argues and says people with Tourette's don't have tics, I say they do then for some reason we both start twitching and whispering the most foul words we could think of and we broke into the giggles of the rolling on the ground, tears streaming down our cheeks, kind. The kiddos who were in bed but not yet asleep kept asking from their rooms what was so funny. Jason and I yell in unison "NOTHING".

(side note here...I don't mean to sound so un-PC...I understand Tourette's is a very painful disease and I don't mean to make fun of the disease, we were more laughing at the language we were using...and I don't mean to condone that either...okay so really I'm a nice person with a bit of a naughty side)

My other kid might not be ours:

Jake, loves baseball. Hubby's an engineer who did run track in high school but really hasn't done anything sports like since then. I, hmmm, well....I don't like to sweat...and let's just leave it at that. Neither one of us watch sports on TV. We may watch the Superbowl...Jason, so he has something to talk about at work and me because I like the commercials. So, we have no idea how Jake ended up not just loving baseball but also being pretty good at it. This is his first season in kid-pitch little league and it was his first time pitching and he struck out three batters in the first inning....GO JAKE...I hope the sports inclined family who received our kid is enjoying reading books with him.

I didn't plan this weekend so well:

For some reason I loaded up on the entertaining this weekend. I have no idea what I was thinking. We had two couples from church over on Friday night. Lovely people and not of the 'churchy' kind but more of the real people with flaws and can laugh at themselves kind (what a relief!) Last night we had another couple and their boys over. We've known these guys since their youngest (turning 13 in November OMG) since he was a new born. It's amazing that their older one's voice is deeper and he's now taller then his mother.....thank goodness my boys aren't going to get any older because that's just disturbing to see her little boys become men. And tonight we're having my parents, my sister and her two kids, Jason's mom and his sister, brother in law and niece over. I'm going to be one exhausted puppy by my first clinical tomorrow. I think I was trying to get one last weekend of summer before school got into full swing. Oh who knows, I think I was just nuts!

But I did have fun with the menu planning:
Friday: Black beans and rice, Grilled steak, pineapple spears and cucumber, tomato salad, a nice red wine and for dessert, cheesecake squares loaded down with blueberries and coffee (all made by me...it was fun...but again what was I thinking?)
Saturday: Jambalaya (sausage and shrimp..yum), rice salad and ice-cream (dessert and salad proved by our guests)
Tonight...pot luck and we're just grilling hamburgers and hot dogs...my mom will bring her Flan which will most likely be the only homemade thing here...oh and paper plates all the way!

Oh wait...I was going to do my thankful thing on Sundays....
I'm thankful for having a full life, talented healthy, thoughtful kids who make me laugh. I'm thankful for the means to entertain our family and friends. I'm thankful that I was able to make time in our busy lives to do what's important...hang out with friends and family, put our son in a sport he loves.

Have a great week!

Not the most stellar start to a new semester...

Yesterday was my first day back to school. My day started about 1 am when I got up, looked at my watch which read 4:30, so I stumbled into the bathroom and took my shower, got dressed and when I went to kiss my sleeping husband goodbye, I glanced at the clock at the bedside to see it was only 1:30 am.....UGGGG

I crawled back in bed, wet hair and all, slept for a couple more hours. I got up at the real 4:30, looked in the mirror, gasped at my now dry and all over the place hair, wet it down (no luck), shrugged my shoulders in resignation and drove to the Starbucks near my school. This is a 40 minute drive. Got there, only to realized I PULLED MY MATH BOOK OUT OF MY BOOK BAG and could not study my math calculations for the upcoming test...the reason I got up so early...the reason I drove my rear to Starbucks by the school....the math book was STILL AT HOME, FORTY FREAKIN' MINUTES AWAY....

damn it damn it damn it

So, I read a chapter out of my pharm book....and hoped and prayed that I remembered some of my math from the previous semester. By the way, math is NOT MY STRONG SUIT....I was an English major with a History minor...I worked as a paralegal...lots of writing, NO MATH.

Got to class, got the math test...

damn it damn it damn it

I'm the kind of person who runs her hands through her hair while taking a test...keep in mind I had serious bed head of the wet to dry kind already...then keep in mind I had an hour and a half to do 30 some calculations....with lots of steps...like changing grams to mg and lbs to kg before even figuring out dosages...or calculating the drips p/ minute in an IV with a certain amount of meds in a percentage of solution blah blah blah...so my hair, looked, well a lot like:

Any how, when the teacher announced we only had 9 more minutes for the test, I wrote on the front of the paper....'guess I'll be taking THIS test again' ...then I went down the list of problems and thought...'hmm, probably killed that patient, this patient's a gonner' and seriously questioned my ability to care for the sick and injured.

Thankfully, we have 2 more times to take the test. We have to pass the test with a 90% in order to get through the class.....I think they think it's very important that as nurses we're really good at dosage calculations and IV drip rates....I'm pretty sure all you out there are thankful about that.

Besides studying for pharm, psych and a killer third semester med/surg class, I'll be reviewing my math.....

Other then that, my day was peachy!

Giving Thanks

Terri (link below in people I stalk section) has a day where she lists some things for which she is thankful. I love that idea. Really, when I concentrate on all the things that aren't going right (and I tend to do this A LOT) it's hard to see all the things that I have and how great my life is going. I figure Sunday would be a good day. I usually get reflective, if we had a particularly good sermon at church (which would not have been today since I dozed off a couple times). It's the end of the week so nice to reflect on what just happened and to get into a good mood for what's about to happen. So here it goes...

I am thankful for my friends. The ones I've been meeting online and the ones in my neighborhood and life. The friend I've had since JR. High, who is okay if I don't email daily and I'm okay if she doesn't either. I know if I needed something, she would be fine if I called her any day or night. I would do the same. The friend I've had since college, who was in my wedding, who lives across town and I meet every so often for coffee and we talk and talk and get things off our chests and can be completely ourselves with out the fear of being judged or disliked. My friends in the neighborhood who look after my children, who have coffee with me and we chat and, yeah, gossip and with whom I celebrate birthdays, receive and give casseroles when there's a crisis. These women are a blessing. Then there are those of you out there whose writing makes me cry and laugh and wish I really knew some of you in real life.

I am thankful for my husband. We've been together since we were 16. He has stayed with me even when he didn't want to at times. He has stayed when I didn't want him to stay. Right now he's painting a constellation chart on my son's ceiling because I wanted to do something special, beyond just a nice paint job. This is nothing he would have done on his own, it's not something the kids would have asked for, it's purely to make me happy. He'd rather be playing Guitar Hero. But he loves me. I love him.

I am thankful for my home. This one is hard to be thankful for...it's in such a state of disrepair. We've been working on it for four years. But I am thankful that it's now painted, re-roofed, has new windows and gutters, that the upstairs is almost, two months from, painfully close to being --completed. In the meantime, the payment is low and we are kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

I am thankful to be in school. I love learning new things. I love that I'm going into a noble profession where I can help people. I am thankful I will be using intelligence, kindness, willingness and hopefulness, all of which are my favorite positive qualities about myself to help those in need. I am okay that I will not always be treated with respect, or kindness or thankfulness, it's not why I'm going into the profession, I'll know in my heart that I helped someone. That's going to feel great!

So these are some pretty general things...but it's my first post on being thankful...I'll need a little practice...although I am thankful for the opportunity to give thanks....

What, in your life, makes you thankful?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIELLE

Our neighborhood's favorite Australian Blogger is......

Having a birthday!

So have a piece of cake and a cup of tea (and maybe some vegemite and toast -- if you're brave) and help celebrate her birthday. Even if you don't normally post comments on people's blogs...have a go at it and wish her happy thoughts on her very enjoyable blog. Have a great day Danielle....

WW I can't wait until Fall

Isaac's Birth Story...

I'm gonna sing the praises of Any Mommy Out There again. She just posted the birth story of her adopted daughter. Grab your tissues and have a read. In the mean time, should you choose to read a much inferiorly written birth story (though a fantastic child who is right at the moment running in the upstairs hall naked trying to torture his brother in ways I do not understand) then read on....

We wanted our babies closer together but as luck would have it I had a case of 'secondary infertility' no one could explain why, it just happens sometimes (I hate answers like that). For a year I had to go into the doctor's office and take medicine to get my period to even start. And I was one of those 28 day text book people, had no problem conceiving Jake so it was quite aggravating, frustrating and a bit scary. The OB put me on Clomid and I got pregnant right away. We were thrilled. Our due date was July 4th, just two days after my son's birthday and 1 day after my brother's.

Sadly it wasn't meant to be. I miscarried. It was painful, physically and mentally. Why is it when you go in for the final blood work during a miscarriage that the waiting room is full of beautifully rounded pregnant women. Women who don't want to look at you as you scurry out of the office, barely able to suppress the sobs, tears running down your face, because they KNOW.

Christmas was coming and we didn't want to deal with anything until the holiday was over. God had other plans and we got pregnant. What I thought was 6 weeks into the pregnancy I started to bleed again. I cried and cried but this time the hormone tests kept coming back fine. So I went in for an ultra sound and not only was that little baby still living and strong but I was a month further along. How could this be, my two periods after the miscarriage were horrible (I won't go into details here but really not sure how you can expel so much and have something still alive there) The doctor speculated that it may have been a lost twin? Again, no answers and we'll never know but we were blessed to have this one. Except! the ultrasound showed certain signs of Down's syndrome. We opted for the amnio. Not because we would have terminated but because I wanted the facts. I wanted to be prepared as much as I could. I prayed and prayed for a week. I figured if this would be the case then God knew we would be parents who could love and nurture such a child and it would really be a gift. I was filled with such peace about it. And then we found out all was fine.

My first trimester was one heck of an emotional roller coaster. Besides the 9 month-all day fatigue, migraines and nausea...the rest of the pregnancy was fine. I opted to not find out if he was a boy or a girl. But Jason desperately wanted to know. For Father's day that year I had the radiologist print out a picture of the ultrasound, write what the baby was and put it in an envelope. And then I put it in a Father's day card for Jason. I told him that he could tell NO ONE.

Jake was three weeks early but this one, this one ended up being a week late. I wanted a VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean) so they didn't want to 'induce' me as my chances of uterine rupture would increase. Even so, I was done, I was ready, I wanted to see my tiny baby and hold him in my arms. Every visit I would bring the doctor and staff some type of dessert, trying to bribe them into inducing me. The OB would tell me we could have this baby tomorrow if I would agree to a repeat C-section. Finally, I was going too far beyond my due date so the OB agreed to an induction.

I went into the hospital at 10 pm. I was given a cervical softener and told by the nurse that I was closed so tight I would need a couple more of those before I even got the pitocin. She hooked me up to the monitors and left the room. I told Jason that I thought I might be in labor already. The room had a display of the monitors from all the other rooms. Jason looked at my flat line and the lines of the other women and told me that, no I was not in labor. Who can argue with technology? So he sat back and watched a re-run of Friends (it happened to be the episode where Rachel had her baby). At 11 I had a gut-wrenching-sit-straight-up-and scream-pain and then felt a gush of water spread down my legs. I yell at Jason that my water just broke and he needed to get the nurse. He had the good sense to NOT look at the monitors to tell me that I was NOT in pain (my monitor, apparently was not on correctly) and he ran to find the nurse. She came in and checked me and I was dilated to a 4. She called the resident who came in minutes later and I was dilated to a 6. I was going fast. I had seconds to recover from each contraction. I was screaming profanities like you would not believe and groaning and grunting like an animal....it was horrible and NOT PRETTY. The nurse told me to 'be quiet, you're scaring the other patients' at one time, then told me to stop gripping the bed rails because I could blow my IV --- "ARE YOU F*&#king KIDDING ME"

They couldn't get a heart beat, I was going fast, so they gave some meds to slow down the labor and wheeled me into the OR. I was screaming for the "F*&^king anesthesiologist" at that point. Jason stayed behind to get his scrubs on. They get me into the OR, I needed a hand to squeeze so I point to this guy and I yell "YOU, GET OVER HERE" He obliged and I squeezed his hand through another contraction. After that gut wrenching pain was over I asked who he was, apparently he was the staff OB and if I would let go of him he'd do the C-section. Jason came in at that point as another contraction hit. I was checked again and I was an 8. The anesthesiologist showed up and I begged her for the epidural. She said she couldn't until they decided whether or not I was going to have a c-section as she might have to put me completely out, I answered "ARE YOU F*&#king KIDDING ME". (do you see a theme here) They got in an internal monitor, I was at a 10, his heart beat was fine and I got the epidural. It was 12am at that point. Just two hours after I showed up at the hospital.

Two hours after that Isaac was born. Holding him was magical. Everything in the room went away and I looked into that precious face and loved him. Then I asked, is it a boy or girl. Everyone laughed because they all assumed I knew already.

I want to be an artist....

This past weekend we went to the Sculpture Show in Loveland. It's one of the largest sculpture art shows in the nation. It's set in Benson Park which has a sculpture garden and beautiful in its own right. If I were to ever live in Loveland, I'd want a house overlooking that park. Anyhow, we went because Jason's aunt, Laura Jane, is one of the artists who was in the show.

Laura Jane...she didn't want us to take her picture....
One of her pieces...you can't see the detail that well, but it's amazing how detailed she can get. She first does in in sculpty clay, then casts a mould and then uses bronze for the finished product.
One of the sculptures in the park.

There were so many different types of artists. Realists, fanciful, whimsical. There were people who chose to work in clay, glass, mosaics (totally dug those because that's what I happen to work with when I have time) -- there was one sculpture that was a person's form in post-its (clay formed post-its) painted all in yellow and it was called 'honey do' one of the other ones all of us liked was 'rock paper scissors' I think because the boys play that all the time. Any how, if you're in the area next August...this is a must see. (May I suggest leaving the kiddos with a babysitter...I wish we had...--(complaining factor) X (fear they may break something factor) = an exhausting day)