this and that

I found out yesterday that it's 'teacher appreciation' next week. As co-room mom (and other co-room mom is in Monte Carlo this week, hate her), I had to scramble to write a letter to the other parents asking for donations, pictures and cards,written by the children, for the teacher gift (a scrapbook with messages and pictures of his students). So I was chatting before my Micro class last night about this and then mentioned that the only reason I knew this was coming up is I happen to be on the hospitality committee at school and got an email regarding the change of 'teacher appreciation' week. It was at that moment when facing the raised eyebrows and stares of my fellow Microbiology students that it's no wonder I'm getting only a B in the class. I didn't even mention that I also volunteer in the nursery two Sundays a month at church. And I thought I was being so good at dropping out of the community Social Committee. Me-thinks I will have to drop my volunteering, socializing, coffee drinking with neighbors even more during nursing school---well maybe not coffee time with the neighborhood mommies. This will be a very hard sacrifice for me. I have to keep reminding myself that the field I am choosing is one of service and it's OKAY that I stop being of service (outside the family) for a brief two years in order to accomplish this. right? right?

Now on to the real important matters of life, what shall I make for dinner tonight? We have a freezer full of stuff I could thaw, something with shrimp maybe? Ooooh, shrimp scampi over rice noodles with fresh asparagus and broccoli tossed in? I guess I do know what I want to make for dinner --- love the rice noodles, they're so much lighter and the taste of the scampi comes out more then with regular noodles.

Spring in the Rockies

Today

A couple of days ago

Yesterday, I sent Jake to school with a rain jacket, boy was that a mistake, it was snow boot, heavy coat, hat and mittens weather after school. He made it to the car okay though. Although, and not related to the snow, he did 'toss his cookies--um okay Cheetos' in the back seat of my car. My first thought, "thank goodness this wasn't Jason's brand new car". He's feeling much better today and actually begged to go to school. Woo hoo, that's not his normal state of mind when it comes to school.

My personal opinion, and I'm not sure why the superintendent DIDN'T call me for my expert 'mom' opinion, but it should have been a snow day. Maybe I'm a wuss but it would have been fun to snuggle in and watch the snow melt, drink hot cocoa and have a free day, it's not likely we're going to get another chance at a snow day this year.

Planning forecast....80 this weekend. Where else can you get four seasons in a WEEK.

Doing an Olympic Triathlon

NOOO, not me. LOL. My brother and his wife are doing an Olympic Triathlon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. The mom of one of Gina's friends recently struggled with a blood cancer and both Gina and Jose wanted to do something worthwhile in her honor. As well as have a reason to train (you can read more about it on her blog). Any how the reason I'm writing about it is because, A. I'm so freaking impressed that both she and my brother are able to do this physical challenge, and B. I think it's a worthwhile cause and thought if anyone should like to donate I'd put the link on my blog too. Oh and it's, of course, tax-deductible:
Gina's team page
Okay, big sister duties done for the month, at least for older-little-bro', younger little bro' and little sis' will have to wait their turn.

The things that kids say

The other day the girl that I watch, Abi (and NO I DON'T DO DAYCARE SO DON'T ASK) says to me, "My mommy takes showers" I answer,"I'm so glad, it's an important thing to do" I'm wondering where she's going with this. Then she says, "Sometimes with my daddy" OHHHH. And I reply, "Yes, sometimes mommies and daddies do that, it helps save water", she says, "they won't let me in" HMMMM, eyebrows raised, don't know what to say, she continues "But this morning they didn't" I wanted to say, "oh was your daddy in a bad mood the rest of the day" But I just changed the subject. Ponies, with little Abi, always a good choice.

Which reminds me of a time when my own son, Jake was having a conversation with his grandmother. She came over so Jason and I could go out. When Jake asked why she was over she said so we could have a date night. Jake said he thought we already had one that day. We looked at him puzzled and asked why he thought that. He said (in front of the grandmother), "You know mom when you and daddy told us to watch cartoons then went upstairs and locked your door." UMMMM, color me red.

Nesting

Jason has been busy cleaning out the garage. There's a crawl space above the garage where he has put down boards so that we can use it as storage and he's moved our Christmas stuff, camping stuff and other stuff up there. He's cleaned off a bunch of shelves. Today he's going to move the freezer to the basement and will rearranged the work bench and shelves. It's been awhile since he's been motivated to do anything around the house. Everything seems to be such a big project, no real one weekend deals. We were talking about that one day and he sheepishly said, 'I'm nesting" OOOOOHHHH, he's preparing the 'nursery' for his new 'baby'. I'm so proud that he's sooo in touch with his feminine side.

growing up

I was reading another blog and she mentioned how adulthood has creeped on her slowly. It was just a small blip in a post about something else entirely but it resonated with me. I have these moments when I look around my life and think, "I'm a grown up." It's hitting more at home right now because after 18 years, Jason has finally gotten a new car. And it's a grown up car, a bit of a man-toy, but grown up none the less. Not his small, Honda civic that was so 'cool' in a geeky kind of way while in college, first job, first house. It stopped being 'cool' but Jason held on to it. Why? he said finances, but was it holding on to that time in his life when the realities of adulthood weren't as prevalent?

You'd think that at almost 40 (a year and two months away) I would have figured out that I am indeed an adult. You would think given my childhood where I took the adult role, more often then not, I would be used to this whole adult thing. I drink coffee, have children, am married, pay the bills, cook, drive a safe car for which I provide maintenance, keep a home , have a retirement plan and paying into college funds, and yet I feel like I'm waiting for adulthood to start. And it struck me, it's not that I don't feel like an adult, I don't feel like I'm living the life I imagined I would while I was in my youth.

I'm not sure I want to live that life either because it looks a lot like a television show (my childhood dream/assumption of what a family should look like). I'm not sure what I want it to look like. Maybe I should be okay with how it is NOW and learn to enjoy the experience of not knowing, not planning, not imagining and just be content with the now. I think I've spent many years not worrying about now, because something better was going to be around the corner. What if 'better' is now.

No, my house is still mid-remodel and will most likely be that way for a few years until I finish nursing school. I'm not the weight I'd like to be. I'm not driving the car I want. BUT, my kids are great, they are bright, friendly, active, talented boys who make my eyes light up when they come into the room. My heart swells with the unsolicited hugs and kisses. My husband is a great father and loving, caring man. I am blessed that we've been together 22 years and married almost 15 (high school sweethearts) I am so enjoying my class, even though it is hard as hell. I enjoy learning, enjoy the challenge of understanding a subject so foreign to me. I have a good life. Being an adult is good. The life I have is good, even if it isn't the one I set out to have.

by the way....

I just got our tax bill, and I hope you all forgive me, because I'm about to sound like a Republican...
Shhhhh.....Don't tell the IRS about my last post, they may find a way to tax me!

Look how much I'm worth a year

I was looking up something else entirely on salary.com and found this mom calculator and check this out, a stay at home mom would make 140,000 dollars per year if she was paid based on what she did on a daily basis for the kids, the house, her husband, et al (I think they include overtime).

Now, where do I pick up my check?

A Realization

I pride myself on my humor, particularly the self-depreciating zingers I can often use. I love laughing at myself. I guess you could say, I'm my most favorite subject to ridicule. Most of my friends laugh along right with me, knowing that I'm really NOT an idiot, I just play one for fun.

However, complete strangers don't know this and I think I've done myself a disservice. Here's why -- Some of my class mates don't take me seriously. One of my lab partners had a question, she asked everyone but me. And I knew the answer. When no one else could answer, I told her mine. She reread the question and realized that yes, I was right. She was a bit perplexed at my being right. More importantly, this was not the first time. Yowzaa. What a light bulb moment for me. My feelings weren't even hurt, I did this to myself.

I'm glad I learned this lesson now, because once in the work force, particularly as a nurse, the appearance of confidence is going to be very important. The patients will be looking to me for help, not for a good laugh. I do think at the right moments my sense of humor will be helpful, but mostly confidence and caring should be at the forefront of my personality.

It's identified....

Last night in study group we went through Bergey's manual to identify our unknown bacteria. I got my culture from the vending machine. Should I tell you, should I? Or the better question: are you going to keep reading from this point on? I was hoping for some normally benign form of say, Staph. epidermidis, which is only a problem if it gets in your blood stream, it's part of your normal flora, everyone has it. But NOOOOO, It's Staph. auereus, a particularly nasty one, responsible for a whole host of nasty diseases (if you click on the word it'll take you to Wikipedia).

Cheers to our normally healthy immune systems!

School Now vs. Then

A couple of days ago I took son #2 to Burger King, so he could play and I could study. Every time I heard an energetic gleeful shriek (someone else's child, MY child wouldn't be so rude -bwahahah), I had to retrace my reading steps. It was then that I realized college this time around is sooooo different from the first time around.

Before:
Studying? something you cram in right before the test because you were sleeping off a 'late' night in class and couldn't take notes. Instead of reading you were enjoying those 'late' nights.

You studied, in coffee houses, out on the lawn, school cafeteria, school commons room, anywhere where a friend might happen upon you and you had a great excuse not to study anymore.

The library was a great place to take naps, and there were too many tables and chairs and not enough of those comfy 'reading' chairs and couches.

An entire semester's worth of books equals one book for one class now.

You really thought what you said mattered and you could change the world.

Now:
You have a chart when everything is due and you tape it to the fridge so that you can maneuver all of that around your family's schedule.

You want, crave, must have, peace and quiet when you study. If someone you know happens upon you when you do, you chat for a minute and excuse yourself to finish your studying. The library has way too many comfy chairs and should invest in more tables and chairs. The obnoxious guy sitting at the table next to you, having a cell phone conversation and a conversation with his table mate, simultaneously and LOUDLY, should be shot and killed.

You feel guilty about the time it takes away from your family, about the loads of laundry not done, about more fast food and convenience food, about the money you are not only NOT contributing but you are taking away from the family. blah blah blah, this list can go on and on, but let's not dwell!

You don't ditch, because if you do, you'll miss something, and gosh darn YOU PAID TO BE THERE. (a LOT).

Day care....Holy Cow, who can afford that!

Less beer, more coffee.

Guys don't want to buy you beer anymore, or coffee for that matter (which by the way is okay, since I'm happily married).

When you exclaim at the school bookstore that when you were in college the first time this cost would have been for a whole semester of books, they guy looks at you and says "Whoa, that was a long time ago" (OUCH).

And, you realize you can't change the world, but you can effect people's lives in your chosen career, and if you're a mom you are shaping the lives of the mini-human(s) left in your care for such a short period of time, and these things are priceless.

Grammar Police

I'm really not one to poke fun at people's grammar mistakes (notice the proper use of apostrophe). Particularly, because I know I use commas way too liberally. I enjoy run-on sentences; it's how I speak. I love dashes. I don't always get my verb/plural/tenses matching. I can't spell to save my life. And lots of other lazy, stupid things. All that aside, I don't think I would have made THIS mistake:

Painter's in lobby, please be careful

The sign was taped to the inside elevator doors at SCHOOL.

wooops!

If anyone wants to read a fun grammar book (and I think this book should be used in high schools around the country) pick up Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

Another Quiz

You are 90% Smarter than a fifth grader.

You are smarter than a fifth grader. no doubt. There is no need for you to retake school. Keep on doing your brain excersise like sudokus and crossword puzzles, and you'll soon be smarter than a sixth grader! Good work!

are you smarter than a fifth grader?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

The one I did get wrong....yup a math question, I even asked my 7 year old for help...yup, that desperate, but it does show me we have to work on his geometry skills.

I wonder how a fifth grader would do on that stupid nursing pretest?

Punchy Answers to Micro Assignment

I was getting a bit punchy yesterday after working on a Microbiology assignment for a couple of hours. It's crunch time, I'm getting a solid B in the class and I still feel like there's hope to squeak out an A. I'm already admitted to the nursing program, and at the associates level (still will be an RN, will take the same NCLEX as the BSN graduates) you only need to average 2.5/4.0 GPA. But noooo, I want an A, especially because this is such a freakin' hard class. It's almost like someone said 'NO' to me, or told me I couldn't.....I can get a bit stubborn that way (ask my parents, husband, anyone) I'm pretty sure the teacher has a sense of humor so I answered a couple questions, correctly, but with a bit of, well, punchiness.

First one is a drawing. We had to draw out the steps of phagocytosis --in general terms, the cells released to help get rid of nasty microbes -- So as I'm drawing the macrophage engulfing some bacteria, I drew a little cartoon cloud above it saying, 'yum'. Now after the cell, chews the microbes (and/or foreign object) all up it releases the debris into your system...I almost, but didn't, draw a little cartoon blurb about being bulimic. Yes, I realize at times you can go too far...and have been known to stop myself---sometimes.

Second, and I'll just copy and paste here:

27.List Three fomite, for each, write a statement instructing a friend, child, co-worker or patient how to avoid infection transmission by that fomite. Tell who you are informing and use a distinctly different method of prevention for each fomite.

a. Public bathroom door handles. Telling a friend. After washing your hands, keep a paper towel to open the door with, then throw the towel away.
b. Shopping cart handles. Telling a child. Ok, in my case it’s usually, “Stop licking that” with a tone of disgust and dismay. But when I’m in ‘good mommy’ mode it may sound more like this, “let’s wipe this up with some of the soapless germ stuff, then feel free to lick it up” Oh, wait, I forgot, ‘good mommy’ I would just tell him he’d get a cookie if he didn’t lick, and/or touch anything….ok never mind, you just can’t tell a kid anything because they don’t understand.
c. Pen. Co-worker. “Wow, did you see the green stuff coming out of his nose…wouldn’t use that pen if I were you”. (wink wink, nudge nudge), “but if you really want to I’ll spray it down with some Lysol”.
d. Scalpel. Patient. “Oh, sweetie, don’t touch that, I just used it to debride some rotting flesh from a person with Necrotizing Fasciatis. I will first auto-clave it then you may use it.”
(I’ve been working on this way too long and think I should get the point for humor).

You guys would give me the point, wouldn't you?
Ok, off to write up my labs. And then poop patrol in the backyard. I live a full and productive life.

4 am conversations with a 4 year old

Jason and I wake up to crying, the inconsolable kind.
"What is it Isaac?"
"Jake won't let me play with them"
"Jake's asleep honey"
"No, he's not, he's playing with my monsters and I want to play with them"

monsters?

"Honey, you're having a dream"
"No, I'm not, Jake is having fun with MY MONSTERS"

SIGH

Get up and show him that Jake is indeed asleep. Isaac calms down and wants to snuggle, I cringe at the thought of his bed, so we go back to our room and all fall back asleep, he and Jason more quickly then I.

Leave it to the quirky one to have a dream about monsters, but instead of being scared, he's upset they're not playing with him -- this is the kid that insisted on wearing a turtle costume and snow boots (no snow right now, just beautiful Colorado Spring weather) to Chipotle last night for dinner -- and to be fair, because we're quirky parents, we let him.

Parents moving back state side

I'm so excited, my mom and step-dad are moving back state-side. They live in La Coruna, Spain right now and have been for a couple of years. But, Jose is missing his family a lot. My mom, although misses us, REALLY likes it over there. Jose wants to move back to Miami, we have one brother there and Jose loves the Cuban community there. My mother has a sister and niece in Naples and a bunch of cousins in Miami. And then there's the weather. But I want them to move here! Yeah, the weather may suck to them (I'd take it over the sweltering tropical heat of Florida ANY DAY) but they have two daughters here and grandchildren (my brothers have yet to reproduce...Jose and Gina..get on that by the way, and Luis, get married). Luis, the brother in Florida should move here anyway and who knows where the Navy will send Jose and Gina next. Not to mention, Jose, Sr. (step dad) is related to most of the tiny Cuban community in the Denver area. Oh and it's cheaper. Don't you all think they should move here rather then Miami?

I promise I won't ask them to babysit ---- that much.

This is the view from their apartment now. I know it would be hard to give up, it really is beautiful there!

Photos...

King of the Mountain

What a view, Jason took the boys hiking a couple Sundays ago (Elk Meadow, near Evergreen). They had a great time, I had to study (poor me).
Hiking in the mountains, in March, wearing shorts....Jake is so 'Colorado'!

Jason and Jake went Indoor skydiving with their buddies. You probably can't tell, but Jake had a BLAST.

i'm just-a-yappin'

DH sent me the latest JibJab mini movie. It's pretty funny and happens to go well with this funny map I saw on another blog I stalk from time to time.


I think you can click on the picture and make it larger to see the wording.

I'm procrastinating right now, dishes need to be done, study organized, outline for a paper on TB needs to be finished (good news, no email from the other two in my group, so at least I'm not alone in slacking) , an assignment, two labs and a shower. Also need to take Jake's bike in for repairs. And a whole list of other things that just makes me tired thinking about it. And may make others bored just reading it.
Fun stuff: I found out when the nursing orientation starts; so I think that Jason, the kids and I will spend a week up in the Pac NW this coming August. I can visit my almost 92 year old grandad and aunt and a bunch of cousins then we'll do some sight seeing and then my brother's wedding. We'll have to take the kids out of school for a week. But, I'm pretty sure that college admissions won't frown too heavily on that if it happens before the third grade. We're also planning another two weekends away in May; one with kids, one without. We're going to Oklahoma, which I hear is OK, another wedding. When I called the lodge, there were no more rooms available. The lodge-lady did say they had cabins....pregnant pause....I asked, 'and by cabins, you mean what?' she laughed and assured me that plumbing and electricity were part of the package (yeah, I'm a weenie!). It should be a fun trip with the boys. It's on a lake by a state park. A couple weekends after that, Jason and I are going to Colorado Springs (as far as I'll go with out the kids) and celebrate our 15th anniversary (I was a child-bride.....no, really). Woo hoo, can I say it again, FIFTEEN. And I still love him -- like newly-wed love him.
Alrighty, I'm off to the shower, maybe I'll feel invigorated enough to start the laundry....oh yeah, need to do that too as well as the above.

Duh...

We were watching an episode of "Enterprise" (the most recent of the different TV Star Trek series). It was a bout a race that had a third gender and this gender provided an enzyme to help the male/female couples have a child. However, this third gender wasn't allowed to have an education, make decisions for itself (wasn't female or male) or even have a name. Normally, when you watch a Star Trek episode (ok, how many of you out there actually do???) you can see a correlation to Earth History in the story line. So Jason says, in his dense, very manly way, "I wonder what they're implying here?" HMMMM, I answer, "Feminism" sheesh, it was pretty much spelled out Jason....only good for breeding, not allowed her own name (taking husband's family name), until recently not allowed an education, and at first, the education provided was only to help her children, not for her own betterment, couldn't vote and was subject to the will of her family, husband and/or government.

He answered, "oh yeah"
I still love him, I do.

Another Star Trek moment. Years ago we were watching a "Next Generation" episode and they came across an alien race that only spoke in metaphor. What a light bulb moment, that's exactly how Jason's grandmother spoke. You would ask her a yes or no question and she would answer with a story from which you needed to gather wisdom and meaning.....it just gave me a headache. It was then, I realized my husband's family may not be from this earth.

oh, ouch, they are very loving people, and they've accepted me into their family as their own. And Jason thinks my family is equally strange. It's just blending two loving alien races into a cohesive rich culture...just like Star Trek.

All About Me

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Kinda fun, snagged idea off of Sis-in-law and sis-in-law's-sis's blogs.

One More Day!

The kids just have one more day of school and then it's a three week track off for them! Woo hoo, we'll be sleeping in and doing fun stuff. I even made a reservation for the Mint. Jake did a lot with coins in school. Granted, it was more about the math, but I still thought the Mint would be a neat field trip --a la familia. Then we may take in the Molly Brown house and do a downtown type of lunch. I'll even drive them by Jason's and my first apartment and my elementary school. I do sometimes miss living more in the center of things, but the suburbs do have a charm of their own; the people are great and the schools are fantastic.

I'm doing a project with some people in class....I was planning on doing it on my own. When I thought about it, I realized that I do better that way because I can get a bit resentful when I end up doing most of the whole thing myself. But the person who asked me to do the project is a smart girl who is most likely an over-achiever. Now you'd think I'd say, "Whew, great, not as much work for me", but nope, my thought is, 'Wow, I'm going to have to work doubly hard to pull my weight in this partnership" Apparently, just can't make me happy. But really, I'm happy about this and I think it'll work out well. She and my other partner are very nice and hard workers; I think we'll make a good team.

Isaac was getting out of the car today, complaining that Abi cried when he shoved her. Ummmm, "Ok Isaac, that's allowed. You shouldn't shove her." So then he says, 'Well, she shoved me back and THAT was NOT a good decision" hahaha, yeah like shoving her in the first place was....I did mention that, but with more kindness and less sarcasm....he says, a bit sheepishly, 'oh yeah'. He's also getting obsessed that the drinking fountain is not working at school. This is probably horrible to say, but I do believe he's going to be a bit of a quirky kid.

Jake went indoor skydiving a couple days ago...will update with pictures ---and maybe even a video if I can figure that out.

ok night night time for me...I have a nursing pre-test tomorrow. Basic knowledge kind of stuff. I'm a bit resentful. I do have a BA, even graduated with honors; I think that should be proof enough I can read. I am a little freaked about the math though, for the life of me I can't remember how to do percentages.

Good things do happen...

OK ranting was fun, but what's more fun? Talking about neat things that happen. Yesterday, I popped my head into the nursing office to pick up some paperwork for my background check. I talked with the nursing guru there, I don't think she's the head of the department but she might as well be and she's as nice as can be! So I was asking her when fall semester starts and when the orientation will be. She asked me why I want to know and I told her I had a wedding to go to in August. She asked when the wedding was, and I told her and she said..."Well, we'll just have to work around that"

Let's pause for a moment.
Wasn't that just so nice!

I said, "wow, I just wanted to work around whatever was happening here, I didn't mean to ask for any favorable treatment" She asked if it was a family member, I mentioned brother and she was pretty insistent that I NOT miss that (not that I was, I just wanted to know if I should do more days in the front or back of the weekend out to Weddingsville). So I thanked her profusely... just short of getting on my knees in a 'hail thee' type of pose. Then said, "My brother just got back from Iraq so this is really important for our family". And she smiled and said she was happy to be able to help out.

Woo hoo for nice people, I smiled all the way through the rest of the day.

Ranting

So colleen blogged about her new pet peeve, interrupting. A good pet peeve to have, one that I usually overlook (ok, because I do it myself) until I have something I think is so important to the conversation then I get a little peevish myself. But she did have a good thing going ranting about it, I bet she felt so much better afterwards..... Martha joined in with a rant of her own. So here I am, just copying them as I don't have anything any more creative to blog.

My micro class....it's very interesting (ok, I know I can get a bit geekish at time). But there are a couple of people that really bug me! Before I go off, I'd just like to say, I really like my lab partners and frankly most people in the class, honestly there are only two with whom I have issues. One, I shall call the Condescending Know It All and the other, the I'm Too Smart For This Class and Will Scoff at Your Apparently Stupid Questions While I Get the Teacher Off Track For Fun..... ok, both long names, I'll blame my Cuban side for that. CKIA asks questions and then talks over the teacher answering the questions herself. She ignores her lab partners and writes in her book and she wanders over to our lab, just to make sure we're doing it correctly. ITSFTCAWSAYASQWIGTTOTfF.....ok that really was a long name, will ask questions about unrelated topics, knowing that the professor is easily sidetracked and all of the sudden we're talking about politics (yes a great subject but we're in MICROBIOLOGY) and I want to know about bacteria, not what people think of stem cell research (ok, I do want to know what people think about that...but not my classmates) because I want to know what's on the TEST. I'd love a spirited debate outside the classroom. If I wanted that debate in the classroom I'd take a political, ethics, or a religious course. But I'm taking Microbiology.
Surprisingly, the issue of the professor being easily side tracked is not a pet peeve. I have an affinity for the absent minded professor type, my dad was one (and with your dad, the ability to side track is a bonus). The people in the class who are actually smarter than I am (and most are), I enjoy picking their brain and learning from them. And frankly, the ones that are really smart, enjoy sharing their knowledge and are not in the least way condescending and actually enjoy hearing what I have to say also; it's an exchange. The ones who think they're smarter and are not yet try to bulldoze over me, well, hmmmm.

Well, look at that, I do feel better.

Belly laughs

The challenge of the week...when was the last time you had a good laugh, a belly-almost-pee-in-your-panties kind of laugh...and if you can't remember, why not????

Well that's one thing my crazy family has...we know how to laugh. Is it because there are so many crazies? Maybe? Maybe it's how the rest of us stay sane and how the crazy ones don't go postal...Whatever it is, we do laugh in this family. It's one of the things that attracted me to Jason. He can make me laugh until I'm crying (and/or peeing). Last night, in fact, he had me in stitches. A friend was mentioning that a friend of hers can be condescending to her and Jason started sounding like he was far on the other side of brilliant, implying that's how friend should start talking when condescending friend starts in on her, and he ended with 'would you like to buy a pencil' (ok, I KNOW--- politically incorrect but we were ALL laughing around the dinner table). Then we played Taboo...and Jason's word was 'package' and even though I was on the other team and not supposed to give clues, I jumped in with "and Fabio has a nice....blank" (an aside here, I don't have a thing for Fabio, I think he's actually kind strange looking, but he's a cult stud, so that's why I used his name)....we all laughed, Jason looked hurt (again kidding hurt, not really) and I said, 'well honey you have a nice package too' and laughed again. I had my mother laughing today, after I gave her bad news...because that's what we do....my sister yesterday gave me bad news (news I passed on to my mother because she needs to know) and we laughed about that...and if you knew the news, you'd be appalled at the laughter....but it's what we do. I think the Irish have a good thing with the whole Wake thing when someone dies...the time of sharing the funny, happy, lovely things in a person's life, a time of laughter during a stressful, sad time.

But what truly makes me laugh the kind of pure laughter, from the heart, not from a sad coping place...is my children. Jake is becoming so sarcastic and really I SHOULD do something about that, but he's FUNNY. He rolled his eyes at me the other day and I said, in a mean mommy voice, 'did you just roll your eyes at me' and he said 'yeah, and I'm gonna do it again' and he did....I burst out laughing. Isaac was having a temper tantrum and I looked him right in the eye and said, 'that's not how you do that' and I got on the floor, screamed and pummeled the floor with my hands. He burst out laughing and we both just rolled on the floor laughing and tickling each other. Sometimes...and I'll probably get frowns for this one, I'll hide behind the corner and when the kids run by I'll jump out and scream at them...they get so scared and then just laugh and ask me to do it again and again.

Yup, we're a warped family, but if you were in this family you would develop a funny bone real fast, it's one of our best coping mechanisms! And even in our darkest moments and our most joyful you will hear someone laughing in this family.....so sister dearest after you're finsihed being mad at me for telling brother dearest and mommy dearest call me and I'll tell you a joke or two and you'll get over it.

It's in the air

Wow, today is supposed to get up to 70! It's hard to believe we were recently buried in a mountain of snow for weeks on end. It's been wonderful to go out into the yard and see what's popping up. I can't wait for my bluebells, the delicate little blooms and fragile stalks are so sweet and one of my favorite early bloomers.

In this week's blog assignment (originated on a scrapshare website and emailed to me by Martha) I was asked to share what I did with my extra hour of sunlight with daylights savings just having happened. Like Martha I really saw this as a lost hour. Where as sunlight is great 'n all I'm not really a farmer and don't live and breath for sunlight. I actually think I'm somewhat allergic to it. I'm okay getting up before the sun rises and eating after the sun sets. There's really nothing I can think of that I did differently except maybe whine about something new.

A Weekend Away

I went on a scrapbooking retreat last weekend. I can't say I got much done, but I did get to spend time with my very special friend. I don't see her nearly enough since we both have young families and she lives clear across town. We relish our weekends together. I was working on an album of our trip to Spain (if you can't wait to see it you can revisit it on the October Archives of my blog). Most of my pages looked like this...half done with post-its of what still needs to be done.

My only completely finished page.


The boys visited (the hotel wasn't that far away) and swam and had lunch with us. I did miss them a wee bit and so it was nice to have them come by (look Jason shaved his beard!)

And, one of the funniest 'small world' stories I've heard in awhile. Martha and other neighborhood friend Carol came for a visit and happy hour on Saturday......I think Martha really wanted to see if I scrap booked, every time I go over to her house for that reason I look at idea books and chat, oh once I did sketch out bacteria flash cards for a test, that's kinda crafty isn't it? Anyhow, I think she now believes me. Back to the small-world story. This was the first time she and DF, Shannon met; they both wanted to meet each other since I fondly talk about both of them to each other (lots of common interests and both admirable people). They were doing the thing you do when you meet people, high school? college? Something in the conversation prompted the question, 'do you know Allison -----' Shannon thought the name sounded familiar. She calls her husband, who actually went to the same high school as Allison and there was the connection...Shannon's hubby and Martha and Carol's buddy dated for a month or so in High school. Allison has moved to another state (I knew her casually before she moved, but had she stayed she would have run into Johnny during one of Jake's birthday parties, since her daughter and my son are the same age). More scoop? Check out Martha's blog.

Just One Word?????

And now for this week's blog challenge:

Have you ever tried to describe yourself in one word? One word that sort of sums up who you are, what makes you tick, what sets you apart. It's not as easy as you think. As women, we need to spend more time recognizing and celebrating the talents and positive traits we've been adorned with. Whether we're suburban upper-middle class moms or urban, poor, living-the-moment teens - we all have one thing in common: we're beautiful women with amazing talents, unbridled potential... and we're fabulous, baby. Fabulous. Go ahead. Describe yourself with one word. Then ask three other people to describe you, too. Celebrate yourself. I dare you!

Oh my, just one word.....hmmmm, so very difficult for me who loves to talk (at times ad nauseum, so glad to have to have been introduced to blogging). But here it goes:

Waspina: It's a word made up by DH. My sister, who loves to poke fun at my natural reservedness, so foreign to the Cuban side of our family, the side that she emotionally responds to more than I, was accused, herself, of being a bit cold by her Argentinian husband (of three hours but that's another story). I had to laugh as she had lovingly, for years, accused me of being a WASP (the side of the family I generally emotionally gravitate toward, even if I look more Cuban). So our needling at each other was put to a quick stop by DH who called us both Waspinas making us both giggle with delight.

It does describe me pretty well. Caught between two cultures, not quite fitting in either and yet also enjoying being a part of both. Being a little reserved at times can be quite beneficial when deciding on a course of action. Being a bit emotional can make you a warrior for your family when needed. I enjoy being in the middle, I feel well-balanced, empathetic and at times even somewhat wise.

There are some honorary Waspina's out there. Colleen, who grew up pretty much glow- in the-dark-anglo-saxon loved visiting her Italian family (married into her family, Italian), feeling the warmth, the tears, the love made her feel happy to even witness it. She's declared herself a Waspina. Martha, so loves the idea and has joined the club. Sis-in-law is a member (of course her children, given that she is of the WASPY persuation herself and my brother is Cuban, will be Waspina/os by birth).

So here's to us who may start the evening with a Martini, have some Picadillo and frijoles negros for dinner and finish it off with a nice Cobbler. Celebrating and embracing all of the cultures that make us who we are! And, yes, I do beleive WASP is a culture, you just need to look hard.
(Dad, Wasp, Mom, Cuban, and the two Waspina girls, the dark haired, one is me and the light one is Elena)

This Discovery was Confirmed by Logic

Oh my gosh, I got my letter, I am starting nursing school in the fall. I was supposed to start this spring but didn't have my Micro class yet and had to take a deferment. When I talked to them, they made it sound like I would have to wait another couple of semesters so I had it in the back of my head, NEXT JANUARY.

AHHHHHHH

I know it's what I want, it's what I've been working toward, it's going to be good for the family and for me. But I'm a little freaked out and scarier still, very excited.

DH, cutest man ever, went to Build a Bear with the little one for a birthday party and he came home with a nurse bear for me as a congratulations. I really love him, he's such a good guy. Makes me even feel ALMOST a little guilty that I yelled at him for buying another industrial sized trashcan (we already have 5, I'm really not sure about the logic of having so many huge trashcans, maybe it's a guy thing?).

Title, from Jake's journal, he and his cousin, Bridget went on a rock hunting adventure and wrote about it, they found a rock that they assume to be over 200 years old and decide that it must be so because of logic....lol

Please still be my friend....

Oh my I got 'tagged' by someone I haven't officially met, but really enjoy reading her blog (to the point of stalking) I have no idea what that means but I'm so honored. Being the kid that was picked last for such things in grade school this means a lot! So this is what I'm supposed to do, name 10 things people don't know about me. I did this once before for a 'blog challenge' (Jan 9)which seems very similar to being 'tagged'. I'm so new to the blogging world I'm just not too sure about these things. Anyhow, it was fun the first time so I'll do it again.

10. I really would love to be an 'intellectual' but I am a bit too silly, and frankly not quite intelligent enough.
9. My conservative friends think I'm too liberal
8. My liberal friends think I'm too conservative
7. I think I'm just right
6. I am caring less about what people may or may not think about my parenting. They're bright, curious, healthy (majorly) active little boys. I don't need for them to be perfect and frankly if what they do makes you feel better about your own children and your parenting, I'm happy to provide that service for you.
5. I so dig the whole Big Love polygamous family. Not into the sharing of the husband thing but the whole 'taking a village' to raise the family thing is great! And thank you to my neighborhood mommies colleen (barb), martha (niki) aimee and shaina for helping me raise mine (and, gulp, I'm margine --except shaina thinks I'm barb and to her I probably am, but to the other guys in the group, not so much......another reason why I can't be in the whole 'intellectual' group I'd love to be a part of--I'm a bit of a scatter brain)
4. Sometimes when the kids are perfectly content playing without me I want to go hit them so that they cry and need me. I have never done this, just been tempted. I love that feeling that I'm the one that can solve their problems, with a snuggle and assurances that they are loved. They need that less and less from me and I'm missing it.
3. I lose my temper with rude customer service people.
2. I want a particular ex friend to be 'outed' as a sociopath and then have her move away.
1. I really love doing these stupid list things! and enjoy reading other people's stupid list things.
So now I will 'tag' some of you others to do this too
sis in law , sis in law's sis, tosin another person I don't know but like to read and last but of course not least Niki (that would be you, martha)
And of course feel free NOT to do it. I won't think any less of you.

blog challenge.... a Count Down

10 favorites
Color: blue
Food: Cuban Sandwiches
Month: October
Song: Mama Mia
Movie: ????? I like so many
Sport: whatever my kids are playing
Season: Fall
Day of the Week: Saturday
Ice Cream Flavor: Dulce De Leche
Time of Day: Morning
9 Currents
Mood: Tired
Clothes: Comfy
Taste: sticky mouth, need some water
Desktop: particle board
Toenail: Color: Nothing, but in the summer, I like to do something crazy
Time: 10ish
Surroundings: study/guestroom
Thoughts: mostly garbled, I have mommy brain
Wonderings: huh?
8 Firsts
Best Friend: Don't remember her name, erika, I think.
Kiss: His name was Nelson
Screen Name: traceyzimmer, not very creative
Pet: Nicki, a crazy wired haired terrier
Piercing: ears I was a few days old
Crush: Gus
Computer: a Tandy in high school
Home Location: my very first home as an adult, up the block from here
7 Lasts
Cigarette: sometime in college
Drink: Christmas
Kiss: this morning
Movie seen at the theater: Charlotte's web
Phone Call: to my message machine (and yes Martha your message was on there, don't know why I didn't hear the beeping)
CD played: ABBA
Gift received: Roses on Valentine's day
6
Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Friends: nope
Broken the Law: speeding?
Been Arrested: oh my gosh no
Skinny Dipped: nope
Been on TV: yes, on some PBS special about high school students
Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: yikes, yes...
5
Things You've Eaten Today: Chinese food, yum
You've Done Today: field trip with the youngest, the museum
You Can Hear Right Now: the hum of the computer
You Can't Live Without: said computer
You Do When You're Bored: computer, tv, read
4
places you've been today:
museum
Chick Fillet drive through (on the way to the museum)
home
that's it...
3
people you can tell anything to
shannon
colleen
shaina
oh what the heck, I tell most people everything
2 Choices
a. Black or White: White, look great in white when I have a tan but then I look good in black when I have that mid-winter pale thing going.......I just can't decide. Ok, i'm just going to go back to blue.
b. Hot or Cold: As a bonified Waspina, I'd have to say, in the middle.
1
Thing you wanna do before you die:
Meet all the Grandkids I'm going to have.

Oh yay

Addendum to my previous post, the teenage boys down the block just came up and asked if they could shovel my walk and driveway! woo hoo, 15 dollars well spent!

knee deep in kleenix or confessions of a whiney baby

I'm feeling very pathetic and need all your sympathies! I have a cold. It is a bad one, the readings on the thermometer two nights ago and the presence of the 'big bowl' should be proof enough. But since I'm the mommy, the boys still got their sleepover last night, the laundry still got done and the bathrooms got half cleaned before I lost steam. Periodically I would lie on the couch or bed and moan for 15 or so minutes until the kids needed something they couldn't reach, mix or microwave on their own. Jason left last night to go snowmobiling with some nerds, oh oops I mean guys, from work. Bless his heart, he did offer to stay (I'm sure his fingers were crossed behind his back). I said, 'no'. Am I martyr? Or just someone who knows that her husband has been working ungodly hours at work, lots of people resigning on him, sales people wanting him to hire more people blah blah, it's been tough on him. Not to mention he's coming home early two times a week so I can take my class. He NEEDS this time off! He's been grouchy, so I know when he comes home he'll be lovey-dovey and relaxed. And frankly, it's just a cold!

And speaking of cold....I had the windows open yesterday, airing out the house, we were wearing short sleeves, no jackets, finally cleaned off all the dog poo that was frozen in ice on the patio (anything NOT on the patio is gonna be fertilizer). Wake up this morning and snow all over the place, everything's covered all over again. AHHHHH, we were just thawing out too. And now I have to shovel (hear the whine here) Did I mention I have a cold!

School...figured out that I have a 91% average, woo hoo. BUT, this next test is going to be a kicker, I mean it has all the DNA stuff. And as a nurse, why is DNA replication of bacteria important? I was looking over my notes and apparently when I'm confused I doodle. there are cartoon pictures of cross eyed people with question marks for hair. GREAT, that's going to be helpful.

Off to make breakfast for the boys and their guest and then to basketball for Jake and then study study study...wish me luck, and oh yes, feel very very sorry for me, I'm feeling pathetic and need happy good thoughts coming this way!

Playtex, fun for the WHOLE family

Zac was watching TV and suddenly came running into the dining room, where Jason had set up his lap top, "Dad, Dad, you need to buy some PLAYTEX". Jason, startled, asked "why?" and Zac answered, "Because if you wear them you can play ALL DAY".
Truth in advertising?

Pictures of the kids and dog!

Jake played his first basketball game this season...and proud moment...he made the first basket for his team. He also seemed to be good at the less showy types of sportsmanship and knew when to pass and to whom. He's #2, numbers go by size which may give you and indication how huge he is...he's also one of the youngest.




Zac was bored out of his mind, (note to self, bring game boy next time)He alternated between watching another kid play with his game boy and playing with the camera, here are some of his 'shots'

Look how big Hannah's gotten! Wow. She's a bit of a wild woman! and can jump as high as I am tall. Tries desperately to keep the kids in 'line'.

forecast tomorrow, more snow

scuba diving in cleveland.....

Today it's temperate but another arctic blast is about to hit us and more snow in the forecast for tomorrow. I was hoping that all the snow from December would have melted by now....no such luck, so I guess it's more of the above for us!

picture off of one of those forward emails from a cousin in Florida....yeah Floridians may find it funny...ok I do too, but really, it's been the story of our life in the last few weeks!.

This and That

The winning room on Top Design a couple days ago. It was a pretty neat pirate room, the little boy for whom it was designed, LOVED IT. One of the judges (meanie) thought it was 'over the top' but my thought is a kids' room SHOULD be over the top, whenever are they going to live a fantasy again? Of course Erik's back ground is in theatrical lighting and set design...And John is gone. He really boffed his assignment. Me-thinks he was overwhelmed by it all. He made a heart-breaking confession that he has HIV and was given testosterone shots to help with his energy level and that could be why he was a bit aggresive on episode one. It's insane that I like this show so much, I even stayed up til 1am to catch it. I need a life.
What's up with the whole letter verification thing on the comment section. How does that keep away people who shouldn't be commenting (not that I have those people). Do they assume that creepies can't recognize wiggly demented letters is there something in the brain of a homicidal maniac that can't decipher the letters? Hm, any thoughts? Or anyone know the reason for the letter verification? Oh oops, it IS called 'word verification' but those aren't words?
Microbiology....So last Tuesday we went out into the hallways and rooms of the school w/ a cotton swab to collect samples. I chose the vending machine....some of you may want to stop reading now....Yesterday, I check out my petri-dish and there are a few different types of microbes growing. YUCK. I'm going to isolate the nasty puffy white stuff (it was between that and some slimy yellow stuff) and hope to heaven it's not E. coli. One of my lab partners swabbed the milk steamer on the espresso machine at the little coffee hut, lots of things grew in her petri dish (benefit of a night course, everything's closed and you get the run of the place). Our next step is to isolate, grow whatever the stuff is in broth and get a good look at it under the microscope. Will keep you informed. I'm not sure I'll be using vending machines again though.

woo hoo

I guess I didn't bomb the test...89%, almost an A...I still have no idea how that happened though.

Another List Thing

Blog challenge forwarded by Martha is another list thing....hmmm, well it sure beats studying and I'm all for anything that keeps me from THAT!

When is the first time you fell in love?
Well it would be Jason, and I'm not saying that to spare his feelings, we met when we were 16 there weren't very many before him and no one serious.

lost someone close to you?
My Dad, I was 19.

drank alcohol?
High school....Oh My Gosh, I hope my kids DON'T do what I did in High school.

got kissed?
5th grade, you think I would have turned into a slut, given I was so young, but it was just a peck on the cheek. First REAL kiss, Jason...well the kiss that mattered, the kiss that made my toes curl.

went to the hospital?
For myself? when I had babies.

smoked a cigarette?
High school...unfiltered Camels....yikes. I do not smoke now, though

broke a bone?
never

got a job?
High school

got cheated on?
never

rode the city bus?
a month old, my Dad took me into the city and I peed all over him. For some reason he loved that story.

went to a concert?
High school

Met someone famous?
Had a chance to meet Andy Garcia, but bailed. My parents knew his parents.

dyed your hair?
In my 20's

got your own cell phone?
In my 30's

snuck out the house?
Ummm, that would be High school again (seeing a trend?)

drove a car?
16

got your own digital camera?
2002 and Like Martha,I resisted, because I was very attached to Film!

how old are you now?
38

Idiots are fun

Oh my gosh it's ME....Jason and I went to a marriage seminar yesterday. He's a guy who has written a lot of stuff and deals, I think, a lot with sexual addictions (not a problem in our house I would like to add...not that that makes us perfect or anything) anyhow, his name was Doug Weiss, been on Oprah, really really funny and amazingly perceptive....so that aside. He was giving different steps that you could do individually in your marriage to make your marriage better. He got to acts of service and I just perked up, this is EXACTLY what Jason needed to hear. After all I had just kvetched at him that morning about how the trashcans hadn't gone into the back yard yet, how the snow wasn't shoveled correctly blah blah blah, I was in a MOOD. So I figured obviously he was lacking in the whole acts of service thing....Then Dr. Weiss says (and I'm paraphrasing), "If you have a list of things your spouse isn't doing or needs to do, then you are the one with the lacking in service" He even threw in the ENTITLEMENT word. GASP. NO WAY. I mean have you SEEN my volunteer schedule? But you know he was RIGHT, gosh that was hard to say. Jason does do so much, not to mention he is the sole monetary provider for the family. And he hardly ever ever makes demands of me, hardly asks anything. So the thing I thought I had down is the thing I'm gonna work on first because Pride does kind of mess you up at times.

So at the end of the seminar Dr. Weiss started talking about his new book coming in November. He categorizes people into two different categories...and of course not everyone fits neatly into one or the other but can be predominately in one. Jason's was something to the effect of methodical, can't make decisions easily because he has to think through them....etc. Mine was more of a rapid fire thinker...quick but not always correct (well except in MY case, hahaha) really held onto ideas, didn't want to let them go etc...people who are good under pressure.... so while Jason and I are listening to these things, I was thinking "wow these people must be really fun people to be around I'm so glad I'm one of these" and Jason was sitting in his seat, very uncomfortable, thinking, "Gosh I hope he's not hurting these guys feelings, he's being so harsh" HAHAHAH, we are so different.

Love this quote: Idiots are fun, every village wants one. From the show House.

Top Designer

I could blog today about how I miserably, most likely, failed my Microbiology test last night (and by fail, I mean probably in the C range). But I would like to discuss something much more light-hearted...What may become my new favorite TV show. Top Designer on Bravo. There are two particular characters I absolutely hate and yet, I'm sure, will absolutely LOVE to watch in the coming episodes, that is, if their personalities will allow them to stay on. I'm surprised they weren't booted off on this first episode.

John, a 40 year old from Chicago who has one enormous chip on his shoulder. But gotta admire a guy who was told he couldn't and he did, then sold the company to the guy who said he couldn't. He was a do it yourself, no nonsense kind of guy who probably does not work well with others....or at least those are the clips you saw. Not quite sure if he's gay or not, he did compare himself to George Michael, but then pretty much called most of the other guys pansies. And, gasp, wore a Hawaiian shirt and flip flops.

Michael, most definitely GAY, is a 23 year old who was raised on an organic farm, turned big city designer and squeals like a little girl when asked to paint. He has perfected eye rolling to a new art form. As a mom of eye-rollers, I wanted to reach through that TV and just slap him. This guy was a know-it all-little brat who didn't pull his weight in working on the project.

Surprisingly their room was one of my favorites. The guys who did win, won because it was so innovative, but not a room you could live in.....sand box in the floor with a swing...weird.

It was amazing that these two got paired up for the first assignment, sort of made all of the other pairs fade away in their tantrum-less professional demeanor's.

It will be interesting to see how these two fair. OK interesting for me at least. Thank you sis-in-law, Chayna, as the kids call her, for pointing out the show, yes you are right, I do love it.

And let me now focus my attention on my new favorite blog (and thank you Martha for pointing this lady out) Mostly True Stories She totally gave me the idea to critique the people on a show, she did it with Top Chef. She's a L&D nurse with a wicked sense of humor. And makes me laugh and actually in a weird way, gives me hope that I too can make it through my Micro class and then nursing school...even if it is for the stories I'll be able to tell.

So is discussing the lives of the characters on reality TV a new low in the art of procrastination? I do believe so.

Boy does time go by quickly!

Bummer we didn't have digital before 2002, so Jake's early life is a bit sparse in the computer archived photographs. How did Jason get so much gray in just 6 years? Kids maybe? And yes, I know, scary newborn picture of Jake, but it was just so funny.... Enjoy the slide show!

Gross British Yeast Stuff

This is the nasty British Yeast spread we fought about the other day. I just had to blog about really how horrible this is. Why do the Brits eat this? And why is it selling for 19$ on Jollygrub.com, a website devoted to British food. Is that why they travelled far and wide, conquering different cultures? To search for good food? I mean it's not like anyone asks where a good British restaurant is.

I love him again

OK, he apologized, he's stressed at work and realized that he took it out on me last night (apparently snapped at his sister too, missed that) so he's feeling horrible, overwhelmed etc....and now I just want to take care of him. So I made him a nice lunch. The kids are going over to his sister's house (she must either not have taken whatever he said seriously, or he recovered nicely) and he can get some work done, sans the "cheerful" noises of some very active boys. And I will hide at Starbucks and read about microbes...test next Thursday. All is back to normal, which is really not normal in say Leave it to Beaver perfect house fashion, but normal for us....

No, I don't Beat My Children

Okay, looks worse in person.....

Zac is one walking injury. I'm hoping it's his age and not some weird undiagnosed balance problem. We were in the ER twice last summer, stitches and MRI. A couple days ago he just fell off his seat at McDonald's and hit his head on the seat behind him. He wasn't even wiggling (that much) HOW DO YOU JUST FALL OFF YOUR CHAIR? Last night, he wanted to fly (cape and all). Jumped off the couch and landed cheek to corner of coffee table. Eight adult witnesses. So THIS time neighbor, who probably doesn't even know she did this, can't make subtle innuendos that I may be harming my very clumsy, adorable, and some what drama queenish child!

Oh, and now to my husband....because I'm just that mad, and thankfully he only reads my blog when I mention there maybe something funny on it, so I am safe to complain! He left his card in the ATM a while back and just realized it yesterday. Calls the company, they 'knew' he had done that and will reissue him a card. He nicely apologizes, I graciously say 'no big deal it can happen to anyone' (btw, never has happened to me, has happened to him twice in the last couple of years). We're having our dinner group and he finds out I had thrown out this bizarre British yeast extract stuff he bought from Cost Plus and we all tried it and it was GROSS. He snaps at me in front of our guests. So I snap back and mention, sheesh, couldn't I get the same "grace" I gave him. (And frankly, gross yeast extract--- ATM card, not equal, his was WORSE). And he says, it's totally different because my throwing away perfectly good food is a BEHAVIORAL PATTERN...yes, I threw away a half eaten pastry left on the counter the other day....I SHOULD have known not to because it was carefully wrapped and I threw away the gross British yeast spread....hmmmm

snowmobiling

And this is why we live in Colorado. Where else can you really feel on top of the World?

The Navigator---Jose, following in your footsteps?

In their slippers and drinking up some hot cocoa, what a way to finish off the day.

Jason and Jake had a blast snowmobiling!

Blah

Trying to ward off the migraine I woke up with this morning with Excedrin Migraine, coffee and oreos (for the hormonal component, really I'm eventually going to be a nurse, I KNOW things). Jake and Jason got up at 4ish this AM to go SNOWMOBILING. Jake is UBER excited, when I checked in on him last night he was GRINNING in his sleep (adorable). I had my house finally cleaned and somewhat organized and three nights away (two for school and one for bunco) it's like I live in some crack house and my kids will soon be taken away from me. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? So today, in between heading over to my sisters, anti-date night (my turn to host babysitting co-op) and homework (have to finish reading 4 chapters on Microbes, and my lab for next week). I need to clean the house! BIG SIGH. Oh my, I feel the throbbing, must have more oreos and a hot shower, things'll look up after that!

Just can't get that tune out of my head....

The assignment---There are some songs that take you back to specific events, places and times. Choose one song (or a few!) that do that for you, and tell us about it.

There's that song about 'tearing down paradise and putting up a parking lot' I have no idea what the name of it is, but it was popular when I lived in Kansas City (Kansas) for a year. Every 6 weeks or so the boys and I would make the 11 hour car trip back and forth to stay connected to our Colorado family and friends. That song would come on frequently and Jake, then 3/4 loved it and I would sing it at the top of my lungs and he would laugh. It was the only song he would 'let' me sing. He sometimes even now asks if we can hear the 'parking lot' song. (If any of you know the name of that, let me know)

Jason and I just saw 'Children of Men' and it took place in 2027. There was a 60-70 year old character who listened to Beatles music and I said to Jason, really, that's going to be OUR age in 2027 and if we were gonna get all nostalgic about music it would be 'Flock of Seagulls' NOT the Beatles (even though I love the Beatles, it's not the defining music of OUR generation). Which brings me to the Wedding Singer. That movie was so much fun because of the music, brought me back to high school. There was no particular moment and high school wasn't really that much fun, but there were days where I would spend the day just listening and dancing to Duran Duran, Thompson Twins and OMD. And then there was Phil Collins, and this may be TMI but he was usually playing during Jason's and my high school 'make out' sessions (yes, sickening but we were high school sweethearts with very little adult supervision.) When I listen to the music it really seems like the Eighties were a pretty naive time.

Greensleeves was the song I WANTED to walk down the aisle to at our wedding but our weird DJ forgot it. We did get to dance our first dance to Unforgettable, by Natalie King Cole. And our wedding was unforgettable but mostly for the things that went wrong, whole other Oprah! and yes, almost 15 years later I can laugh about it! While looking for our prom picture and wedding picture I realized we haven't 'scanned' many of those in yet..ooops AND man I wish I hadn't obsessed about how 'fat' I was in that size 12 (gasp) dress because I would kill right now to be a size 12. Where are my rice cakes? I feel like a nibble.

Stressed

I'm reading a book called, How to Survive and Maybe Even Love Nursing School, and it's so stressing me out. And I'm still just taking my prerequisites. I now think I'm Co-dependent. There's a whole list in there and I swear I have like 15 of the 10 behaviors (yes, I typed it that way intentionaly, I'm going for humor). I've been running around trying to get the house in some organized pristine condition so that this semester can go smoothly. Jason was supposed to get here at 5 Tues and Thurs of last week and this week as a trial run so that I knew he could do it (he has a slight be-on-time phobia) and I could have enough time to get to my class without worrying that he'd be putting friend Colleen out (she's watching the boys from 3-5 so I can build in some study time). Oh, back to finishing my thought earlier, and he hasn't been able to get here at 5. I just bought my text book, flipped through it and OH MY GOSH. So I bought a biology refresher book, flipped through that and even though I've taken biology I don't remember most of what I'm reviewing.
Deep Breath
All of this aside. I'm just plain afraid I'm not smart enough.
I mean when got my BA, who cared, really, if I didn't quite understand Walt Whitman's whole hug a tree mentality, it wasn't going to kill anyone. I think If I don't understand EVERYTHING (and realistcially who out there can) I may kill someone. That's a little freaky!
Deep Breath
Glad I'm journaling this and reading this book. Because, I do think most people going into this field are afraid of that, and most of us going into this field do have co-dependent tendancies...come on, NURSING, TAKING CARE OF PEOPLE.
Whew.
Ok, the house doesn't have to be perfect! As long as the shirts go in the shirt drawer, it's ok if they're not perfectly folded....oh wait, have to do some more deep breathing.....yes, it's OK that they're not perfect!
A B is still and okay grade
And I haven't even taken the class yet, so no need to get stressed til my first test...

all better now!
Wow, it's so not evident I actually DID a yoga tape this morning.

Our new addition...

Meet Jake's new pet, Lucky. He's a Betta fish. He's actually much more handsome, but it's hard to catch him still enough to take a good shot.

snow AGAIN

Oh my gosh, I can't believe we're getting snow again and it's more than just a couple of inches. Now, I know that people may think, sheesh Tracey you LIVE in Colorado, what's the big deal. But I live on the front range, the snow usually just accumulates in the mountains. It's strange here to have snow on the ground more that a couple of days, and it's usually melted before the next snow storm...sheesh. But this all segues into this great quote I read in this book called THE LEXICON OF STUPIDITY. by: Ross and Kathryn Petras

"We should abolish January and February. If we then divide the fifty-nine extra days between July and August, we will cut our energy needs by about one-third through eliminating the coldest days of the year. Cold is largely a psychological matter. If people look at the calendar and see that it is July, they will be quite happy to turn the heat down." Ohio State Rep. John Galbraith.