Better Late Than Never

Wacky Wednesday

2012-02-15T20:35:00.002-06:00

Today has been a wacky day.

It's Sassy's 18th birthday she's aged two years to my one so I'm only 9 years older than the day she was born I got her a shirt with a cool graphic of her zodiac sign on the front and traits that most certainly describe her on the back - intellect, adventurer, humorous.

I nearly ran over the trash can backing out of the driveway, only nicking it slightly but it sure sounded like I ran over it.

Attended a meeting with a client who last year flogged me for not having something they wanted and when I presented today that it's ready they say their legal dept won't support I really had to resist the urge to say "good thing we couldn't do it last year, eh?"

Got rear-ended on the drive home by a high school kid from my and hubby's high school no less Poor kid, he was a total wreck. I went into mom mode thinking about how and told him it was going to be okay - it's only a car and he's not a bad person. I even spoke to his mom on the phone 'cause he was so shook up and she needed directions to get him. My car is a little crunchy in the backside, but his resembled an accordion. Unfortunately I know all too well that the results of an accident can forever change a life; this was only a fender bender.

I ordered take out from Sassy's favorite restaurant for dinner and because I was a half hour late (see above) everything was cold. I discovered part of the order was missing when I got home and when I called the restaurant the manager said I could come pick up the missing food and he would throw in more for free or he would send me a $15 gift card in two weeks. I thought two weeks was kind of a long time but I certainly wasn't going back after the day I'd had ... once I'm home, I'm home.

End scene.

RIP Whitney

2012-02-13T12:24:00.004-06:00

So sad that the world has lost another talent in the prime of life. I will forever associate early adult life events (following high school) with songs from her first album - "Saving All My Love for You", "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All".

Four Eyes

2012-02-06T19:47:00.003-06:00

Almost one week before her 18th birthday, Sassy was diagnosed with myopia. Last week she told me she's been squinting a lot and having headaches so wondered if she should have an eye exam. Uh, yeah. It's a super light prescription (nothing like my blind ass) and she's actually excited - weirdo.

This Day in History

2012-01-26T19:28:00.004-06:00

I joined the ranks of Facebook today. Argh! I gave in because I wanted to keep in touch with folks and businesses who have supported us since Hubby's accident. I only allow invited people here so this will be my main "home" aside from CaringBridge for posts focused on hubby's progress. I still think Facebook is a cult and I'm not planning to do a lot of posting there unless we think it's better to migrate from what we've been doing on CaringBridge. Time will tell.

Food Discovery

2012-01-08T14:34:00.001-06:00

I've found an amazing resource via a blogger I follow. As I've shared previously, I am a huge fan of Let's Dish; however, I don't want to take time to prepare meals away from home right now and want more control to create a weekly menu. E-mealz is perfect for us - the subscription cost is low, ingredients and instructions are clear, a shopping list is provided, I can decide which meals to make/omit and I can change up ingredients. Best of all we have recipes for favorites so we can repeat. I made the burritos from last week's menu last night and this is definitely on the replay list so thought I'd share. They were just as good for lunch today too!

EZ Slow Bake Burritos

1 lb chuck roast, trim visible fat I used 1.5 lb of whatever I thought looked good and was inexpensive
14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained I used a can of tomatoes mixed with onions already because I saw it on the shelf and thought it would make life easier
1 sliced med onion omitted per can of tomatoes with onions
1 packet pot roast seasoning mix
14 oz can pinto beans, drained
½ can chopped green chilies, drained I used one whole small can as that's all I found at store
½ tsp chili powder I also added 1/4 tsp cumin

Fixins
flour tortillas
shredded cheese
tomatoes
sour cream
guacamole*

In crock pot, combine everything but fixins. Cook on low 4 to 6 hours. Shred meat and stir ingredients together. Wrap mixture in tortillas with fixins. *I also made a quick guacamole (my recipe) to go with it and served with chips.

Smash together 3 avocados and 1 can tomatoes with cilantro and lime I typically use fresh cilantro and lemon juice but had this on hand. Add garlic and salt to taste. Yum!

2011 Recap: 20 Questions

2011-12-31T15:29:00.003-06:00

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Swam with dolphins

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My resolutions for 2011 were to live in the moment and be truly joyful. That didn't happen as much as I would have liked. Sanity is my only resolution from here on out, though I should strive to be the healthiest I can be to take care of Hubby long-term.

3. What countries did you visit? Mexico and Grand Cayman

4. What date(s) from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory and why? August 7th - Hubby's accident

5. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Surviving Finance class and creating a "package" concept at work that was published in our annual report

6. What was your biggest failure? Two: dropping out of Marketing class and getting an A- in Finance

7. Did you suffer illness or injury? Twisted my wrist the other day

8. What was the best thing you bought? Subscription to e-Mealz and Hubby's new titanium wedding ring

9. Where did most of your money go? Medical bills

10. What did you get really, really, really excited about? When confirmed Hubby would breathe on his own without a ventilator and when Sassy was awarded an academic/leadership scholarship for a third of annual tuition St. Catherine University (she's still undecided)

11. What song will always remind you of 2011? Moves Like Jagger and On the Floor

12. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise

13. What do you wish you’d done less of? Cry

14. Did you fall in love in 2011? Yes, it probably sounds corny but Hubby I fell in love again in a deeper, more connected way

15. What was your favorite TV program? That's tough. It would be Mad Men, but they didn't air a single new episode in 2011. I'm a little bitter. I can't pick a single one so I'd say a tie between The Big Bang Theory, Glee, The Good Wife and Vampire Diaries. A new favorite we just discovered today is The Walking Dead (marathon of seasons 1 and 2 on AMC).

16. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? The Kardashians - please make them go away

17. What was your favorite film of 2011? The Help

18. What kept you sane? Friends and laughter

19. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Kate Middleton like the rest of the universe I'm sure

20. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
We belong together now,
Forever united here somehow,
You got a piece of me
And honestly,
My life would suck without you

Scenes from Christmas

2011-12-26T12:38:00.003-06:00

Sassy with classmates in her German class and their Gingerbread house -

Sassy and I on Christmas Eve -

Sassy on Christmas Day -

Chunky obsessed with setting up new iPod -

And the best for last!
Hubby in the Christmas spirit, opening gifts -

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

2011-12-23T13:09:00.005-06:00

I've had these photos quite awhile and keep forgetting to post (nothing else going on you know). My BFF and family were in town 3+ months ago and the kids and I met them at MOA / Nickelodeon Universe.

Sassy took the little girls to see Sponge Bob and Patrick -

Then BFF's hubby volunteered to be 'purse boy' -

A great time was had by all. Good friends and laughter are the best medicine!

Our Kate

2011-12-19T20:06:00.001-06:00

Kate has become a popular name - I suspect it will shoot to the top of baby girl name lists next year all inspired by Kate Middleton. We have another reason to love the name - Sassy was accepted to St. Catherine University. We'd love to have a Katie in our family! She applied to a couple of other schools (all local as she plans on living at home and commuting), but St. Kate's is her first choice. I hope we can make it happen :)

Sic 'em Bears

2011-12-10T21:59:00.003-06:00

I am not a sports fan and I don't follow football, but I am loyal. The Heisman trophy was awarded today to quarterback Robert Griffin III from my alma mater, Baylor University. The Heisman is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Congrats RG3!

Tribute

2011-11-30T19:21:00.006-06:00

Chunky had a Dia de los Muertos assignment for Spanish class earlier this month - create a tribute to a loved one. He decided to pay tribute to his Papa -

He included a a photo of the two of them, a drinking glass to represent the water Papa always had on hand, the 3M logo to represent where he worked for 35 years, fishing and golf hobbies enjoyed as a younger man, and the obituary published in the local paper.

I may be a little biased, but I think it deserves an A+++!

Getting Ready

2011-11-27T15:36:00.002-06:00

We are getting ready for another delightful winter in the arctic. We've heard the snowfall could rival last year. Lovely We need a new throttle cable for the snowthrower and haven't been able to find one at any of the local hardware or home improvement stores. Our local ACE Hardware referred us to a power equipment store in a neighboring town. Of course it's not in stock so we had to special order -hopefully it will arrive before the first big snow. Chunky and Hubby are in the garage changing the oil in the snowthrower - Chunky's first time with Hubby supervising. I decided it was safer indoors. I found a fabulous product - Tibet Almond Stick - at ACE to take care of the many scratches in our wood around the house. This stuff is amazing and is't only $4!It's like a wood eraser. I've used it on doors, cabinets, floors, tables and chairs. No home should be without it if you have wood anything. The heater in the garage isn't working so I need to call local Heating & Plumbing shop to fix that. Between Hubby and home the past four months, I don't think I've ever made so many calls/appts in my life. Hard to believe it's been 16 weeks since the accident that forever changed our lives. No way to get ready for that, but we're finding our way as we go. Better go check on the boys.

Thankful

2011-11-24T11:56:00.002-06:00

We have much to be thankful for this season and we are not squandering one minute. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone reading this - may you be as blessed as we are!

Attitude

2011-11-15T19:16:00.000-06:00

Have you seen Diane Sawyer's interview with Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords? I highly recommend it - so touching. Of course it hits close to home - their love, devotion and determination resulting in a different yet rich life. When Hubby was released from the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute we were told our positivity and determination ranked us in the minority - Hubby went home earlier than most quadriplegics because we were motivated to learn, determined to be successful and supportive of one another in finding our new normal. To have the support and respect of professionals from a renowned rehab program means a great deal to us and makes us even more determined. I would love to believe that Hubby will walk again one day, but it doesn't seem likely based on medical expertise. I wonder if I should expect it though, be more determined. I wholeheartedly believe in miracles and modern medicine/technology has made tremendous advancements so you never know. We are determined to meet each day and every opportunity/challenge with a positive attitude for that is 9/10ths of the game.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

~ Charles Swindoll

Personality

2011-10-29T09:09:00.004-05:00

Ever take one of those personality tests? One of the most popular is Myers-Briggs. I love taking tests. Seriously, I'm weird and I embrace it. Speaking of which, isn't the spelling of the word 'weird' weird? What happened to the "i" after "e" except after "c" rule? American English is odd.

Any whozzle, I was reminded of this test recently by a blogger I follow and it was fun to look up all the stuff related to my personality. Let's hear it for the INTJs!!! I'm so doing this with my kids and hubby!

INTJ: Strategist - Mastermind - Intellectual
Independent, original, analytical, and determined. Have an exceptional ability to turn theories into solid plans of action. Highly value knowledge, competence, and structure. Long-range thinkers. Have very high standards for their performance, and the performance of others. Natural leaders, but will follow if they trust existing leaders. Approach reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error or adversity.

Hubby would call that last sentence the "what if" principle and was not so appreciative of it in the past. I am a total "what if" person and proud of it. It's paying off quite a bit now so hubby has changed his tune :)

When you love someone

2011-10-23T20:08:00.009-05:00

Sassy and I attended the wedding of some dear friends last night. Hubby should have been there, but he will be home soon enough. The happy couple were thoughtful enough to pay Hubby a visit today so he felt included in the occasion. The setting was lovely, the food delicious and the ceremony touching. Simple, down to earth, very K&B.

Sassy captured the moment for us -

The setting was on a bluff overlooking the beautiful Mississippi River -

The happy couple -

The cupcakes were fantastic and the Magic 8 Ball was a very personal touch -

I think my favorite part was the reverend's reading of an Anne Morrow Lindbergh poem -

When you love someone, you do not love them all the time. in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet, this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, of love , of relationships. We leap at the flow of time and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible in life, as in love, is in growth, in fluidity in freedom. The only real security is not owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what it was , nor forward to what it might be, but living in the present and accepting it as it is now. For relationships, too must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits islands surrounded and interrupted by the sea, continuously visited and abandoned by the tides. Once must accept the serenity of the winged life, ebb and flow, of intermittency.

Deep in the heart of ...

2011-10-09T14:31:00.003-05:00

I discovered a deep wrinkle (line!) at the corner of my lower right-side lip this morning. It was not there yesterday. I know ... I thoroughly check every day. I consider myself moderately vain when it comes to my face so I've invested in good skin care products, I exfoliate regularly and use sunscreen daily. What the heck?! If you saw me you would probably say you could barely see it or it's small because you'd be being nice ... it's not small, it's a mini Grand Canyon on my face! My grandma P was right ... it's hell getting old. I think it could be related to my previous bad habit as a casual smoker. I quit weeks ago in preparation for a wellness screening at work which allows me to lower my health insurance premium by meeting specific goals like being tobacco free and cholesterol/blood pressure readings below a certain level. That was pretty motivating, but this, THIS is super motivating. I'm done - no more smokes or lines for me!

Leavin' on a jet plane

2011-10-02T17:32:00.007-05:00

While visiting hubby this morning I decided to check my bank account online to confirm recent activity while he took a short nap. I was surprised to see a charge for $1,000 to Southwest Airlines and several others for online dating services (match.com, hotornot.com, etc.). I wonder where I'm going and with whom? I contacted Wells Fargo and they pressed into action. It took a little while to walk through everything and find that I had almost $2,000 in charges I didn't make! I'm confident all will be reversed though. When I returned home there was a voice mail message from Southwest Airlines asking me to authorize a $1,000 gift card. The thief hadn't bought a plane ticket, rather a gift card they could turn around and sell. Some peoples' kids!

Make this now!

2011-10-01T10:45:00.001-05:00

I awoke at some ungodly hour this morning. After I watched the remainder of the 'Project Runway' episode I missed when I fell asleep last night, I channel surfed and landed on Cristina Ferarre's 'Big Bowl of Love' on the Oprah Winfrey Network (remember John DeLorean? she was married to him!). I'd never watched it before, but she made an Udon Noodle Bowl soup that I was absolutely compelled to make. After my 7:30am oil change appointment, I went straight to the grocery store to pick up the necessary ingredients. I love it! I changed up a couple of things: added diced raw chicken while heating stock, added a package of frozen edamame I bought on a whim in lieu of peas, added carrots and scallions while cooking and omitted the cilantro. It's delightfully fresh and comforting. I'm pretty sure it's super healthy too! The only things I'd change would be to cut the udon noodles (I'm sure slurping the long strands adds to the charm and authenticity, but the small puddles of soup everywhere put my OCD on high alert) and add cilantro at the end for freshness and a bit of crunchy texture (in addition to sesame seeds - a must!).

Photos a la P-Dub!

Feeding the soul

2011-09-26T19:10:00.005-05:00

I did something tonight I haven't done in 7 weeks ... cooked dinner from scratch. It was heavenly and exactly what I needed. Hubby had a minor procedure today that went off without a hitch. Once I confirmed he was resting comfortably and would likely be sleeping the rest of the day, I decided to head home to get some work work done. It felt so comfortable and "normal" to be home doing something I've done a hundred times before ... something I haven't felt in a long time. Then I got to thinking the only thing better would be to smell something cooking and eat a family dinner I prepared ... flank steak with potatoes and herb butter. It was amazing if I do say so myself. The only thing better would have been a homemade dessert, but a spoonful of Nutella out of the jar will have to suffice.

In sickness and in health

2011-09-17T21:13:00.003-05:00

Alternately titled - Marriage: the good, the bad and the hospital

This is not the post where I tell you I have it all figured out. To the contrary, most days I don't feel like I have anything figured out. I do the best I can with what I've got and try to gain what I can to improve. I've received much advice about marriage over the years (mostly good) ... keep a sense of humor, compromise, don't sweat the small stuff, don't go to bed angry, make yourself comfortable in the B&N Self Help section, etc. Throw in kids, finances, friends, family, work, life changes, politics, religion, hobbies and many other things in the mix and you've got a firestorm. Some people just seem to "click" and coast through life on the marriage front. Hubby and I have rarely been on "autopilot". We have to really work at it and sometimes one was working when the other wasn't. Good times. We have a lot of love, tenacity and general stubbornness which has gotten us this far. However, recent events have changed our outlook on life ... and our marriage. Every day is a gift and every day with the one you love is an even greater gift. Other than physical/mental health, putting your spouse first in life is job #1. This is our golden rule now.

Marriage is hard ... we know this first hand. Marriage while one spouse is away is hard ... we know this first hand too as Hubby traveled extensively for his job. Marriage when one spouse is not in good health is very hard ... we're learning this now. Conducting a marriage while one spouse is in the hospital is brutal. There's limited time/space for privacy (and that's putting it mildly), intimacy is redefined, the non-hospitalized spouse bears more responsibility, etc. The focus has to be on the health of the hospitalized spouse; however, the rest of the world goes on ... bills must get paid, children need tending, the house needs cleaning, etc. I feel like I have one foot in two worlds ... the hospital and everything else. The hardest part is thinking about Hubby when I'm not at the hospital and thinking about everything else when I am with Hubby. It pales in comparison to what Hubby is experiencing. We know there are many adjustments on the horizon ... individually and together. We've decided we're still in it, in sickness and in health.

Never Forget

2011-09-11T15:02:00.002-05:00

1st Day

2011-09-06T09:19:00.002-05:00

1st day of Senior year -

Is it me or does she look like she's being patronizing?

1st day of 6th grade -

Is it me or does he look less enthusiastic than Sassy?

The Assistant

2011-09-05T08:02:00.002-05:00

Sassy had her Senior Pictures taken the other night downtown Minneapolis by the amazing Emily. The Mill City Museum was closed for a private party so Emily took photos outside with the Museum and Mill Ruins Park as backdrop, as well as inside The Guthrie Theater. I had fun playing assistant, aka holding extra clothes/shoes and taking pictures of my own.

Afterward Sassy and I decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Sassy had been once before years ago, but I'd never been. It was delizioso!

Transition

2011-09-03T10:25:00.004-05:00

Summer has unofficially ended - yesterday was the kids' last day of summer break and Labor Day is in two days. Our summer was full - baseball, college visits, new dryer, new car, up north, summer romance and spines. I'm ready for a fantastic fall - I won't be returning to grad school for obvious reasons, but I'm still hoping for great weather, time to try some new recipes (tomato water martinis, zucchini chips, tomato/corn/zucchini tart) and a little gardening. Of course we're hoping to have Hubby home before the snow flies as well.

Spines 'R Us

2011-08-30T11:28:00.004-05:00

Sassy had a consultation with neurosurgeon yesterday (partner of fabulous neurosurgeon who did Hubby's surgery insert shameless plug for HealthPartners Medical Group about her Scheuermann's kyphosis. He told her he can't do anything for her surgically - both a relief and frustrating. She has a 48% curvature (normal is 40%) and they don't begin to look at surgery until over 60% as risks outweigh benefits ... Dr said he often doesn't do surgery until at least 90%. Her discs are what's causing her the most pain and surgery doesn't fix those. He told her chasing her pain with meds is a very slippery slope and that the best thing she can do is to stay active, even though it hurts. He suggested yoga, accupuncture and chiropractic. He also suggested a routine for sleep ... this is one of the biggest impacts aside from constant pain ... work out, bath with aromatherapy, warm milk, etc. Unfortunately we don't know if the disease is progressive or if this is the worst it will be for her ... she will need to know her body and determine if the pain is worse over time and then investigate cause. No answers but we appreciated the Dr's candor. We continue to make lemonade over here at Spines 'R Us.

Cupid Flying

2011-08-21T18:54:00.005-05:00

Our good friends from Indianapolis offered to host Chunky for the last few days of summer vacation. Chunky fell in love with their daughter up north last month. I'm praying a chastity belt isn't needed. He leaves on the 31st and returns the day before Labor Day - his first airplane trip alone. Anyone traveling from MSP to IND those days - beware!

One day at a time

2011-08-19T19:25:00.005-05:00

Any blogging I've done is over at Hubby's CaringBridge site so posting here will be sporadic for the forseeable future. Hubby is doing well - making slow but steady progress (some unexpected - exceeding expectations). No news yet on function - we're prepared for doctors' best case scenario which is use of arms only while praying for every miracle God grants us. Thank you for your kinds thoughts, words and prayers!

Surgery #2 updated

2011-08-10T09:03:00.007-05:00

**Update 12:00 pm**

Surgery has been postponed until probably Friday (2 days) due to case load. I spoke with neurosurgeon and he explained that surgery timing is not critical - if it was he would have done already. Also, some choose not to do posterior procedure but he feels it would be best to provide additional support and room for spinal cord to heal from massive bruising/swelling. They are doing a trachestomy now and have put in a temporary feeding tube (oral) until they can do the peg after second surgery. He needs to keep up his fighting weight!

**ORIGINAL POST**

Hubby is comfortable and adjusting well. He's communicating via light head nods and alert when speaking to him. Rest is the best medicine now (along with prayer!). Posterior surgery is scheduled for 6:30pm, but could be later. It's late in the day so we're hoping he doesn't get "bumped" to tomorrow while understanding there may be others with greater need. Surgery is great news - it means he's stable enough for procedure and it will provide long term neck support he needs. Next step after surgery (tomorrow?) will be "trach" and "peg"procedures to get him proper nutrition and breathing. Next big hurdle will be to wean him off vent. MRI results showed spinal cord is fully intact - lots of swelling however. Breathing on his own would be a blessing - everything else is icing at this point. We are not giving up hope for a miracle, but remaining realistic and diligent about one day at a time.

Oops

2011-08-09T07:46:00.006-05:00

This is what Hubby said when I arrived to see him in the intensive care unit of Regions Hospital 36 hours ago.

He was in a motorcycle accident about 8pm Sunday (it's now almost 8am Tuesday). He was not speeding or acting crazy, it was a freak fall. He was airlifted to a local trauma hospital within an hour and a half. A CT scan confirmed he broke his neck at C4. They didn't keep him in ER long- he went straight to ICU. He had surgery at 1am - corpectomy C3 to C5 anterior cervical fusion with cage and plate. The neurosurgeon came out about 4am and said everything went as well as could be expected and that he was very healthy. He'll need posterior fusion later in the week. He did not have any feeling from chest down when he came in but Dr said it will take several weeks to know long term and the conditon of his spinal cord is critical. We're waiting for results of MRI. He is receiving awesome care - steroid protocol for spine profusion, cuffs on his legs and a filter implanted to help prevent blood clots, pain management, etc. Breathing is the primary concern now and though he's on a vent he is 'over' breathing a bit on his own. That's good, it shows he's a fighter and will come through this with a fighting spirit. He desperately wants the tube out so they keep him partially sedated. He is alert now and then, able to nod up and down or back and forth to indicate if he agrees with questions. He's not in any pain. I rub his forehead and scalp with a cold rag. I tell him how many people - a virtual parade - have been to see him (not everyone makes it back to his room so we've often had a mob in a hallway) and that everyone is pulling for him.

Going strong

2011-08-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

Chunky's summer romance continues ...

Sequence

2011-08-01T06:55:00.003-05:00

I do not heart math. I am however drawn to sequence - I heart logical order. This may be one of the reasons I'm not good at "regular" math, but love statistics - organizing numbers! insert need for therapy here Somehow I managed to major in stats (along with econ) for my undergraduate degree despite the fact I have a hard time figuring out which number goes where to determine increase/decrease in percentage value.

I was fascinated by the Bing homepage image yesterday which showed a cross-section of a chambered nautilus. This is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I treasure a beautiful nautilus shell someone gave me as a parting gift when I left my last company.

I researched nature's magic algorithm a bit and found there is something called the golden rectangle or Fibonacci numbers.

I can't recall if I learned about this in school, but I heart the beauty in sequence.

Diagnosis 2 -OR- Lemonade out of Lemons

2011-07-28T20:43:00.005-05:00

Chunky received his diagnosis about three months ago. Now Sassy has one. We definitely weren't expecting this.

Sassy has been having back issues for the past several months. The pain is mostly between her scapulae - thoracic region. She is in some degree of pain 24/7. It got really bad when she was in Europe four months ago and I made a Dr appt for her when she returned. They gave her high dose of ibuprofen, muscle relaxants and physical therapy. Unfortunately the therapy didn't make her feel better, in fact she felt worse so I told her to stop going after 8 appts. She went back to the Dr last week and they took x-rays. They called the following day to say they found something and scheduled an appt with orthopedist four days later (earlier this week). Orthopedist saw 7% curvature with a tool he used in office - one shoulder blade higher than the other (mild scoliosis), but was really fixated on what looks like left outside part of vertebra lower than inside (closest to spine) in a couple of places - causing "wedged" discs. He mentioned a condition I'd never heard of - Scheuermann's disease. She had an MRI later that day and two days later she was diagnosed with Scheuermann's disease, also known as juvenile discogenic back disease. We don't have all the details re: severity, if it could get worse, treatment options, etc. - orthopedist is contacting spine Dr to see if bracing will help her become pain free. Not knowing what's next is the worst. Dr did confirm no more competitive volleyball as they don't know if it will cause further harm and the pain alone is enough reason for her to discontinue. She's bummed her volleyball career is over - May 1st was her swan song after all. She has a positive attitude though - already been in touch with athletic director at her grade school about coaching opportunity for girls grades 5-8. That's my girl - making lemonade out of lemons!

Frown

2011-07-25T19:26:00.002-05:00

Summer is officially half over :(

Two 1sts

2011-07-24T16:09:00.005-05:00

Chunky's baseball team won their tournament and first place in the league! It was a very exciting final game with a hit from Chunky turning the tides in his team's favor in the fourth inning when they were down by two runs.

Here's my baby running home -

You made it!

I thought these shots were cool and I'm pretty proud of my typically poor picture taking self. In the first one the ball is just above the roof of the house. In the second one it looks like it's inches from his hip.

One of his coaches told us he should keep with it as he he's a good hitter. He needs to work on consistency and catching. We're going to look into one of the nearby batting cages for the off-season to get ready for next year.

Congrats Chunky Monkey and the Knights!

Gil been berry, berry good to me

2011-07-23T20:05:00.002-05:00

Say the title with a Latin accent for '70s SNL nostalgia

Gil got me through one wicked winter and has been my commuting companion for three years. However, the times they are a changin' ...

Hello Dolly! and I don't mean Sassy's Tawny Kitaen car pose

Isn't she lovely?! She's a 2011 black amethyst Krom edition Rogue. I got an awesome deal and the dealer couldn't wait to get their hands on reliable, gorgeous Gil (evidently Altima's have great resale value). "Dolly" is probably not her permanent name - we're toying with "Adele", 'cause she's smooth, sultry and pleasantly PLUMp. I'm diggin' Dolly/Adele in a big way - she even has a back up camera which means I can't give MIL a hard time about hers anymore.

It's so nice to have you where you belong!

Too Cute

2011-07-23T08:05:00.002-05:00

This post from The Spohr's Are Multiplying is too cute not to share!

I love this blog - tender, sweet, funny, real and stimulating. They lost their first daughter, Maddie, a couple of years ago so some posts are related to their loss and grief, honoring Maddie's life, wonderful insights and of course, the Amazing Annabel. Check 'em out - amazingness all around!

Out with the old ...

2011-07-22T06:40:00.002-05:00

Our six year old dryer went to heaven. Good riddance!

They sure don't make things like they used to. Oh my gosh, I sound like my grandmother!!! Anywhozzle, we decided not to sink any more money into the old girl and went shopping for a new one. I didn't want the same brand as we've had many problems with our current washer/dryer so I knew going into it I would no longer have a matched set. What I wasn't prepared for was the lingo and new fangled options. I was very confused by the question, "Do you want front or top loading"? Did you know a dryer that's made as a companion to a top loading washer is called a top loading dryer even though you load it from the front? Mylanta! 6.7 capacity vs. 7.2 ... steam or no steam ... five cycles or ten or thirty-five? My head was spinning! Finally we went to our trusty appliance store and got a front loading dryer should do the trick.

Look - it has a window!

We have gas so hubby will need to hook it up tomorrow. I'm curious if it will be "level" with the washer. I'll get over it if it isn't (maybe), but it sure would be sweet if it were! Ah, the simple things in an OCD person's life I've never been so excited to dry clothes in my life!

Play Ball

2011-07-21T19:34:00.001-05:00

Baseball season is almost over! Oops, did I say that out loud?

HP Recap

2011-07-20T20:54:00.003-05:00

Saw this and had to share - http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43756803/ns/today-entertainment/

We're hoping to have a Harry Potter marathon over the weekend to get fully prepped for the final movie. Chunky has a baseball tourney - one game each day - so that and the weather will dictate our final plan.

Friend or Foe?

2011-07-17T21:20:00.004-05:00

Sassy's boyfriend won her a goldfish at the county fair - Stefan I wanted Friedrich - I thought that was a better fish name but I lost that one. Sookie the cat is VERY interested in Stefan the fish.

Stare down -

I started to get nervous when she put her face in the bowl -

Then REALLY nervous when she stood up and looked like she was going fishing!

We put a plastic lid on Stefan's bowl (with holes of course). Sookie guards her new "friend" faithfully -

The Land of 10,000 Lakes

2011-07-16T08:53:00.008-05:00

Has a new lake!

We have urban flood warnings from rain over the past two days throughout the metro area (which is in addition to the deluge of rain we've seen the last three months). Some spots have seen nearly 7" since yesterday morning. Overnight a complex of storms dropped an additional 1" to nearly 5"and our county was the hardest hit with 5.44" falling in a neighboring town in four hours.

This is the view from just a mile away from our home -

Look closely -

Summer in a glass

2011-07-15T19:07:00.001-05:00

6 oz pineapple juice (1 small can)
3 oz orange juice (1/2 pineapple can)
2-3 oz Mango rum
ice

Shine!

Sweet Pea

2011-07-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

Our favorite blonde munchkin stopped by for a visit along with her mom before we went on vacation. Isn't she precious?!

Sassy babysits her occasionally so she is really comfortable with her -

Not so much Chunky - he hasn't shown much interest in little people, especially girls, and can be so loud and boisterous that they aren't attracted to him either. But this visit was different. Chunky took the time to play with her and find some common activities (digging in the dirt, petting the dog, etc.) and they became fast buddies -

How sweet is this?!

Happy Wednesday!

2011-07-13T20:36:00.003-05:00

New Word Wednesday is on hiatus for the rest of the summer (perhaps the rest of the year). While there are plenty of interesting words to discover and share ... I'm just not feeling it.

It's the week of appointments - eye appt today, hair appt tomorrow and two Dr appts Friday. The joy of it all. I ordered two new pair of glasses today - one "regular" and the other prescription sunglasses. I've never had prescription sunglasses - I feel so decadent.

We are officially caught up through season 3 of The Big Bang Theory. Season 4 doesn't come out until mid-September. How is that enough time to catch up before Season 5 starts? Hello DVD release people, get it together! Geesh

Sassy is working at Nordstrom for their big anniversary sale this weekend. She hasn't been working other than babysitting and Grandma jobs so will likely feel overwhelmed being on her for 9 hours a day. She will be an absolute joy to be around at home this weekend. Not!

Well, that's all I have to say about that. Happy Wednesday!

C is for ...

2011-07-10T14:05:00.032-05:00

Cabin, Cupid and Concussion.

I would show you all sorts of lovely photos of our annual visit to the "cabin" up north, but I just accidentally deleted them all. Including all the stellar fireworks shots. I'm certain they were award-winning photos. Luckily the resort owners gave us a disc with photos from the week which included a few shots of our crew. We had great weather, good friends and lots of fishing. We also spent some quality family time getting my mother-in-law hooked on Glee. I always feel like we've been away for weeks on end and am so relaxed when we return. We were joined by our good friends the Zs for the first few days, Chunky's buddy D, and friends we met at the same resort during our first visit nine years ago. They're from Indianapolis and have been up a couple of times since - this time only husband, Nutty, and daughter, A, made the trip. They were only going to stay for a couple of days but it turned into the full week.

Sparks were flying and not just from the 4th of July fireworks. I have never witnessed a full-on love connection before, but it was obvious there was a magnetic attraction between Chunky and A. Cupid was in full force.

This is Chunky and A in 2005 -

Flash forward to last week -

They were inseparable and it was really sweet to watch. Chunky's girlfriend from home broke up with him via text message a couple of days before we left so he was a free agent. I could tell D felt a little left out at times, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

I can't resist then and now photos of Sassy too -

We brought up two borrowed ATVs and they were a big hit. Hubby, Nutty and Sassy took "the kids" on chaperoned rides as safety was our primary concern. Sassy wanted me to go out one day and I thought "what the heck, I'm on vacation". I was doing very well if I do say so myself until I overcompensated on a hill. I zigged when I should have zagged and there was a shift in the force as my head (and body) hit the ground. The ATV hit some shrubs and is no worse for wear. I on the other hand got my brains scrambled. Sassy was ahead of me and had just turned to check that I was (far) behind her so she must have thought I was good to go. It seemed like forever until she came back to the scene. Evidently I was more concerned about my shoe which had flung off than anything else. I made it back okay and started making dinner, but then Sassy and MIL got worried when I repeated things I had just said and was doing a strange head bob. They were concerned enough to take me to the ER (the others were all at a local gun range - we're such rednecks). I don't remember very much, it's all kind of a blur. I do remember feeling nauseous and feeling proud that I remembered my social security number ... until I started thinking about how no one would really know if that was the right number so maybe I was wrong. Then my head started hurting. A lot. They checked my vitals, confirmed I had a concussion, and told me to go home and rest. I would show you a photo of my ER wrist bracelet or the life saving helmet, but I deleted all my photos on accident. I blame the brain injury.

We thought it would never arrive ...

2011-07-03T21:45:00.004-05:00

Summer!

We've been on our annual trek Up North this past week - see 2009 and 2010 posts for more Up North fun. I have so much to share, but will start with the pre-trip packing and staging.

I use oversize Ziploc bags that I cannot imagine living without. A friend works for the company that makes these and when she gave me samples of every size a few years ago my life was complete. I use one for beach towels, another for bathroom towels and washcloths, and another for "dirty" towels.

I use "old" laundry baskets (the ones deemed too small or unusable because they have holes) to hold all our shoes, cooking implements and paper products. These serve double duty - easy to pack up and transport plus they serve as our actual laundry baskets at the cabin.

Trust me there was a lot more. I don't have photos of all the food - adult beverages, lemonade & ice tea mix, canned goods, crackers, cereal, etc. We also brought up ATVs, a motorcycle and a lot of fishing gear in our trailer. More on the weeks' activities in the next post - it definitely had it's ups and downs! hint, hint

Lunch

2011-07-01T20:51:00.013-05:00

Chunky is attending summer camp at the Y 3x/week and it's awesome. They hang outside, go swimming and have field trips almost every day. It keeps him active and gives a much needed break from video games. The only thing that's not awesome about summer camp is lunches. For me that is. I hate making lunches. Coming up with fresh items, some of them healthy, packing it all in and the chore of prepping is NOT my favorite activity. This is why I gladly fork over the moola for the decidedly unhealthy hot lunches during the school year. Here's a breakdown of today's lunch -

First position the ice pack so that it keeps the drinks cold as well as the sandwiches, yet doesn't take up too much room. Then add drinks and tuck in an applesauce or fruit cup with plastic utensil.

Then layer in TWO sandwiches (he's a growing boy afterall) - today it was PB&J, but it could be turkey bologna, salami, ham or turkey. I'm partial to this brand of lunch meat.

Add a snack such as a bagel, crackers, chips or today's selection, beef jerky.

Finally, more snacks like peanuts, fruit rollups, or something super healthy like carrots or grapes.

Ta da - all of that fit in this bag!

New Word Wednesday #22

2011-06-29T06:42:00.001-05:00

Capricious
[ca·pri·cious]

- adjective
- Characterized by or subject to whim

Little Blue Box

2011-06-27T21:34:00.001-05:00

Tiffany's is iconic, but $8,500 plus a night?! Good Gravy!

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

2011-06-25T18:09:00.007-05:00

My Savannah post got me thinking about all the places I've been so I created a map. I was surprised by how many states I haven't spent some quality time in - I have some traveling to do!

Places I've been outside the US:

Mexico: Cancun, Costa Maya, Mazatlan, Play del Carmen, Puerto Vallarta and Juarez
Caribbean: Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Disney's Castaway Cay

Clearly I need to work in more warm weather destinations!

Places I want to visit in the US:

Door County
Mackinac Island
Ogunquit, Maine
Newport, Rhode Island
Boston, Massachusetts and surrounding area
New England
Charleston, South Carolina
Memphis, TN
New Orleans
Ree Drummond's in Pawhuska, OK
St. George, Utah
The Pacific Northwest: Seattle, Portland, British Columbia
Cruise Alaska
Hawaii: Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Big Island

New Word Wednesday #22

2011-06-22T06:52:00.000-05:00

Precipice

- a very steep or overhanging place
- a hazardous situation; broadly: brink

College Visit

2011-06-21T20:21:00.001-05:00

This is Minnesota Private Colleges week and I offered to take Sassy to two colleges of her choice for visits. She's thinking she will likely attend the big university, but I wanted her to see what else was out there. She decided to check out my current grad school which of course I'm partial to, but I suspect she did so just to appease me. We sat through an info session, asked questions of a student/faculty panel and toured the campus, including a dorm room. It's an all girl school and it was clear that weighed heavy on a lot of girls' minds. I find it appealing actually - not because I'm a prude, but because I went to an all girl high school and had an awesome experience. Well, the last two years anyway. We learned that all girl college students are more likely to graduate in four years, more likely to attend graduate school and more likely to have leadership roles in their careers. Turns out Sassy loved it! I'm having a minor coronary over the $30,000+ a year tuition, but nothing says love like saddling your child with debt as they head into the big, wide world. She has aspirations of being a pre-med major, but I know the vast majority of those who declare pre-med don't go on to become MDs. St. Kate's has two unique degrees in Healthcare Sales and Orthoptics - these may be right up Sassy's alley and I saw her write these down on her note card. We visit the "U" next month and it will be interesting to see what she thinks of it in comparison to being a Katie.

Dads Rock

2011-06-19T09:35:00.004-05:00

Hubby is getting this shirt (with Sassy & Chunkys' names of course) along with a celebratory dinner - our famous kabobs and angel food cake + fruit topping - for Father's Day.

Hats off to all great dads - those with us as well as those who have gone before.

Savannah

2011-06-18T11:45:00.003-05:00

I'm in a southern state of mind lately. I read this post yesterday and could immediately relate. Savannah, Georgia is one of my most favorite places on earth - granted I'm not a world traveler so my experience is somewhat limited - but of the places I've been, Savannah is in my top 5. It oozes southern charm and evokes a simpler time. My first visit was in 2004 with my mom and the kids. I went back with my BFF four years ago to celebrate our monumental birthdays. I want to go back again ... soon!

I love cemeteries and Savannah does not disappoint -

This is one of my favorite photos of Sassy taken outside Juliette Gordon Low's home (founder of the Girl Scouts of America) -

The Lady & Sons restaurant - I can still taste the amazing ho cakes - Yum!

My mom and kids in front of the Gryphon Tea Room - beautiful inside and out!

Tybee Island -

Definitely add Savannah to your travel bucket list!

Alabama

2011-06-16T12:36:00.001-05:00

Some interesting facts about the fair state -

Alabama introduced the Mardi Gras to the western world.
Alabama workers built the first rocket to put humans on the moon.
Alabama is the only state with all major natural resources needed to make iron and steel. It is also the largest supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe products.
Montgomery is the capital and the birthplace of the Confederate States of America.
The Confederate flag was designed and first flown in Alabama in 1861.
Alabama became the 22nd state on December 14, 1819.
Baseball player Henry Louis (Hank) Aaron was born in Mobile in 1934.
Baseball player Willie Howard Mays was born in Westfield in 1931.
Huntsville is known as the rocket capital of the World.
In 1902 Dr. Luther Leonidas Hill performed the first open heart surgery in the Western Hemisphere by suturing a stab wound in a young boy's heart. The surgery occurred in Montgomery.
Hitler's typewriter survived from his mountain retreat and is exhibited at the Hall of History in Bessemer.
The pecan is the official nut.
People from Alabama are called Alabamians.
On January 11, 1861 Alabama becomes the fourth state to secede from the Union.
Tallulah Bankhead was born in Huntsville in 1902 and died in 1968.
Singer and entertainer Nathaniel Adams (Nat King) Cole was born in Montgomery in 1919 and died in 1965.
The Birmingham Airport opened in 1931. At the time of the opening a Birmingham to Los Angeles flight took 19 hours.
General Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Indians in 1814. Following the event the Native Americans ceded nearly half the present state land to the United States.
At the Battle of Mobile Bay Admiral David Farragut issued his famous command, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." The event occurred on August 5, 1864.

New Word Wednesday #21

2011-06-15T06:24:00.002-05:00

Antebellum
[an-tee-bel-uhm] – adjective
– before or existing before the war, especially the American civil war

In honor of my being in Birmingham, Alabama today and tomorrow (work trip).

Ya'll come back now, hear?

Saints

2011-06-14T20:40:00.010-05:00

No, this isn't a post about Christian holy people. It's about our local minor league baseball team. The coach of Chunky's team arranged a great experience last night - not only did we attend a Saints game, but Chunky's team got to meet the players, warm up with them AND have their names announced while they ran onto the field with the player in their respective positions. Chunky was waaaaaay out in the outfield, but I could tell he was super psyched to be on an official league ball field singing our national anthem. The experience cost me a small fortune between the foam finger, hat, brat, cheese curds, soda and coffee (it was chilly here), but it was a lot of fun. The Saints played a good game against the Lincoln, NE Saltdogs though we left at the middle of the 7th inning because it was 9:30pm and mama needs her beauty rest. Bad!

National Pastime

2011-06-11T19:24:00.004-05:00

I spend a lot of time at baseball fields these days. Unfortunately I am not a huge fan. I should be - I need to work on that. Chunky is doing well - he's a great hitter - outfield could use a little work.

To prove I am not known for my photography skills, here is a photo of Chunky running into home (to the left of #14) -

My kid is an amazon at age 11 (#7) -

More extreme temps as it barely got above 60 degrees two days after we had a record high and hubby was in full hoodie mode -

Extremes

2011-06-08T08:10:00.006-05:00

It was a record breaking 103 degrees in the arctic yesterday. What?! Where is some of that heat (just a little) on days like this or this?! The sad thing is I'm at work freezing from the air conditioning so am drinking hot coffee to warm up.

Speaking of extremes - my brother and Sassy turned me on to The Big Bang Theory. Sassy and I are starting with season 1 and are not to be disturbed for three hours straight as we watch the latest six episodes from Netflix every three or four days. Nothing says summer like a new TV series obsession. Come to think of it, that's our obsession in winter too.

New Word Wednesday #20

2011-06-08T05:47:00.002-05:00

Unfettered

- adjective
- unrestrained
- As in I do not subscribe to Facebook as I am concerned about their unfettered access to my data and what they will do with it

Heart Walk

2011-06-06T08:10:00.005-05:00

Sassy and I participated in the annual Twin Cities Heart Walk at Target Field (home to the Minnesota Twins) this past weekend. We didn't exactly walk - as the heat was blistering by 11:30 when the walk finally kicked off. Never ceases to amaze me how blasted cold it can get here in the winter and how hot it can get in the summer I donated to the cause and we participated in the festivities to honor my father who died of a heart attack at age 55 and my father-in-law who sufffered from heart disease most of his adult life. Did you know cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of Amercians, including all cancers?

We went with my friend MPB and her adorable daughter. MPB used to work for my company but abandoned me a couple of months ago. I'm not bitter or anything My company was a sponsor so we had a booth with stress balls that looked like baseballs.

This is Sassy and MPB's Peanut selecting which balls to throw at the crowd.

This is my friend Heidi from Marketing and Michael from Finance. Michael is from Ghana (great accent!) and helped me with my Finance homework (love him!).

Me and Sassy self portrait -

Ramblings

2011-06-05T10:25:00.015-05:00

I'm upset with Playlist for two reasons: 1) The auto start function isn't working so you have to click play at the bottom to start the music. Annoying! Doesn't the advancement of technology enable things to just happen instead of having to do all that work yourself? Sheesh! and b) They've added advertisements. Rude! I am in search of a suitable replacement, but it's going to take some work.

I woke at 6:52 this morning, started laundry, fed the cat, let the dogs out, heated left over coffee from yesterday, cleaned the bathroom and baked two loaves of banana bread. I'm tired and it's only 11 am. I have about two hours of "work" work to do and I'm procrastinating.

We went out with our friends who are getting married next summer (the Zs) to a local Japanese restaurant, Saji Ya, for temppanyaki last weekend. The girls had Mai Tais (amazing tasting and strong!) and the cook put on a great show for us. He moved so fast I couldn't catch some of his best moves on my phone camera - like the flaming onion "volcano".

I miss Glee. Thank goodness Hot in Cleveland is back June 15th, Drop Dead Diva starts June 19th, True Blood kicks off June 26th, and Weeds & The Big C return June 27th. You're welcome for your summer TV viewing schedule Project Runway is scheduled to start sometime this summer - evidently the actual start date is a closely guarded secret as I can't find it anywhere on the almighty web.

Had to share

2011-06-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

I'm waaaaay behind in reading my favorite blogs. I haven't been to PDub's site in quite some time and when I stumbled upon this Memorial Day post during last night's marathon catch-up session I just had to share.

We can

2011-06-03T18:59:00.023-05:00

If you have it to give, give

That was advice given to me by a former coworker / boss who made a significant impact on my life. He was my cube mate at a job I started when Sassy was two years old and just a few months prior to my starting he and his wife lost triplet girls during premature birth. Very sad. They turned that experience into something amazing though by starting an annual charity golf tournament to benefit the neonatal unit of a local hospital. He always told me if you have it to give, give. Those words have stuck with me and we have given to various causes over the years. Of course there are other ways beside money to give - time and talent. I volunteer time at church and school, though not as much as I should. The talent part is questionable when it comes to running the kitchen for the annual school fundraiser, but I do what I can.

I started writing a post a couple of months ago about one of Chunky's friends, D. I abandoned the post because it was borne out of frustration with D's parent and I didn't think it fair. D is a friendly, polite and kind hearted boy. He lives with his parent and two siblings, all are half-siblings. To say they don't have much is putting it mildly. D's parent has a habit of calling us on the pretense of D hanging out with Chunky which inevitably turns into our taking him in for days. I don't like being manipulated or taken advantage of. And I'm a planner. Spontaneous play dates that turn into full on weekends are not how I roll. I haven't even mentioned the best part - the calls are always melodramatic with some over-the-top trauma or "opportunity". My personal favorite was the call to ask if D could come over in a couple of hours because his parent had an opportunity to go to a nearby casino as an overnight guest and they thought it would be awesome if the boys could hang out. Yeah, awesome ... that's the word I'd use. We received a call the other night that there was a family trauma and the parent needed to find a temporary home for the kids for a couple of days. Each of the kids was to go to a different home and they didn't have anyone to take in D. My first reaction was to say "no". I'm sure the generous, Christian response would have been to immediately say "of course". Well now you know my truth - I'm not a great Christian or that generous. I said I needed to speak with hubby first as I wasn't 100% sure what our plans were other than a charity walk. When I spoke with Hubby he reminded me of the giving mantra. We have the space and means, he's a great friend to Chunky and he really is a great kid. Besides, it may be good for him to be in a different environment. So tonight D arrived at our house in a taxi cab with bicycle, small backpack and his baseball glove. We will treat him like one of our own while he's here. Because we can and we have it to give.

New Word Wednesday #19

2011-06-01T06:27:00.000-05:00

Mendicant

- noun
- person asking for charity
- Synonyms: asker, borrower, beggar, bum, deadbeat, scrounger, supplicant, supplicator

More on why I chose this word in my next post.

For the birds

2011-05-31T07:18:00.001-05:00

Hubby is bird crazy. I mean cuckoo for birds. If the three birdfeeders we have aren't filled at least 3/4 full at all times with birdseed he is not a happy camper. Don't even get me started on the bird food ... evidently there is some special sunflower to other seed ratio that is ideal for arctic birds. Who knew? Not I ... nor did I care when I made a recent purchase to honor Hubby's request for bird food. He didn't specify a certain kind/type. Good gravy. The birds REALLY like the kind of food he provides. Yesterday we had four types, including a new yellow one (the mama cardinal is hard to see in the back of the black bird on top left).

Guess I'll be getting Hubby a bird book for Father's Day!

Happy Memorial Day

2011-05-30T13:15:00.003-05:00

MIL and I went to the cemetery the other day to plant flowers at her parents and aunt & uncles' graves (Papa was cremated and will soon have a place of honor on the fireplace mantle). I like visiting cemeteries - so much history and interesting to think there's a story behind each stone. Amongst all the flowers, there were quite a few flags and it struck me how many people have served and are still serving this great country.

On this Memorial Day, and every day, we bear a heavy burden of responsibility to uphold the founding principles so many died defending. I call on all Americans to come together to honor the men and women who gave their lives so that we may live free, and to strive for a just and lasting peace in our world.

From the White House's official proclamation

New Word Wednesday #18

2011-05-25T09:14:00.004-05:00

Conundrum[kuh-nuhn-druhm]

– noun

– a riddle, the answer to which involves a pun or play on words, as What is black and white and read all over? A newspaper.

–anything that puzzles

Batter up

2011-05-23T17:42:00.002-05:00

Chunky had his first baseball game of the season yesterday. His team won 6-1 with Chunky hitting a double and getting two runs in. He's off to a great start!

Prom 2011 Recap

2011-05-22T16:10:00.018-05:00

Yesterday was the big day. You'd think it was a wedding with all the planning and excitement. There was even a garter. Don't ask me why, it's just what everyone does I was told.

Grandma treated Sassy to a professional "updo". She wanted Natalie Portman's Oscar hairdo.

She had her nails done the night before with a color that closely matched her dress along with the new shatter look. I did her makeup with a light smoky eye ala Miss Portman again.

Here is a shot of the coursage, garter and shoes. She bought her shoes in Italy for $15 USD! She claims her feet don't hurt a bit today. The coursage and boutonniere were cranberry calla lilies.

The venue was Landmark Center.

I made reservations for them at Pazzaluna - Italian of course - as it was close enough so they could walk and nice enough that the ladies would feel elegant in showing off their gowns. Sassy ordered gnocchi and her boyfriend ordered steak so they shared her two most favorite foods in the world. awwwww

The happy couple -

With their dining partners -

Sneak Peek

2011-05-21T18:36:00.000-05:00

New Word Wednesday #17

2011-05-18T13:55:00.002-05:00

Twee

- British
- adjective
- affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute or quaint

Cruel

2011-05-17T07:01:00.005-05:00

I came home from work last night to learn my neighbors' son died in a tragic accident on the 13th. He was 28 years old, a West Point grad and a hockey player in Europe. I sat with his mother who had just flown home with her son's body and cried. How cruel. No mother should have to bury her child. Hug your loved ones extra tight today.

Cocktail hour

2011-05-16T17:36:00.006-05:00

I grew up with a father who enjoyed a stiff cocktail at the end of each work day no judgment and grandparents with a bar downstairs and a well stocked liquor cabinet. They also had a regular card club with whom to imbibe. My girlfriend and I loved to turn on the old beer light behind the bar (I can't remember if it was Schlitz or Hamm's), grab some plastic glasses and napkins taken from whomever had the most recent anniversary or other event and play bartender. My grandmother thought we were crazy - we thought we were very cosmopolitan whatever that means.

I'm not a big drinker but I love a good cocktail. Beer isn't my favorite, but I enjoy a good glass of wine now and then. The problem is the bottle often goes to waste because I don't drink more than a glass at a time and I don't want the same thing over the course of a week or more until it's all used up. Variety is the spice of life don't ya know! I prefer something that can be mixed up on the fly. You already know I'm a huge Mad Men devotee and because I will have to wait until 2012 to get my fix, I've decided the cocktail hour needs a good old-fashioned revival. Complete with Jazz, Swing or Sinatra playing in the background for mood. Last night was the inaugural night and I wasn't sure what to fix. I have some old stand-bys with my favorite liquors - amaretto and limoncello my Italian roots show when I cocktail, but I was in the mood for something different. Then I happened upon this post. Pure genius. I am drinking one now while I nosh on pistachios and blue cheese I feel so Betty Draper. When we have a party, I line up all the fixins - liquor bottles plus mixers like seltzer water, orange juice, assorted sodas - with utensils and recipes. That way people can mix things up on their own according to taste. For our next party, 'The Back Forty' will definitely be on the bar in a glass pitcher with lots of ice.

Here are a few of my favorite cocktail recipes - try one and don't forget the red lipstick and heels!

THE BACK FORTY
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
2 1/2 cups cold water
1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup
1 to 1 1/2 shots Bourbon
Lots of ice

TYLER FLORENCE'S ULTIMATE MARGARITA
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 cup tequila
6-8 ounces good quality lager-style beer (recommended: Stella Artois or Negra Modelo)
Ice

SORRENTO SUNRISE
1 oz Lemoncello
2 oz Tequila
1 oz Grenadine
2 oz Orange Juice

ITALIAN SUNSET
2 oz Amaretto
3 oz Orange juice
3 oz Soda water
1 dash Grenadine

Memorial gathering

2011-05-15T13:01:00.004-05:00

Papa's memorial was low key, simple and very nice. He wasn't the religious or ceremonial type at all and the gathering at our local, family-owned funeral home provided the perfect atmosphere. There were a lot of people to greet in three hours - relatives, friends, former coworkers, and neighbors (old and current). And now we figure out what our new normal is.

Rx disposal

2011-05-14T17:00:00.009-05:00

Sassy and I went over to Grandma's the other day to help her clean for out of town guests and dispose of all Papa's medication. You can't flush or dispose down the sink as it may enter the water supply. You can't toss in the trash without "processing" for fear of drug addicts, kids, etc. either. We put a small amount of really hot water in gallon size plastic bags and dumped all the pills in, adding more hot water as needed to dissolve. We added flour to soak up liquid (making a really funky color and smell). Finally, we placed inside another plastic bag and wrapped completely in duct tape so no one would know what was inside. We flushed out all the inhalers too. We also had to mark out all information on every pill bottle and Rx sheet. We counted 70 bottles/boxes/inhalers in all and it took us over 2 hours start to finish.

Farewell Fabio

2011-05-11T17:03:00.005-05:00

The cherubs nicknamed their Papa "Fabio" a few years ago because of his full head of wavy gray hair. It grew fast and if it wasn't cut regularly, it looked long and flowing. My beloved father in law passed away early today after a long illness (COPD). Thankfully the transition from this life to the next was short. We'll cherish memories such as this and this forever.

When tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me, please know I'm in your heart.

Let's grow!

2011-05-07T17:32:00.016-05:00

I have Spring fever bad (along with bad allergies). It's been Winter here in the arctic far too long. So when I heard today would be 70° and the rest of the week in the 60s (accompanied by rain of course - wouldn't want us to go into sun shock or anything), I decided to plant flowers today. That should send a signal to Mother Nature that we're ready for Spring and won't tolerate any more frost!

I am typically a planner and one of those wacky people who like to have a scheme or theme for most everything, but this year I had no earthly idea of what to do. I knew there were two things I wanted for sure going into today's adventure - 1) lots of color and b) a repeat of last year's successful double impatiens at the front door. I was traumatized by last year's sad, sorry internet flowers/herbs so I knew I was going to need to plan from scratch. My first stroke of genius was spying 'Sunset' California Poppy seeds at the grocery store the other day. I could get a boat load of packets for less than $2 each and sow seeds around the mailbox area. They should look like this -

Another stroke of genius was Star Jasmine topiaries for either side of the garage door - they give the garage a "wow" factor with some height and how simple is transplanting one pot each?! Bonus! I added white alyssum along the base to give them even more punch and a simple color scheme that won't compete with the poppies. I couldn't pass up a sweet little lavender plant for the bistro table. Finally, I picked up potted herbs to add delicious flavor to summer meals. The fragrance in the front yard should be amazing!

Voila -

Swan Song

2011-05-06T17:58:00.004-05:00

Last weekend may have been Sassy's swan song for volleyball. Her team competed in their last tournament of the year. They made it all the way to the top but unfortunately got second place (which is still good out of 14 teams). There were a lot of tears the last couple of plays and the other team thought it was because they lost - it was actually because it was the last time all of these girls and coach would formally play together. Many will go on to make the varsity school team in the Fall but not all and the coach is different. It's been a wild ride and I cherish the friendships I've made with a few other moms.

New Word Wednesday #16

2011-05-04T06:07:00.003-05:00

Schadenfreude
[ˈshä-dən-ˌfrȯi-də]
- noun
- enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others
- German, from Schaden damage + Freude joy

Royal Wedding Fever

2011-05-02T21:40:00.001-05:00

We woke at 5am, we watched, we cried, we loved it. I especially like this shot of Kate's dress as you can see the detail work along the hem. I remember making my BFF get up at some ungodly hour to watch Charles & Diana marry 13 years earlier. My how time flies. Sassy and I thought this one was a class act all around. One of my favorite food bloggers and fellow arctic dweller made her interpretation of a Royal Wedding Cake for just this occasion. Beautiful!

New Word Wednesday #15

2011-04-27T05:31:00.002-05:00

Harangue
[huh-rang]

– noun
– a scolding or a long or intense verbal attack; diatribe.
– a long, passionate, and vehement speech, especially one delivered before a public gathering.
– any long, pompous speech or writing of a tediously hortatory or didactic nature; sermonizing lecture or discourse.

–verb (used with object): to address in a harangue.
–verb (used without object): to deliver a harangue.

Diagnosis

2011-04-25T14:09:00.011-05:00

Chunky has always been a "spirited" soul. As a toddler, he was a whirling dervish. He was diagnosed with sensory integration disorder at 15 months and attended weekly occupational therapy sessions for a year to work with boundaries, impulsiveness and adjusting to multiple stimuli which the average person processes organically. We learned a lot of techniques which served us well over the past several years. Recently however it's become clear Chunky is struggling. He's forgetful about the most basic things, interrupts at home and school, has a lot of challenges with completing school work, especially on time, and seems to take the most difficult route possible to get things done (often resulting in being reprimanded). The tried and true techniques used in the past just weren't working. There was an undeniable nagging feeling we needed to take the next step - a thorough behavioral/psychological assessment. He took a battery of exams over the last couple of months, including IQ, behavior and mood. The counselor obtained information from us as well as his teachers and engaged Chunky in "talk therapy" to detect any underlying issues. Read: is it because his mother is crazy

The good news: Chunky has a high IQ (89% above average), is resilient and very self-aware (understands he has trouble processing and tries to do his best to work through challenges). He does not have low self esteem, anxiety or any learning disorders. Nor did they mention the crazy mother thing He does have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). This means the chemicals in his brain do not work the same as the average person's. The counselor described it as lacking the "just do it" trigger in the brain. Those lacking this trigger use every other area of their brain to process and organize information which means they often take the most difficult way possible to accomplish the same thing as the person with the "just do it" ability. Those with ADHD can't engage this trigger without help, which is often medication due to the need for an effective/efficient chemical reaction. Interestingly he has been high functioning for the most part due to OT experience and our advocacy. Now however he is in the onset of puberty and the wires are getting all crossed again. He even sounded different on the phone the other day - I almost cried when I realized his voice had changed slightly
So our next step will be to work with Chunky's primary care physician to determine if medication would be appropriate to help him focus. I was relieved when I heard the diagnosis - I knew in my gut something wasn't right and it wasn't just behaving badly. I knew he needed help but I wasn't sure what or how much. I am a little sad that my cherub has a condition with some stigma associated with it. The goal now is to figure out which tools will help him reach his full potential and become a happy, healthy, caring, productive adult. Lord willing we all make it

Frohe Ostern!

2011-04-24T15:47:00.004-05:00

Today is our first day of sunshine in a l-o-o-o-o-o-n-g time and we thoroughly enjoyed it. This morning we had a traditional German brunch at one of our favorite places. Here is Sassy and Papa going at it - while the accordionist plays "Beer Barrel Polka".

New Word Wednesday #14

2011-04-20T13:58:00.002-05:00

In honor of Will and Kate's impending nuptials I selected one of Britain's top 10 favorite words.

Whinge
- short "i"
- to complain fretfully: whine
- predates whine as Old English ancestor mean to "moan"

Drop out

2011-04-18T19:47:00.002-05:00

After much soul searching and a weekend of insanity, I have decided to drop my Marketing course. It was just too much. I had a 9 page paper due tonight (one week ago was first class) and that was only the tip of the iceberg. Also, the course ran until the first week of July. Yuck! I'm not dropping out of grad school, just taking the Spring term off. I've come to terms with the fact that I can't be all things to all people. I need to get my work life in order and take a breather. ahhhhhhhhh A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I have a feeling I will sleep very well tonight. zzzzzzzzzz

Photos

2011-04-17T11:31:00.013-05:00

It appears Sassy lost the camera battery charger in Europe so I haven't been able to share some of my favorite photos from her trip. Nothing a $30 universal charger from my home-away-from-home (Target) can't fix.

This is the Rose Window at Notre Dame. It's also the logo for the University of St. Catherine (my grad school) -

Port of Hercules in Monaco -

New friends sitting on a wall overlooking the Mediterranean -

I 'heart' you -

Just for good measure, I thought I'd throw in the flowers Hubby brought home yesterday. He was out of town for my birthday and wanted to make it up to me. I told you he was THE BEST flower picker-outer ever!

The view from here today ...

2011-04-16T10:45:00.001-05:00

is just wrong.

3.933

2011-04-15T18:50:00.002-05:00

Ba-bye 4.0. I got an A- in Finance - better than a B and definitely better than I thought I did. Nonetheless it breaks my 4.0 streak for the previous four classes. Excuse me while I cry in my beer and pizza while writing my Marketing paper due in three days.

New Word Wednesday #13

2011-04-13T18:15:00.001-05:00

Simony
– noun
– the making of profit out of sacred things

I looked up this word after watching The Borgias. I swore I was only going to start one new cable series - Camelot - but thanks to my MIL I am hooked. It was on while Chunky and I were over at their house the other day and I immediately came home to look up if the events were true. We Catholics have some nasty skeletons in the closet. Good Gravy.

Real Housewives of the Arctic

2011-04-12T06:31:00.005-05:00

Chunky had a Dr appt yesterday and I planned on taking only a half day off of work. But it was so beautiful out and with all the craziness going on up in that place the past couple of months I decided to take the whole day off. Decadence I was a carefree, no job, all the money in the world, real housewife for a day. It was totally awesome. With Chunky at his appt, I took myself to breakfast at Cupcake. I had the Caremelized Onion and Gouda scramble with rosemary potatoes and purchased four cupcakes to go. Surprisingly two are MIA After I took Chunky to school, denying his requests for McDonald's at 11am, I went to Barnes & N0ble and Macy's at the local mall. No. one. was. there. Heaven I purchased two gardening magazines for back yard landscaping inspiration and a sun dress. Then I went to the post office. Unfortunately it was almost 1:00 so there were lots of people there on their lunch break - I didn't plan that one very well. Then I went to my home away from home - Target. They missed me - I hadn't been since yesterday afternoon. I fully expect them to yell my name like Norm from Cheers one of these days I returned home and continued living the life of the rich & famous by taking a nap. I am not a napper but it felt fantastic to recharge for an hour before going to a 3 hr class I greeted my cherubs home from school with a cupcake and a smile. Then I left for grad school where I met a friend from our very first class nearly two years ago for dinner in the cafeteria before we started the fun that is Marketing. The class was awesome - a far cry from Finance. Though I have a 9 page paper due next week. This is why I eat cupcakes :) No scandals, no botox - just a carefree day in the thawing arctic.

First Date

2011-04-11T08:01:00.002-05:00

Chunky went on his first date yesterday. With his mom. And his girlfriend's mom. We took the kids to see Hop - it was better then I expected - and then hung out at MD's house for a little while. Chunky opened all MD's doors for her and used his best manners. He was all Axe'd up and smelled like a proper tween boy. No hand-holding, but I'm sure their fingers lingered a little in their shared popcorn :)

Prediction

2011-04-10T10:44:00.002-05:00

Kudos to AccuWeather for accurately predicting this past winter's record snowfall and freezing temps. I am making a prediction that Spring will be fantastic! I can't be too far off - compared to the winter we had anything looks good, right?! We saw deer in the front yard last night, ducks this morning and it's going to be 70 degrees. Things are looking up!

Friends will come and friends will go,

The seasons change and it will show,

I will age and so will you,

But our friendship stays, strong and true.
Happy Birthday, my BFF!

Houston, We Have A Girlfriend

2011-04-09T08:30:00.005-05:00

Chunky has a girlfriend! MD is a girl in his class and he is head over heels. He's been dropping hints lately - a big one is his paying more attention to grooming habits :) Last week he stayed after school to help set up for Game Night (he's on Student Council) and stayed late to clean up. I had a PTA meeting at the same time so asked Sassy to pick him up. I expected to find a very grumpy, tired boy when I returned home but instead found a hyper, giddy one who couldn't stop beaming. I casually asked if it was a girl who had made him so happy and he answered 'yes'! I asked who and he wouldn't tell me until I threatened to ground him (I may have followed through on it, not sure). I know MD well - unfortunately she missed a lot of school last year as she was diagnosed with aplastic anemia and in the hospital for many months with ATG treatment and platelet transfusions. She's doing very well now - of course she's "dating" my son - and is a darling girl. They were both appalled that MD's mother and I corresponded via email about our "sweethearts", but with all the texting and such these days it's important to stay connected and monitor boundaries. Chunky asked to attend her swim meet at the big University last weekend - I thought that was a little too much and we had other plans. Yesterday he called to tell me he was going to the fish fry at school. I asked if MD would be there and of course her Girl Scout troop was working the event! Off he went on his bike with $4 in hand. So cute!

New Word Wednesday #12

2011-04-06T07:30:00.004-05:00

Excipient
[ik-sip-ee-uhnt]

- noun
- pharmacology
- a substance used to bind the contents of a pill or tablet.

I've heard people say the generic version of a brand-name drug doesn't work the same which seems illogical since the generic equivalent* uses the same chemical as the original brand; however, it is not uncommon for the excipients to be different which could result in a difference.

* a generic therapeutic alternative is a drug with different chemicals but intended to have the same effect

22

2011-04-05T07:02:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I wrote 22 posts in March! I was a stressed-out hot mess last month. I must have been posting when I should have been writing something for work or school. I haven't posted that much since November 2009 when I wrote a post a month and it almost killed me (and bored y'all to death I'm sure).

Who moved my cheese?

2011-04-04T19:31:00.003-05:00

I called home on my way from work and Sassy requested that I make her favorite dish for dinner. It just so happens her favorite is pre-prepped and ready to cook from Let's Dish. I suggested she get it started since she is perfectly capable and has volleyball practice at 7:00. She greeted me at the door and we got to talking. All of a sudden I realized the dogs were nowhere in sight. I asked Sassy if she started dinner. Yes I asked if she left the bags out on the counter. Yes I thanked the Lord immediately that I always kept cream cheese and Parmesan on hand because I knew these key ingredients were no longer in the pre-prepped packaging. So here's what we're having for dinner - thought we'd share because it's delicious, even if the furry kids ate the cheese.

Risotto-Style Chicken With Asparagus
Prep To Freeze: 10 minutes
Time To Cook: 20 minutes
6 servings

3 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1 cup instant rice 3
Tbsp chicken base
2 teaspoons minced garlic, or 2 cloves, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup fresh/frozen asparagus, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (substitute green beans or broccoli, add 1/2 cup red bell pepper if desired)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 ounces cream cheese

Place chicken in gallon size freezer bag and seal tightly. Place the rice, chicken base, garlic, pepper and olive oil into a sandwich size freezer bag and seal tightly. In another sandwich size bag combine the asparagus, red bell pepper and cheese. Seal. Wrap cream cheese in foil (or use fresh when preparing meal). Place the chicken bag, rice bag, vegetable bag, and cream cheese into another gallon size freezer bag. Seal and label. Freeze flat for storage. Use within two months.

To Cook: Set the cream cheese out to soften while you cook the rice mixture. Place the frozen rice mixture into a skillet or wok. Add two cups hot water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked (medium to medium-low heat). Stir in chcream cheese and contents of the vegetable bag into the rice mixture. Cook for 5 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and asparagus is tender. Sprinkle with bacon before serving.

Yum!

April Fool

2011-04-02T11:30:00.005-05:00

The only things I'm expecting are a "B" in Finance, to quit my job and join the circus (I expect it will be saner), and to serve giant pickles and ice cream amongst other things at my fourth year running the Spring Fun Fest kitchen (past posts here and here). Those are the only reasons I'm plump, tired and cranky!

Today is my birthday. My friend MPB came over last night and we partied in the garage I may or may not have drank a half bottle of sangria, hiccup. I slept for awhile (I don't sleep for longer than 4 hour stretches lately), watched the new Starz show 'Camelot' (great show and I've had a huge girl crush on Eva Green since 'Casino Royale') then slept in. My mother called this morning and I received four cards in the mail yesterday - I feel very loved. I'm waiting for Sassy to get up and then we're going to get pedicures. My in-laws are taking me to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner and then Chunky and I have a hot date to see the latest Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie. A great day!

Pickles and ice cream anyone?

2011-04-01T06:39:00.005-05:00

Have you noticed I've been looking a little "thick" lately and am tired, and perhaps a little cranky, all the time? Well ... there's a reason. We're expecting!

Better Late Than Never

Wacky Wednesday

RIP Whitney

Four Eyes

This Day in History

Food Discovery

2011 Recap: 20 Questions

Scenes from Christmas

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

Our Kate

Sic 'em Bears

Tribute

Getting Ready

Thankful

Attitude

Personality

When you love someone

Deep in the heart of ...

Leavin' on a jet plane

Make this now!

Feeding the soul

In sickness and in health

Never Forget

1st Day

The Assistant

Transition

Spines 'R Us

Cupid Flying

One day at a time

Surgery #2 **updated**

Oops

Going strong

Sequence

Diagnosis 2 -OR- Lemonade out of Lemons

Frown

Two 1sts

Gil been berry, berry good to me

Too Cute

Out with the old ...

Play Ball

HP Recap

Friend or Foe?

The Land of 10,000 Lakes

Summer in a glass

Sweet Pea

Happy Wednesday!

C is for ...

We thought it would never arrive ...

Lunch

New Word Wednesday #22

Little Blue Box

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

New Word Wednesday #22

College Visit

Dads Rock

Savannah

Alabama

New Word Wednesday #21

Saints

National Pastime

Extremes

New Word Wednesday #20

Heart Walk

Ramblings

Had to share

We can

New Word Wednesday #19

For the birds

Happy Memorial Day

New Word Wednesday #18

Batter up

Prom 2011 Recap

Sneak Peek

New Word Wednesday #17

Cruel

Cocktail hour

Memorial gathering

Rx disposal

Farewell Fabio

Let's grow!

Surgery #2 updated