Monday, April 30, 2007

Just Some Pictures






Here are a couple of new pictures I thought worthy of adding. The dog Nadia is with is not real, so no worries. Doesn't Nadia have the saddest sad face you have ever seen?!?

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Leave Me Alone, Bird Boy

We were at McDonald's today after playing at the park, and guess who sat down behind us? Bird boy from Walmart. Definite signs of a small town.

Walmart, Again

Since I write so much about my Walmart experiences, you may be beginning to wonder exactly how much time I spend there. Easy. WAY TOO MUCH!

I was looking for some maple flavored sausage pattys, not quite sure why they were not with the breakfast meats, but whatever. When I was down by the milk area, I heard,

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

If it were the winter time, I would have wondered why a bird was in Walmart, but since the garden area is opening, it is not uncommon for a bird to sneak into the store. My main fear was getting pooped on, so as I walked, I glanced up. I spent the whole walk doing this very thing, and I noticed the chirps were getting louder. It's hard to look for sausage pattys while trying to make sure you don't get pooped on. Walk, walk, walk, chirp, chirp, chirp. I am lucky I didn't run into anyone.

Then, the chirp was right next to me. What the hell? Then I saw him. No, not a bird, but a dumb-a@@ Walmart worker, who happened to be stocking, yes, the maple flavored sausage pattys. Ughhhhh!! He was chirping like a bird. Like a read bird, and doing a fine imitation of it too. I was not so happy with the WM worker, but then, after a while I figured out that really, I was more unhappy with myself who walked around the whole cooler section trying to avoid a non-existent bird from pooping on my head.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Pivot!

Ok, so if you are a "Friends" fan, and you saw the one where Ross buys a new couch and they have to get it up the stairs, you will relate. If not, move along.

Does anyone else do this, or are Dion and I just freaks? Anytime we have to move something together, one or both of us yells "Pivot"! Except if you want the true feeling, it is actually pronounced, piv-ut. You just said it, didn't you? Sucker.

Anyway, no matter the time, place, situation, mood, when one/both of us say this one little word, we both laugh like we just saw the episode. I really don't have a reason to bring this up, it was just something I thought about today and thought it was worthy to be shared with all 4 of my blog readers. Bwah-hahahaha!! Ok, ok...sheesh....3 readers.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Trying to Pull All of My Thoughts Together

I have been uber busy this last week or so, subbing at work, open house for work, meeting with parents for work, and of course trying to get the house in order to sell. We have a pretty blue dumpster in our driveway, ready to haul away all of the junk that has been following us around for years. I didn't think we would fill it, but alas, it is filled to the brim.

So, here I sit, thinking that it is about time to confront my ovary removal feelings, since it is scheduled to happen in 5 days. You would have thought that I had gone over all of these thoughts in the last, oh, year or so, but I never cease to amaze myself. I had them at the surface, then was able to tuck them away for some time, then I made a decision and was finally ok with it, then that was put on hold, then I was told yes do it, so here I am. Trying to sort through my feelings, trying to not notice little babies, trying not to be too sad when I hear of another newly pregnant person. In no way, shape, or form do I want to take away the miracle of pregnancy to those around me (4 people) and I am not mad at them, or even really jealous, just sad for my loss. It was kind of like when I had a miscarriage, oddly enough, but I guess they are kind of the same loss, if you look at it sideways or something.

I look at the girls, and I am so happy to be lucky enough to have them. But it was always so neat to think about what traits the new baby would have. Would he/she be blond, have long arms like their daddy, or a short body like their mommy? You know, all the normal things that run through your brain when you are expecting.

Then I watched Idol on Wednesday night. If you missed it, they were doing this ginormous money raising event for Aids, starving kids, and for people in the US who have next to nothing. I looked at the babies in Africa who have been orphaned by their parents dying of Aids, and my heart ached for them. That option is out there, if in the future we desire to adopt, and that makes next Wednesday a little bit easier.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Is It Just Me Or.....

....does it make you laugh just a little bit when you hear Wendy's (or is it Arby's?) song on their commercial? It's the Violent Femmes. I don't get it. I hope it's a national commercial so others like me can sit and wonder how The Femmes came to be on a Wendy's (or Arby's) commercial. I love The Femmes, I just find it odd. I wonder if maybe they do too.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Kids Are Just Funny

While there are times that i think I may not make it to the next minute, let alone the next day with my girls, they do say some things that really do make me laugh. For example, the girls and I were in the car and I took a sharp corner a tiny bit too fast and Claire proclaimed,

"Hey Mom! Take it easy there!"

Where do they come up with these things? Right now they are playing with marbles, pretending that they are nuts for a squirrel. Claire did mention something about her nut bag, which made me giggle a little....I know, I am immature, but it's a little funny, right?

I love to listen to them play together, which they are doing right now. Sometimes they want to claw at each other, but for the most part they are the best playmates and good friends. We are blessed.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Got Milk?

Yesterday Dion and I spent a lot of time burning branches and logs and stuff after cleaning up the yard a bit. I ended up with quite a few scratches and as it turns out some kind of allergy from digging through all of that stuff. I had a massive headache by the nights end and took some allergy/sinus medicine with the thought of at least I will sleep well that night. And I did. I snoozed my alarm quite a few times, hoping not to wake Nadia who was sleeping beside me. She has a pretty bad cold so she slept in our bed, Dion was stuck on sofa-city. So with one of my last snoozes I heard some giggling coming from downstairs. Giggling. Not a good thing at 7:15 in the morning. I got up pretty fast, knowing full well what my girls are capable of doing. Baby oil on the walls, flushing play doh, trying to plunge the toilet, poop on the others head, and the list could go on.

I get dressed quick and get down the stairs to find them running into the living room, naked, with little spots of milk on their little bodies. Not a good sign, if you ask me. I head into the kitchen to see a half a gallon of milk dumped on the floor, and signs pointing to the fact the they were sliding on the floor, in the milk. A wonderful way to start the day, in my opinion. I begin to mop the mess up with towels, my fuse running a bit on the low side. I tell the girls to go get dressed through clenched teeth and off they go upstairs. I gather more towels (you wouldn't believe how much of a mess a half gallon of milk makes) and I hear them come downstairs. Nadia prances in first and says,

"Look Mommy! I'm wearing Claire's suit!" And sure enough, she is standing in front of me, wearing Claire's swimsuit. Claire makes her grand entrance wearing her Cinderella costume from last Halloween. Red. I saw red. And a dash of happily ever after.

"Gogetdressed!!!" More clenching of teeth. This time they did get dressed so I could get them to daycare and me to work actually on time. Happy frickin' Monday.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Have You Ever Just Had an Itch....

...to write? That's what I am feeling now, and for the life of me I really don't know what to write about. Maybe I will go back to my book I am working on and see if anything comes to me there. Don't hold your breath.

Friday, April 13, 2007

I Have a Brain!

The MRI shows that indeed I do have a brain! Hooray for me! Here's the next step to finding out my problem (s). My B12 level is low. Figure that one out. When I was a veg head, I had no problems with B12 levels. Now that I am meat eater, I have issues. So I am on vitamins for that, but will also be tested for pernicious anemia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernicious_anemia


Someone has to teach me how to do that click "here" thing for links. Anyway, I am also having an MRA on my abdomen to check to make sure that I have good blood flow from the artery to the kidneys, as that may cause high blood pressure, which I have. Onward, right?

That's it for now. If you know of anyone in need of a house in my town, point them in our direction as we are selling. Hopefully.

Thursday, April 12, 2007

And the Beat Goes On

I got all of my blood work back and it was all ok, thank you Lord. But because we are back at square one I had to go in for an MRI of my head today (insert lack of brain joke here). Believe it or not I dozed off for a moment, or at least long enough for me to snore and wake myself up again. I say believe it or not because if you have never had one of these things, let me enlighten you. To have the full experience without the bill of having an MRI, do the following:

  • Find a slab of concrete to lay on. Any slab will do, but make sure it is a fraction on an inch smaller than you are. Just enough to make you wonder if you will fit into the tube.
  • Here's where you get to chose something, either ear plugs or headphones. I went with headphones with the choice of 90's music. But, since we are so used to using ear buds, make sure that you find some ear phones like they use on ground control at the airport. Make them fit snug so that your cheeks look like you should be saying "Pudgy Bunny" (remember that one?)
  • Find a pancake and use it as a pillow.
  • Place your head into a vice-like object and tighten 'er up so that you really do look like you are saying "Pudgy Bunny".
  • Find a gutter that is placed under a driveway, you know, the cylinder that if you look into, you can see to the other side of the yard? Yeah, one of those. Now, lie down in front of it and wedge yourself in there, make sure to put your arms on your chest so they don't get crushed.
  • Find a friend and have them take a metal poll and bang on the drain while you are in there for the next 20 minutes, and viola! You have just experienced an MRI. Congratulations.

I get the results for that test tomorrow. In the meantime, I have re-scheduled the removal of my ovaries for May 2nd, unless a spot opens up sooner than that. The I will say Ova re Ovaries, and really mean it. That's all for now, I am running on empty, so I better go.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Insurance, You Little So and So, You!

So tell me how in any way, shape, or form that this makes sense. Insurance will not cover the cost of the genetics test, BUT, don't worry, they have approved me to have my ovaries out. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but won't that cost WAY more than oh, say, $3100 (the cost of the test)? Whatever. The genetics counselor that I saw called my insurance company asinine. I like her.

My body is aching. Actually, it's from my calves down. I think it started when I pulled the girls in the wagon around the neighborhood. Today I got to close one of the programs, so I was able to play Medic. It's kind of like Dodgeball, but since Dodgeball is not allowed, they had to come up with a new game that happens to be similar to Dodgeball, hence the arrival of Medic.

Here's another fun fact for you to enjoy. It has been snowing all the live long day. Guess how much we have gotten? Come on, guess...guess....I HAVE NO IDEA!! Isn't that crazy?!? I have no idea because none of the snow has stuck on the ground. It's been an odd day, not only because of the weather, but I also made a purchase today. Our school was selling an old card catalog. I got it for a steal, and it is so awesome and makes me think about when I was a kid trying to locate a book. Did you ever get to work with a card catalog? The English major in me is going nuts with excitement.

But alas, I am tired and need to chill a bit before bed. Ok, before I fall asleep on the couch. Again. For the umpteenth time. I can't help it.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Hey Family! What's Going on With Us?

I got a call last Wednesday letting me know that my oldest brother was going in for emergency surgery. He had a perforated bowel. Sounds like fun, huh? I drove down on Thursday as my sister-in-law was having a scheduled surgery to remove 3 vertebrae. So that left my niece, and her step brother and sister at home with no way to really get around. I picked them up and took them to the hospital so they could see their parents, then we went out to eat. The next morning Kelsey and I were out the door a little after 5 so she could get to Midway airport in Chicago to catch a flight to go see her mother. In the meantime, John's wife was released but had to wait for me to get back there because she can't drive. We stopped and saw John for a bit then I took us home and to be honest, I crashed on the couch. Because you see, I went to bed at 2am and got a little over 2 hours of sleep. Anyway, I went back and forth to the hospital to be with John, and ended up leaving on Saturday morning. I wish I could have stayed longer as I know how much it means to have family helping you out, but I had to get back to my own family. Plus we were hosting Easter and we had to get ready for that.

Dion made the ham and some carrot soup....ummm....yuuuuum! I made sweet potatoes and desert and all went well. My mom left for Milwaukee this morning to take another shift of helping out.

Now, I, for the last few weeks have had numbness in my fingertips on both hands. I figured that I should get it checked since it wasn't getting better. I thought I was on my way to Carpel Tunnel, and I still may be, but the doctor wants to eliminate other things first. So, after 10 tubes of blood being drawn, here is the lowdown of what he is testing for:
  • Lupus
  • Scleroderma
  • "inflammation"
  • "infection"
  • Factor V Leiden Mutation
  • Lupus Anticoagulant
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Vitamin B12 Deficiency

No wonder they had to take 10 tubes of blood. I will find out results on Friday. I hate waiting. But that's nothing new. I guess that's it. I suppose it's a lot, but, really, what in my life isn't?

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Up and Running

The Robin Hood Fund is up and running! Please go vote vote vote for me at the following site:

http://www.robinhoodfund.com/cast-your-votes/wish/id/2694


Thank you so very much!!

Tuesday, April 03, 2007






I Can Finally Spill the Beans!

Yes! This past weekend is done and over with and now I can finally talk about it! My siblings and I rented a cabin in Wisconsin Dells to surprise my parents for their 50th Anniversary. Well, actually, we surprised my mom. I had to tell my dad about it because I knew he wouldn't just get in the car and follow me to lord knows where without an explanation.

We rented a 5 bedroom, 3 bath home/cabin, and it was so nice! There was an indoor swimming pool and hot tub and kiddie pool, which we used. Everyone kind of hung around, snacking, laughing, talking, and such. Dion and my brother John cooked the anniversary meal, which was wonderful, minus the fact that as soon as it was being served up, the tornado sirens went off and we moved the grand meal to the basement. All was good though, and no storm hit. And now for the pictures.