My Son, Vesuvius

I think Josh is a bit excited about Halloween. We're going over to a friend's house for dinner and then we're going Trick-or-Treating with them in their neighborhood (ours isn't too great for Trick-or-Treating).

Josh is very excited and could hardly sit still yesterday. Remember those days? One of the great things about having kids... brings back memories of what it was like to be a child again -- the excitement and awe over everything!

Anyway....

I put Josh to bed at 7:15 and told him he could read until 7:30 then "Lights Out" because we have a big day today.

7:40 Josh comes downstairs for some made up reason or another... we send him back to bed.

8:15 Josh from atop the stairs: "Mom. I can't sleep because I have so much information in my head."

Rich and I look at each other and smile, Rich says, "Mommy knows what that's like!" (too true!).

I tell him to just go back to bed and try and clear his head and relax -- knowing full well that the only thing that helps me is to "write it down" but it was WAY past his bedtime!

Josh: "But Mom! My head is like a Giant Volcano of Information."

Volcano picture courtesy of Vanuatu Tourism Office

NaBloPoMo

Huh? NaBloPoMo? Yep. NaBloPoMo -- or National Blog Posting Month.

I've just joined, which means I'll be posting something in my blog at least once a day for the whole month of November.

I am not responsible for how tedious the postings may become. All I have to do is post a blog every day -- not make it interesting! Haha!





Wish me luck in keeping it up!

Busy Weekend!

You know that saying, "If it's not one thing, it's another..."?

That's how I feel about our weekend! We had a very busy weekend, but things kept happening -- well, really, I kept happening.

A bit of background first... I'd been having a pain in my chest/sternum area for several weeks. I knew it wasn't my heart as it only hurt on occasion -- like stretching and twisting or taking a really deep breath. It sort of felt like pulled muscle, but not really.

And, I've been quite busy while the boys are at school -- helping with the Scholastic Book Fair all last week -- and Rich has an implementation next weekend (so we're beginning a week from Heck today), so he's been very busy. And during the day, the pain is not so great.

But I would wake up at night things would go through my mind -- because after all, it is CHEST pain!

So this weekend was quite busy, we had things planned pretty much non-stop. Friday night, Rich had to do some work quite late -- like midnight or so to get ready for this weekend's install. On Saturday, Sam was invited to his very first birthday party -- just him and not Josh. And Josh had a baseball game. On Sunday we had my local Mom's group Halloween Party for the kids (lots of fun).

So Friday night/Saturday morning, I woke up at 2:30 am and could not go back to sleep. Partly because my chest hurt when I moved and partly because I was coming down with a cold and my throat hurt. I couldn't stop worrying about everything. From when would I be able to see the doctor to Rich's work schedule to the boys school, you name it. I was up and there was nothing I could do to go back to sleep.

Finally, I decided to head over to the doctor's office as soon as they opened on Saturday morning to get it over and done with. That helped me relax a bit, but by then it was 5:30 and the kids were starting to wake up!

So, the morning progressed as usual, Rich got up and I told him I was going to the doc at 9:00. He'd been bugging me for weeks to go so he was glad for it. I went to the doc and he did an EKG (just to put my mind at ease) and said it's not my heart.

It's costochondritis. Basically, it's an inflammation of the cartilage that connects a rib to the breastbone (sternum).

He said sometimes an infection can cause it or a trauma. He gave me a Rx for antibiotics "just in case" and told me to continue taking anti-inflammatory (I already had some for some back pain a few weeks ago). I have to tell you, I feel much better. It still hurts when I cough and since I have a cold .... well, you know... and I've been sleeping better too. Must be the psychological aspects as well that help me sleep. But, I'm not allowed to work out until it's cleared up. I can run -- once my cold gets a bit better -- but no weights.

Anyway, I got home from the doctor in time to bring Sam to his birthday party -- which was from 11:00 - 12:45 (they didn't feed the kids lunch, just cupcakes... is it just me or is that weird to have a birthday party for a 3 year old at lunch time with no lunch?). Sam had fun. It was at a bouncy castle place here and he loved it. And, just because I was tired and not feeling well, on the way to the party, I accidentally hit a mailbox with my passenger-side wing mirror and broke it! The mirror, not the mailbox! I was a bit ticked! Rich just laughed because he did the same thing about 3 years ago!

We got home and in lieu of me going to Josh's baseball game I crashed. Apparently, Josh had lots of fun at his ball game but struck out 4 times. Oh well. We didn't go to practice on Thursday so I guess it showed!

Sunday I was feeling much better! We carved our pumpkin -- well, I carved our pumpkin, the boys were grossed out by the muck. I'm roasting the seeds now. Like I said we had a Halloween Party to go to. The kids had lots of fun and got lots of candy! So much that it was a struggle to get them to eat anything for dinner.

And, like I said, Rich has an implementation next Saturday so this week is going to be (not) fun. I am looking forward to Halloween though. The boys are excited! I just hope to recover!

Keep Away

We had a bit of a break from the rain yesterday so we went to the playground with our friends, Sean and Jackson. Sam brought some toys to play with and he was carrying them around in a small purple basket. He was not very keen to share his toys and wanted to keep them away from the bigger boys.

When Sean & Jackson got to the park Sam started to panic and said to me that they would want to play with his trains. I assured him that his toys would be safe. He then gave me the purple basket to hold. I put it on the seat next to me. He was not satisfied with this, he wanted me to hold it over my head so "The boys won't reach it."

Me: No Sam, I'm not going to hold it up. I'll keep it right here and not let anyone get it.

Sam: No Mommy, you have to hold it like this.

Me: I'm sorry Sam, I'm not going to do that. I'll just keep it here with me.

Sam: No! Then I'll hold it up high like this so the boys don't get it!

And off he went to play with the boys while holding the basket over his head.

Something you should know. Sean is 6 and quite tall -- easily 4 inches taller than Josh. His brother Jackson is 4 and the same height as Josh! If they wanted the basket, they could have easily reached it!

I've Been Interviewed!

Alicia from How I Became a Tattooed Mommy and fellow Maya's Mommer sent me these interview questions....

1. What one thing do you love most about Georgia?

Hands down, has to be the weather! After living in Australia for 2+ years I got used to mild winters. While the summers here may be unbelievably hot and humid, most of the time the weather is beautiful! This time of year it's especially noticeable. It's cool and sunny (most of the time), it's fun to be outdoors! We've been here 5 years and usually can be out in shirtsleeves (and sometimes shorts) on New Year's Day. It's fantastic!

2. What famous person did you have a crush on growing up?

I may be showing my age here... but my crushes were always on "The other guy." I always thought Jon from CHIPS was cuter than Ponch, and from Battlestar Gallactica (the original) I fancied Apollo over Starbuck.

But, I would have to say, I did follow the "crowd" on the Hardy Boys! My biggest crush was on Shaun Cassidy. Oh, he was so CUUUTTEEE! And come on, Da Doo Ron Ron! What's not to love about that song?

3. Where did you and your husband go on your first date?

Boy, this is a loaded question! We first met when I was on my way from the U.S. to Melbourne, Australia for work. I went via London (well, Luton). He had just come home from the same account in Australia and we met for lunch one day so he could fill me in on what it was like. So, that's our first meeting/lunch alone together. However, he had a girlfriend and it was, after all, just a working lunch at a pub in Luton (England).

Fast forward three months and Rich came back to Australia to help out more on the project I was working on. We were both expats and working together on the same project so we used to go out as friends and colleagues all the time. We'd go alone and with friends.

I don't ever recall us having a "first date." But, I do remember not long after we started dating and seeing each other he invited me over to his flat so he could cook me dinner. He made Spaghetti Carbonara (yum!). It was really good -- but he must have been nervous (hahaha) or something because some of the egg ended up cooking a bit too much so it was more like Spaghetti with Scrambled Eggs and Bacon! But, no matter... it's still my favorite thing he makes! I usually ask him to make it every birthday and/or special occasion!

4. Do you have an all-time favorite movie? If so, what is it and why? If you just can't choose and need to make a list, so much the better!

My all time favorite movie is "Casablanca." I don't know why I love it so much, I just do. It reminds me of Christmas because it seems to be on every Christmas!

I also love "Shakespeare In Love," "Four Weddings and A Funeral," "The Princess Bride," "The Harry Potter" Movies and "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy movies.

5. Growing up, who was the one person you looked up to and why? It can be a relative, a family friend, or even a fictional character. No holds barred on this one.

I'm really lucky because I grew up in a family with very strong women -- on all sides -- both my Gramma and my Grandmother, my mom and my aunts. They were great role models for a young girl. And both my parents were (and still are) very supportive of anything I did or wanted to do. I didn't need to venture outside the family for good role models and "extra" support.

I really don't think I can choose "just one" because the people I looked up to most were my parents. Both of them. My Dad was in the Army and did two tours of Vietnam while we were all very little so my mom was essentially a "single mom" from time to time while my dad was away. I can't imagine how difficult it must have been for them. My mom caring for 3 young children while my dad was away fighting a very unpopular war. And my Dad being away from his family for so long.

And then as we grew up, the love and support they show for each other and for us is incredible. Growing up I didn't realize how lucky I was to live in such a loving supportive family, but I do now. They taught me about love and relationships and how to be a good parent. They let us make our own mistakes and were there for us when we needed them (and still are). They love us unconditionally, and they love their grandchildren and "kids-in-law" too!

***************************************

Well that's the end of the "interview!" Now it’s your turn. If you want to be interviewed, leave me a comment including the words “Interview me.” I will respond by emailing you some questions. I get to pick the questions. You will update your blog with a post containing your answers to the questions. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them questions.

Cool Clothes for Kids

Amy, over at Crunchy Domestic Goddess is having a really cool give-away. She's giving away a Bitty Braille T-shirt.

These t-shirts are very cool! The Bitty Braille T-s are kid-friendly words set in Braille with the translation hand embroidered underneath. It's a great idea founded by Julie Dutt -- busy homeschooling mom -- with the idea that it introduces kids to Braille at an early age.

I love this idea! I have a niece who is medically fragile. Before we knew the extent of her "issues" we found out she was blind. Turns our she's not really, but that's part of her issues. Anyway, I was living in Australia when my family found out. I felt so alone and away from the family and didn't know what I didn't know. I was lucky enough to be living a few blocks away from a Blind School. I contacted them and they sent me heaps of information so I could come to terms with my niece's issues so far away from home.

So, I love this idea of exposing children to other forms of communication -- not just what they see and hear every day! And, not only are the clothes cute and cool, Bitty Braille donates 10% of every sale to The American Foundation for the Blind. So your kids can be cool and PC at the same time!

Amy is having a contest to give away one of these very cute t-shirts that I think some kids in my family that would love to have one!

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

We finally got some rain!

All day yesterday, looks like all day today and the rest of the week.

The creek in our back yard that has been dried up for weeks has water in it again! The Drought isn't over, but it's nice to have a bit of rain.

It can rain all it wants for the next week -- but please, not next Wednesday!

Monday, Monday....

We had a really busy weekend and really didn't do anything. We're sort of at a point now with the kids where we have to keep them busy, or plan what we're going to do on the weekends so they don't just "fade away." Josh's interests are changing all the time -- we're into Pokemon now -- and if we don't keep him occupied, he'd play his Game Boy all day! Something we definitely do not want!

So, we've been trying to think of family things that will entertain a 6 year old and an almost 3 year old and yet are affordable or, better yet, free. So we go to parks a lot! Thankfully, the weather is nice now and we have lots of really great parks nearby.

Josh, of course, had his baseball game on Saturday afternoon. He did well. You can really see the progress he's making. It's such a long way from him leaving the field in tears at the beginning crying that "baseball is hard!" To seeing him smile and hit the ball better and better each time. He is really enjoying himself now!

On Sunday we went to a near-by park so he could practice his bike riding. We went to a park we've never been to before and they had batting cages -- the automatic pitching machines weren't there, but it was great for Rich and Josh. They went into the batting cages and Josh got to practice batting. Sam and I played on the playground while Josh and Dad practiced.

And, for Rich, this weekend was pretty disappointing, sports wise. Liverpool won, but apparently the game was "weird" so he didn't enjoy it so much. And the price was steep -- England Football (soccer) lost to Russia in the European Cup qualifiers and are in danger of not making the cut. A big blow, to say the least. England Rugby lost to South Africa in the Rugby World Cup Final and the English Rookie Formula One Racer (Hamilton I think his name is) had issues in the last race of the season and failed to win the championship.

Finally, Josh brought his report card home today. It's his first "real" report card. I'm happy to say he did really, really well! We're very proud of him! And the teachers comments were really nice. She said it was "a pleasure to work with a well-mannered and capable student."

Sorry about no pictures, but my camera is close to the end of it's life -- it only works occasionally now -- so I didn't bring it with me anywhere. It's just such a pain to use these days. Now you know what's top of our Christmas list!

More Art -- Leaves are All Around Us

I was just sitting here wondering what to post about and reading other blogs, when I popped over to find out how Her Bad Mother is feeling (yucky morning sickness!).

WonderBaby has made some really pretty pictures and HBM has called out for readers to post their kids' creations, in exchange for a signed Wonderbaby original!

I know I just posted the boys Halloween drawings earlier this week, but I wanted to post this picture Josh did at school.

Josh's art teacher is amazing. He comes home with the most beautiful creations. This is what he came home with this week and I can't believe how beautiful it is. It's his first First Grade Art Project that he's brought home.

It's a crayon and watercolor masterpiece...

And I think we'll title it, Leaves are All Around Us.

And, there is a song that goes with it...

Leaves are all around us
They're everywhere we go.
Leaves are all around us
And so the Leaf-piles grow.

Ooooo they're fallin' in the wind....

Wear 'em out Wednesday

Today Sam had his class field trip to the Pumpkin Patch.

It was a fun morning. We went to a local YMCA Day Camp where the kids learned about Colonial Toys (and did a craft), we heard a story about Colonial Children and what their life was like and we got to go on a tractor ride to a little pumpkin patch to pick out a small pumpkin.

It was also an "early release" day for Josh which means we had to meet the bus at 12:30. So we rushed home from the field trip (we didn't have time to play on the playground) to meet the bus. Josh was invited to go to a local bounce-house-type-place after school with some friends. This made Sam very jealous so of course we had to go too!

The boys loved it. Sam called all the bouncies Roller Coasters....

And Josh ran around like a mad man....

Both did their best to wear themselves out! And just to make sure they were COMPLETELY tuckered out, I brought them to McD's for dinner.

It worked. The boys went to bed without a fuss.

And it didn't just wear the boys out. I'm knackered too!

In Training for Manhood

I have absolutely nothing of interest to blog about today, so I'm going to recap a conversation we had with Josh this weekend.

Let me first say (Grandmother), we have two beautiful boys and we are content and do not plan to have any more children. We are done.

On Sunday after we put the boys to bed Rich and I went down to the lower deck and lit the Chimnea (outdoor fireplace).

This did not sit well with Josh. He gets scared and likes to be able to hear us. So, after about 5 minutes we were interrupted by a crying boy who was scared.

We indulged him and let him stay up later than normal and help us feed pine cones into the Chimnea.

We chatted about a few things and then out of the blue Rich asks Josh if he would like another baby brother or sister.

Without missing a beat, this boy says, "Well.... why do you ask?"

We cracked up.

Blog Action Day... What am I going to say?

Today is the first ever "Blog Action Day" -- A day when bloggers around the web will unite to post on a topic that is on everyone's mind... The Environment.

I registered to participate in this event because I believe there are things we can do to be more Earth Friendly and I think it's very important to teach my kids to respect the Earth and treat her kindly. I do not believe we've wrecked the Earth beyond repair. But I do think it's just responsible parenting and my duty as a parent and a human to treat the Earth with respect and pass that on to my kids.

We try to do our part by recycling as much as we can, we use green grocery bags for our shopping and reusable containers for our lunches, we walk when we can instead of drive the car and such. We do some, but I know we could do more. We're taking babysteps getting used to change one step at a time.

So, I've been trying to think what I could write about. And then this weekend we were out with the kids and while we were in the car we were listening to a CD with some songs on it that we like. One song was Coyahoga by REM. Josh LOVED this song.

And if you know my son, you'd know the next question he was going to ask.... "What does Coyahoga mean?"

I didn't know. I told him to ask his father. Rich didn't know either. So, we did what any computer literate family of the '00's (hmm... should that say "early 21st century?") would do -- we Googled it.

And lo and behold, Wikipedia came through for us.

Turns out, the Cuyahoga river in Ohio which has been very badly polluted over the years. Going back as far as 1936. The river has sparked many environmental and clean water acts and agreements and such and apparently is starting to become clean again clean -- or cleaner. Clean enough that in 1998 the Cuyahoga river was recognized as one of 14 American Heritage Rivers. It still as a ways to go, but the clean up efforts are working.

So, what started as an innocent question from a 6 1/2 year old, became a learning experience for us all!

And, if you are looking for simple ways to go green and not break the bank (and actually it's cheaper than not being green) drop by my friend Amy's website -- The Crunchy Domestic Goddess. She's always got great suggestions and advice.

Halloween Artwork in a Jiffy

Josh wanted to decorate for Halloween so one morning before school. The boys drew some pictures.

This is Josh's Halloween Picture. It's hanging on our front door now.

There are Ghosts, a spider, a skull, a Jack-o-Lantern, a witch on a broom, and a bat.

This is Sam's picture....
.... It's a bat.

Friday's Photos... The Barber Shop

We went to the Barber Shop today.

Sam's mouth in this picture is my favorite part. It's his "shy" face. He always does this when he's at the barber or someplace new. He also whispers and talks so quietly I can't hear him! It's so not like him at home. When he makes this face, it makes my heart melt. I love it!

Josh was looking at himself in the mirror across the room. I tried to get him when he was making faces but I missed it! Josh is growing so much. He looks less and less "baby" and more and more "boy" all the time. Yet, everytime we come to the barber shop I look at him and can see how little he really is.

Handsome Boys! Showing off their new haircuts. The sun was in their eyes so they couldn't look at me with open eyes.

Mimi's Seven Things Meme...

I was tagged for the "Seven Things About Me" meme by B at Random Acts of Motherhood.

First, I have to tag seven others. I hate this part of memes (other than spelling meme instead of Mimi... it's just not natural!) because I never know who to pick!

So, the lucky ones are:
It's My Life Laugh if You Must
Chocolate Party
Scrapping My Three
Mom to 3 Cubs
The Roe Round Up
Monkey's Mama
Cowgirl

There! Hard part over.... Now, for seven things about me....

1. When I was a pre-teen/teen I had a mild case of scoliosis. I didn't need a full body brace, but I did have a "lift" for my shoe (one leg was about 1/4 inch longer than the other). This made it hard to find shoes that were big enough for the leather "lift" and my foot. I think this affected me and as a result....
   
   
2. I hate shoe shopping. I have always hated it. My feet are small (after kids they grew to a 6-61/2, but pre-kids they were 5 1/2) so when I was younger that always made it hard to find shoes. Because I had issues with my back, I don't like heels so it's hard to find stuff sometimes.
   
   
3. I was a Rotary Exchange Student in High School -- the year between graduation and going to College. I went to a beautiful island on the west coast called Sula. I was in Langevag, Norway. This was not my first stint living in a foreign country. I lived in Mannheim, Germany while I was in Middle School, my dad was Army and stationed there, I lived on an American housing development and went to DOD (American) Schools. So my experience in Norway was my first real interaction and life outside the US. It taught me tons and much of who I am today results from that time.
   
   
4. There was a period in my life when the Olympics followed me, or I followed them... it's not quite clear. I lived in Norway the year Lillehammer was bidding on the Winter Olympics, they won. I lived in Atlanta just before the Olympics came here. I lived in Salt Lake City the year they announced that SLC had won their Olympic Bid. I lived in ustralia just before the Syndey Olympics. And now, London is set to host the Olympics in 2012 and I used to live there! However, I've never been in a city while the Olympics were being held though!
   


5. I was born on the day my parents were supposed to be moving from Ft. Sill, OK to Ft. Bliss, TX. Well, I say "supposed to move" but my Dad and older brother actually DID move. I was born very early in the morning. My "due date" was "April Fools Day" -- I guess I decided to play the ultimate April Fools Joke and come three days sooner.
   


6. I hate spiders. I loathe them! So much so when I was in High School (and when I moved out on my own) I used to sleep with a can of raid by my side and I'd spray all my Windows and walls to kill the spiders before I went to bed. And if I ever saw a spider, I'd rather spray it than get close enough to "squish" it. I have mellowed a bit. I still don't like them, but I don't go shreiking from the room at the first sight of one. But I will jump and gasp.
   


7. I've kissed the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland. It was very scary! First, you have to know I'm also afraid of heights -- or unstable things. And to kiss the Blarney Stone you have to climb to the top of the "tower" and then lay on your back and lean upside down over a "grate" to kiss it. There is a very strong man that holds you to make sure you don't fall, but still.... Click here to see a picture of what it looks like. Even though I was terrified, I'm glad I did it!

So, that's a bit more about me! Hope I didn't bore you!

This took me ALL DAY! It was very hard to think of things about me that maybe aren't so mundane and boring. It was HARD!

Got Milk?

Thank you all for your kind words about Sam! Your prayers must have worked because he woke up this morning fit as a fiddle and ready to go! Thank goodness!

Sam normally goes to school on Wednesday's but one of the local mom's groups I belong to had a field trip planned to a local dairy.

AND Josh had a field trip planned with his class to the SAME dairy -- so, I decided to keep Sam home and go on the field trip with the mom's group with the intention of catching up with Josh there and just bringing him home.

It was such a good field trip -- very interesting for the adults and the kids thought it was fun too!

We got to feed the little baby calves. Some of them were only a few weeks old!

And we learned how to milk cows and then we got to see up close what a milking machine feels like.

Sam actually did stick his finger in, but I liked this picture better.

Then we went on to the processing plant and learned all about how the milk is processed.... I thought it was interesting, but the kids were a bit young to keep their interest. Josh thought it was interesting though! He even told us he learned that 36F was the ideal temperature for milk. But I wasn't with him then so I have no pictures.

Next, we got to go on a hay ride out to the pasture.

Sam really liked this bit. We saw a dog herd the cows up to our trailor and a cow even stuck her head in and ate hay right off our tractor! Sam thought this was fantastic!

Then we fed the goats and the tour was done! We did get a free sample of the milk they produce there. It was really good!

Since Halloween is right around the corner, Sam and I picked out a pumpking from the pumpkins they had there.

We had a quick lunch and then headed up to meet Josh's class at the calf feeding area.

After, Josh and his friend had a milk chugging contest

By that time we were all exhausted and came home!

It was a great field trip and I'd love to go back. On the weekends they have a cornfield maze you can go through and a few other seasonal events: hayrides, bonfires, pig races, and all sorts of other stuff. It was well worth it!

And when we got home, we all went to the playground and got even MORE fresh air! The kids are sleeping soundly now. I think I wore them out!

Sick Kids are a Bummer!

When I was pregnant with Sam I had Gestational Diabetes. Part of my treatment for this was careful monitoring with a high risk OB and Hi-Def Ultrasounds. At one of these appointments we discovered that there was "something" wrong with Sam's right kidney, but what it was could not be determined until after he was born. We were told, "Not to worry." Yeah, right!

So, anyway, Sam was born, and several tests at the local Children's Hospital (which is fantastic!), we found out he had a Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney. It sounds worse than it is. Basically, his right kidney did not develop properly and was basically a mass of fluid filled sacks or cysts. We had several tests done that showed there was no function in the kidney at all -- which apparently was good news.

Our nephrologist said that over time the dysplastic kidney would be reabsorbed into the body and the normal kidney would grow to compensate -- the body is a wonderful thing! She said the absorption into the body would take several years but it should be completely gone or undetectable by the time he's seven. She ordered yearly ultrasounds to track his progress.

As an aside, this year we found out things were moving quicker than we thought, his "bad" kidney is basically gone!

But I digress.... The nephrologist told us that basically he can lead a normal life. She did say some sports were out of the question, like wrestling, football, hockey, rugby and boxing, but hey, I'm not too sure I want my boys playing those sports anyway -- they are so rough! And we need to watch what medicine we give him as some can be hard on the kidney.

One such medicine is Motrin. A mother's helper when kids get sick. And we can't use it unless it's an emergency!

Sam has a knack for not doing things half measure. When he gets a temperature, he GETS a Temperature! Yesterday and today he was running a temp between 103-104.5. In the past he got up to 105.2, and I did break out the Motrin then because Tylenol wasn't cutting it!

The poor kid. And because he only has one kidney, we're overly sensitive to his fluid intake because we don't want him to get dehydrated and damage his only remaining, perfectly functioning kidney. So when the temp gets up like this, I freak out, to say the least and bring him to the doctor straight away. Yesterday they ruled out strep and an ear infection which left only a virus. But to bring him back if the temp's not down in 48 hours....

For me, this is the hardest part of being a parent (so far). When our kids are sick and there is nothing we can do to make it better. It's a helpless feeling that I don't like! And everything with Sam has the added worry of his kidney.

Even though I know he's fine and he will be fine and his issue is nothing compared to what some Moms and Dads go through -- like my sister and her husband. They have a medically fragile daughter and what they have to deal with on a daily basis is so much worse than a "back of your mind" worry. Theirs is an everyday, all the time, staring them in the face (and she's got such a beautiful one too!) worry.

And I went to the dentist last week and found out I have a cracked tooth and I'm grinding my teeth so I need a mouth guard AND a crown! How fun is that? And just to make me feel "special" the dentist said he very rarely sees cracked teeth in such a healthy mouth (I only have 2 fillings -- one is for a cavity and the other was for a malformation in my tooth). Lucky me....

But anyway, Sam's been sick and I've been stressing about it!

Thinking Pink

Do not adjust your screens...

It's October and that means it's "Breast Cancer Awareness" month so I'm going pink.

If you are a blogger and you are going pink, Please visit Lost in Wisconson and sign her Mr. Linky. She's pledged 50 cents for every blogger that goes pink (up to $100).


Also, don't forget to click here to help fund free mammograms.

Breast Cancer

Awareness

Rock Star

Here's a short video of Sam singing his favorite song...

It's by Smashmouth and it's called Rock Star. It's from his favorite movie... Shrek.

We listen to it over and over...



The words are...

"Somebody once told me the world was gonna own me, I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. Well she was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb..." and then the video stops.

I took it with my phone which has very limited video capability!

Ramblings and Such....

It was a bit of a strange day here today. Sam doesn't go to school on Thursdays so we generally go to the playground for a bit to get some fresh air and play. We couldn't today as we got some much needed rain -- though not nearly enough -- but at this point, we take what we can get!

So we were at a loss as to what to do... And for a change, we watched Lady and the Tramp in addition to Shrek or Shrek 2.

So after our umpteenth showing of whatever movie du jour, we did what every family does when it's raining and there is nothing to do... we went to SuperTarget! I had to get a few bits and bobs and there is always something fun at Target for the kids...

Well, we ended up putting EVERY TOY in there on Sam's Birthday and Christmas list... Although we did spend a larger than normal time in front of all the Diego toys....

Then we ended up in the Halloween section -- boy was that fun! We played with all the displays, bought our candy (Sam: Let me hold it... Can I have some? It's Halloween! Yes it is!), and some window clings -- the boys had great fun with those when Josh came home!

We also got Sam his Halloween costume. He wanted to be a skeleton.

This was the best I could do! He was not in the mood to sit still!

Josh is going to be some scary thing he ordered from Lillian Vernon... I don't know what it is, but I'll be sure to get some pictures!

More Conversations with Sam

This is probably the best picture of our family that has ever been taken. It's two years old.

I was looking at it this morning at breakfast and remarked to Rich how much Sam has changed! He doesn't even look like that anymore. And also how much Josh has grown. We chatted for a bit about how we need to get a new picture of all of us, but it's so hard when your kids pull silly faces every time the camera gets pulled out....

Then I noticed that today Sam is wearing the same Thomas the Tank Engine shirt that Josh has on in the picture.

Sam asked to see the picture so I showed him.

Sam: Sammy's the big boy, Joshie is the baby.

Me: No Sammy, you're the baby, Josh is the big boy. See that's you when you were a baby.

Sam (starting to get upset): NO! That's me! (pointing to Josh) I'm the Big Boy! That's my Thomas Shirt, I want to wear it!

At this point, Rich and I start laughing....

Me: Yes, that's right Sam, that's your shirt. But it used to be Joshie's favorite shirt. Now it's yours.

Sam (crying): Take it off! I want to wear it! It's mine!

Ain't Gonna Lurk No More...

When you write a blog and get your first comment, it's so exciting! I mean, you first comment that's not from friends and family!

My first comment was from "Jean Luc Picard" -- I was a bit freaked that the Captain of the USS Enterprise would leave me a comment, but thrilled too! It was exciting.

But at the same time, when I first started reading blogs, I never commented. I was too intimidated, didn't know what to say... or whatever my reason. I never really thought it was "a big deal."

But now, I like getting comments. I like it when my friends comment on my writing. When someone just stops by and says, "Hi! I was here!" It's nice. And I know others feel that way too. Because.....

I was reading my friend Sheila's blog and saw her post about de-lurking. Apparently, I'm not the only one who's been a lurker AND I'm not the only one who likes to get comments.

Schmutzie's Milk Money along with Sweetney and Jenandtonic have declared Wednesday, October 3rd as The Great Mofo Delurk 2007.

If you visit a blog tomorrow, leave a comment! And visit lots of blogs! I think this is a great idea... So, count me in and be prepared for me to comment!

Care to join me?

Wilma Flintstone's got nothing on Girls Night Out

When we moved here from London 5 years ago we knew no one. Except my best friend, Linda Leigh. At the time she was not married and we had Josh who was about 9 months.

Over the years, we have managed to get together quite a bit, she's always been my outlet for "Nights Out" and "Girls Days" filled with shopping. When I need a break from the boys, Linda Leigh has always been game to help give me a girly-fix!

But, as life happens and things change, we don't see each other nearly as often as we should! She's now married, her parents and sister and brother-in-law (and one of her nieces and nephews) live right down the road from her so she has family commitments with them. And I have them too!

You'd think only living 20 miles away, we'd see each other more! Now with school starting for my boys and her work schedule and travel, it's more difficult than ever to get together.

That is why I was so excited when she invited me out to a "Girls Night Out" with some of her friends! We had a great time!

We got a hotel room at the Marriott Suites, right in Mid-Town Atlanta near the restaurant we were going to. We all got down early to get ready together at the hotel. We went out to eat and then out to a few bars to meet more of her friends. And what Girls Night Out isn't complete with out Karaoke singing and Nachos? Before we knew it is was 1:30 a. m. I can't remember the last time I was up that late!

Luckily the hotel was just across the street! And best of all, I got to sleep in until 9:30 a.m.! I can't remember the last time I did that!

It was a fantastic time, that came right when I needed it. Because on Sunday, I entered a neighborhood "Biggest Loser" contest that goes on for the next 9 weeks!

I've felt like I need to loose a few pounds for a while and this is just the kick I need to get me motivated. I'm not really in it for the money (although it would be nice), but I need an incentive! So, we'll see how it goes!

Oh, the boys... while I was on my night of freedom Girls Night Out, the boys had "Boys Night." From what I can gather, there was pizza, garlic bread and massive amounts of chocolate consumed and a Red Dwarf marathon the likes of which the world has never seen!

And if you're not familiar with Red Dwarf, you need to watch this.... It's the BEST conversation EVER in any bit of TV or Movie or anything.... If you don't laugh, you have no sense of humor and you just can't be helped!

It's a Jungle Out there....

My friend Sheila is having her first ever give-away on her blog.

She's giving away my ALL TIME FAVORITE Disney Movie, "The Jungle Book ." I love this movie! When we first moved here after Josh was born I think I bugged the local Disney Store so much about when they were releasing it from "the vault" one day they told me it would not be for a very, very, very long time. And here it is, 5 years later FINALLY being released!

And it's the Two-Disc, 40th Anniversary Platinum Edition. This Rated G Classic DVD includes a Restored, Original Theatrical Soundtrack; a New Music Video; Previously Deleted Songs and is shown in the Original Aspect Ratio. I must have it! For the boys Christmas present. Yeah, that's right, for the boys.... Not for me, for the kids!

To get one entry, just leave a comment on her blog at this post.

To get two entries, write a post about the contest on your blog linking back to her and leave a comment.

All entries must be received by 10:00 pm (ET), on Friday, October 12, 2007. She will announce the winner on Monday, October 15th!

And while you're over there, check out her Scrapbook blog and her Review blog too!