The Amazing Trips

JEN is doing all she can to help cure cancer. Jen is mother to 4 year old TRIPLETS and 19 month old Henry. She has her hands full and is adding MORE to her plate (she is obviously a saint in disguise!)

She's raising money running a MARATHON to help cure cancer in her friend's name - here is the link to her most recent post -->
http://amazingtrips.blogspot.com/2009/02/be-amazing.html

As soon as I get my wallet out of the truck (I'm watching the 2 little ones right now) I'm making a donation.

My Dad, a wonderful wonderful man, passed away on Feb. 28, 2001. 6 WEEKS after being diagnosed with Stage THREE lung cancer. That is one aggressive f-ing cancer. It was (and still is) heartbreaking. His 29th wedding anniversary was Feb. 27, 2001. He was in ICU on a ventilator that day. I like to think he held on just long enough to give my mom at least one more count on her anniversary marks, even though he was on the ventilator. He was 54. He did not get to meet any of his grandchildren - not any of my three or my brother's adorable son, that is the spitting image of my dad.

My husband's FAVORITE FAVORITE uncle, and wonderful man, Rein died in 1999 from aggressive prostate cancer. He was 50. I have never met someone so eager to live a full life. So open to new things and so giving as a person.

My aunt Barbara died of breast cancer in 2002. She was 55. She also did not get to meet the children of her only child and much loved daughter. And she would love those 2 little kids, let me tell you.

In honor of them, I donate to Jen and her fight to cure cancer. Won't you join me?

Saturday pool party

Click for pic

Everyone thank Red for this pic!!

VEGAS!

Well, I'm still trying to dig out of all the work that created by going to Vegas, and then I got sick...so here's a link to Red's blog.  She does a nice recap - I don't have any pictures, except one from the Pussycat Dolls Lounge (should I post that one?) where we were in the front row and the blondie w/the pigtails took a liking to my hubby.  Anyway, check out her pics...http://lifeofred.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/does-what-happens-in-vegas-really-stay-there-my-purse-did/

XS

So we went to the XS Club at the Wyn Casino last night.  And got to hang out with Ed Hardy.  I know why they call this club XS.  Because it is.

Chris farley impersonator

Exclusive Vegas!

We are going to an exclusive club tonight and will be sitting in the VIP area - next to tables of celebrities! Watch this space for pictures!

Viva las vegas

Cold

It is 20 degrees outside - am going to freeze getting to my car!
( click for pic )

update on ToddlerT

He got a stitch.  The DR decided not to numb it - the numbing shot would hurt as much as 1 stitch, and the DR was afraid after the shot T wouldn't let the DR get near him again.  So they strapped him to the papoosa board while he GIGGLED and did it.  NO TEARS.  That boy is a rock.  I don't believe it.  I would cry if you were sewing MY Face back together!  So they unstrapped him and sent him home!  I took him to BestBuy today to buy a new DS game for his awesome behaviour and it's a done deal.  What a kid!  The nurses and DRs (along w/us) are amazed that he took it so well!

BOYS!

ToddlerT was coming down the ladder to the older son's slide bed.  He slipped and whacked his face against the top of the post - somehow putting his top left incisor into the outside of his cheek??!!  I happened to be coming in there to turn out the light and heard the "WHONK!  AYIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE".  I ran to him, saw blood, and went screaming down the stairs.  So all hubby hears is me screaming then looks up to see me, holding a child bleeding PROFUSELY out his mouth.  I'm sure that was awesome - it was smeared all over his chest in no time and his hands and all over his face.  We had to clean him up to assess --> I think he needs one stitch or skin glue.  It seems to be a hole, not a cut?  They should be there by now and I'll update when I hear from them.

I am bored

Click for pic. This is me standing in line to sign my son up for
afterschool sports.

Dear County Schools...

I GET IT - YOU ARE CLOSED TODAY.  YOU CLOSED BEFORE THE SNOW STARTED FALLING.  THEN YOU CALLED MY HOUSE (AT 6 A.M.!  WHERE THE CHILDREN THAT NO LONGER NEED TO GET UP EARLY TO GOTO SCHOOL ARE SLEEPING).  THEN YOU CALLED MY CELL PHONE (JUST IN CASE ANYONE WAS LEFT SLEEPING).  THEN YOU EMAILED ME.  GOOD GRIEF - I GET IT ALREADY.

Rev. Lowry

“….help us work for that day when black will not be asked to give back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right.”

Seriously - in a time where people should be trying to UNITE everyone around a new President that should be bringing HOPE for everyone, he's segregating us all apart into different colors? How about the HUMAN color? And what does "when yellow will be mellow" mean anyway - is he calling us Orientals uptight??

I am excited about the new President and all the hope that he's bringing to everyone, even if he's not my choice, he's my President and I'm giving him a chance. But this Rev. Lowry can kiss my yellow ass.

So...what do I tell him?

My son is 7.  I am trying to get him interested in the history going on today - the changing of the Presidents.  Here is my problem.  He doesn't see a difference between people that are brown or white (he doesn't understand why others call them "black" people when they are, in fact, shades of brown.  I say, "yay for your innocence" so we go with brown)...  Other than the fact that Mr. Obama is going to become "President Obama" (which is a big deal for any person to become President regardless of color) - I'm not sure what to tell him.  I am pointing out that Mr. Obama is the FIRST brown person elected.  So he gets that and knows that - but he wonders, why is it a big deal just because he's brown?  Knowing our history, I know it is a big deal that a brown man was able to get elected president - simply because he was brown.  For a long time, I worried that no matter what his character, a brown person wouldn't get elected simply because he's brown.  We have apparently passed that hurdle in our history.  But to explain WHY it is a big deal that a brown person is becoming President means I have to explain what happened to brown people in the past and how white people viewed/treated them.  Which is fine -it is our history and one that MUST be explained if we want to make sure it isn't repeated.  But is 7 too young to be taught that some people think they are better than others simply because their skin is a different color?  He has NO CONCEPT of treating someone differently because of skin color.  None.  I think that is a beautiful innocent thing (and of course, the way it SHOULD BE - we SHOULD NOT treat other people better or worse because of the color of their skin)...do I want to ruin that in him?  Do I want to introduce that concept - that while we do not live that way, that there are others that do?  He has classmates that are African-American, Middle Eastern, white, Asian - everything.  And no idea of the stereotypes that live among the adults of the world.  If we stopped teaching those things to our kids, would they stop being perpetuated?  In their classroom (and that of ToddlerT) the kids are just kids.  Sure they are nicer to the kids they LIKE better, but those likes and dislikes, currently are based on how those kids BEHAVE and not based on the color of their skin.

My it is so cold!

It was 7 degrees here today. I know it a lot places, it was way colder than that, but 7 here is a big deal! Our pool is frozen solid (not like we were going to use it this month anyway ;-) - the heat in the house is running constantly - I've actually turned it down to, gasp!, 71 so our electric/gas bills aren't so high this month. That builder grade crappy heat pump upstairs doesn't do squat for heating the house and it runs all the damn time. If only we had the $$ to replace it, that would be high on our list. So far January's HIGH UNEXPECTED expenses:
** new dishwasher. Ours was full of funky gross water.
** fridge repair - $250 for cracked water pump housing
** unexpected dental expense for me - $2,444,333 (or otherwords, a lot of money!)

good freaking grief. It's all because we started to spend just a tiny bit of money trying to get the basement ready to get finished (which we are doing ourselves to save $$)....but man! And Jan is only 1/2 over! Please don't let any of my other appliances die!

Also - our living room couch is 10 years old and seriously needs to be replaced. Anyone got any spare $$ they don't want?!

bullet points for you!

** if you feed an infant small enough to still be in an infant carrier seat NERDS CANDY to keep it quiet while you shop, you suck.
** if you have the 3 year old push the infant around FAR AWAY FROM YOU while you shop in peace, you still suck
** if you feed an infant that cannot sit up on it's own some of your coffee drink, you also suck a lot
** I apparently am old - things I thought were SHIRTS at the store are apparently DRESSES. WTH? I did buy them anyway!
** I got an awesome cocktail dress for Vegas at Bebe for 50% off!
** the lady dressed in ALL PURPLE with PURPLE accessories was weird
** I love shopping! Oh how I've missed it so.
** if you walk up to me and start speaking as if I know you (and I do not) I will look at you like you are crazy (especially if you SMELL, Mr. SmellyMan)
** I moved desks at work and now the crazy cube mate w/the adhd daughter and anxiety sit far away. It is quieter in my new spot, except for the young'uns on our team that congregate at the table outside my cube. At least they are funny.
** ketchup squeezed into the interns diet coke BY THE OTHER INTERN is really funny.
** 3 weeks of NO MISSED WORKOUTS! GO ME!

Finally full!

Click for pic! 6 dinner plates, 14 plastic plates, 1 soup bowl, 5
plastic bowls, 14 zippy cups, 12 adult cups, 2 lunch bowls , 1 dipping
sauce bowl. The bottom would fit more, but the middle rack is full!

Pic of washer

Here you go! Click for pic! Notice it has an interior light so you
can see!