Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Share and Tell

We got a note from T's preschool last Monday letting us know that they were going to start doing Share and Tell, one child at a time. When they sent a bag home, we were to help our child pick out a non-toy to share. The kids would be asked to say three things about what they were sharing. So, last Friday, T brought home a pillow case with a drawstring in it, and proudly told me that he was going to be the first one to share....

Fast forward to Monday at lunch time, when M and T took me on a "lunch date" and M whispered to me "ask T about Share and Tell." YIKES! I immediately remembered that we completely forgot about it!! So, I said to T:

Me: T, what happened at share and tell?
T: I shared; I told.
Me: Oh...what did you share and tell about?
T: Air.
Me: Air?
T: Yeah, I talked about air.
Me: Wow. What did you say about air?
T: I said, 'This is air. You need it to breathe. It's air. The end."

Me: That's great.
T: Yeah, I know.

I was so impressed with his flexability and improv on the spot! Most four year-olds would cry or pitch a fit or say that they forgot! Not my creative T! No way...he shared about air.

Later on in the lunch, I spotted on T's wrist the friendship bracelet that he made over the weekend. I said, Hey, you could have shared the friendship bracelet. He said, "Why? I shared air?"

Exactly.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

A Day At The Farm and Corn Maze

When my sis was in town last weekend, we went to a local farm for a day. It's fun to see how these farmers are creating profitable attractions for visitors. I know farming isn't an easy vocation and I like to see the creativity they each have. Anyway, this one has a u-pick apples (which we're going to go back to do), a corn maze, a cute barn store full of tasty and cute items, a wagon ride, and a little kids playground area. We went mainly for the maze (my quest is to do all corn mazes within a 70 mile radius of our house this fall -- I think there are three of them). Last year when we went to a corn maze, there were triva questions at each juncture. If you answered it correctly, it told you the correct way to go. If you answered it incorrectly, it told you the wrong way to go.



At this maze, there was nothing. No questions, no hints, not even a clue as to where you were supposed to exit! It was ridiculious!! But we had fun.

R and T didn't know which way to go...




M, with his boy scout training and smart brain, began droping kernels of corn to mark our way (how hansel and gretle of him!) so we would know if we were just walking in circles. The boys had fun, we had to keep telling R to wait for us because he would run ahead to see what was around the bend and we couldn't see him. Once I realized that we might be there awhile, I stopped drinking my tasty fresh apple cider in case M would need some glucose out there...I was a bit worried. But, never fear, with M's leadership, we made it out! And we were so proud, man!!




And now for laughs, here's me and my sis as scarecrows...kinda scary!

Friday, September 23, 2005

Queen for a Day

I'm back in town.

I was supposed to leave my conference at 1 pm and get home at 6 pm, but after missing my family and checking the agenda for the conference, I decided that I didn't need to attend this morning's sessions. So, I woke up at 4:15 (ugh!) and headed to the airport to catch an earlier flight. I had checked online last night and saw that the 6 am flight was wide open, and that there was a 6:50 flight only half full. I figured that I could get on one of those.

I did, but barely.

The 6:50 was cancelled and those passengers were called the night before and told to come get on the 6:00 flight. I waited in a terribly long line (especially for 5:00 in the morning!) and was told that there was only one seat left. Great! I said, I only need one seat. Well, in order to hold it, the ticket agent said, you'll have to pay a fee. She said this with a sad look on her face. Uh oh...so I quietly asked, what's the fee?? (praying that it wasn't the difference between my ticket and the current price...which would be an unachievable $400 and also praying that it wasn't the $100 fee they charge for changing your flight on the phone.) I held my breath....She said, 25 dollars. $25! :> :> :> no problem, $25 to get on a plane and not have to wait for 7 hours in the airport...why that's less than four bucks an hour. Count me in!

So I got home at noon instead of six tonight, much to the delight of M and T (who were home at the time) and R (who got home a few hours later). T decided that I should be a queen and proceeded to get out paper, scissors, tape, and markers (the necessary requirements of all good art projects.)

He asked me what name I wanted on a royal name tag that he was making and I said "S....". He said I couldn't use my real name and I needed to pick another. So I picked "Sue", my middle name. He didn't like that either, so he said, I'll pick a beautiful name for me. So he made me a name tag that reads...

Queen Rowala Diamond

He got help on the spelling, but the name is all his. I don't know where he got that name, but he is very proud of it. "Isn't it beautiful?" he said. Yes it is, I said, proudly wearing the paper crown and nametag, with a very warm feeling in my heart.

It's nice to be home....and it's nice to be queen :>


Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Biz Trip

I'm getting ready for four weeks of business trips -- 2 nights this week, one night next, and two nights away the next two weeks. YIKES. I shouldn't complain becuase I haven't traveled since June, and February before that. M is gearing up for it and has babysitters lined up one night each trip so he gets a break. Smart man. R is fine -- "it's only two nights mom, that's not bad at all." T tears up and gave me hundreds of kisses when I put him to bed. Awwwhhh...

My sister visited me this weekend and we had a BLAST. I'll post more on that when I get back (with pics). Here's some catch-up thoughts.
  • I've only made half of the medical appointments I need to...but HEY, that's four appointments I made. Not Bad.
  • T is liking ice skating now. He's still on buckets, but should be off soon. He can shuffle half way across the ice without the buckets. I think he likes the snacks afterward the best. The one day he quit after 15 minutes, he didn't get snacks. He's played ever since...might be a correlation!
  • R is doing amazingly well at skating. In addition to the skating drills, he's even playing hockey a bit...and made a goal once! His heart is in it and he's a coaches dream. What an attitude that boy has. You would not believe how red, hot and sweaty he is after practice...his shirt is drenched and he has sweat rolling down his face, accompanied by a huge smile! He sure doesn't take after his mom there!
  • M took T to Michaels to get his very own paint and art supplies today. He's in heaven!
  • I thought of two more sayings in the biz world that drive me crazy: "Reach out" as in "I'll reach out to Brenda and ask her to take care of that." What ever happened to the word "call?" The other one is "Have a dialogue" What ever happened to simple "talk"???? Crazy world I work in!
  • My allergies are under control. As of three days ago, my ears, eyes, nose, and throat are all A-OK. Remember, I'll be taking a nasal spray twice a day until the first hard frost!
  • R seems much better until he's overtired, then he says that he feels sick. He goes to the doctor in November for a check up. We'll ask about allergies.
  • We haven't taken out Yankee Doodle since THE EVENT.....timing just hasn't been right. M and I agreed that we need to take it out before we put it away for the winter. Stay tuned on that front.

That's it for now! If you feel like it, reach out to me so we can have a dialogue.

Friday, September 16, 2005

A Sign of the Season

T walked into our bedroom this morning and said, "Mom, my clock in my room says that it's seven o'clock, but the sun outside doesn't say that it's seven o'clock." I looked outside and saw that the sun was barely peeking out -- it was pretty dark. I said, "T, that's becuase summer is about over and it's time for fall. " T replied without a beat..."ohhh, that's why I saw the leaf falling down yesterday!"

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Surfer Boy

R had a great time "surfing" on the lake when we were at the cottage. The "surfboard" is the board of a wind sufboard. My friend, Kevin, spent some time with R, helping him get up and then giving him a gentle push. R figured that he was a pro because of all of his practice in the creek with Uncle Rick back in California. Needless to say, he had a great time -- and provided some entertainment to those of us on the beach in the peanut gallery.










Note: R just came in and saw this blog entry and broke into a huge grin. He said, "Mom, next time we got there, I'm gonna do this move" and started to wiggle his hips, with his arms out and his knees bent (one in front of each other.) And then he said, "you should bring your video camera next year because I'm going to be great."

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Ear Update

Whaddaya know....it's allergies and not a cold.

I went to the Urgent care ( yes, that place that I hate) but actually had a good experience! I was seen by a nurse practitioner (I love nurse practitioners -- much more realistic and down to earth than doctors, in general). He said are you allergic to ragweed? I said that I was (as you all remember!) but that these symptoms were completely different. I told him that my eyes weren't itchy and watery...and besides, R has an ear infection and we've been sick with the same cold for two weeks.

Hmmmm...he said as he was looking in all of the orifices on my head. Well, he said, your nasal passage looks like you have allergies.....and your ears look like you have allergies....and your throat looks like you have allergies....I'm fairly confident that you have allergies. Then, he said, do you also have spring allergies? Nope, I told him, I didn't have any spring allergies...But wait, I said...there was that cold that lasted for five weeks last April.

He just smiled.

Evidently, I have allergies.

Why am I surprised? I was allergic to pollen growing up, so why not these midwestern plants too?
(Note: When he asked me if I had any Fall allergies and I said 'no', T corrected me and said, "you're allergic to cats, mom!"

He prescribed what he calls the "triple whammy" -- steroids (Prednizone) for five days to block any new ragweed and golden rod from getting into my system, a "turbo sudifed" and nasal spray. He said that after two weeks, I'll be under control and will only need the nasal spray until the first hard frost (now that's not something you hear in California.)

Anyway, I feel alot better. I'm just a little stuffed up and my ear is just a little bit clogged.

I'm beggining to think that R has allergies too and it turned into an ear infection. His nose runs evertime he's outside (it has all his life -- since he could run around a playground.) But, we'll deal with that later at his annual exam with our new pediatrician.

By the way, we finally do have a pediatrician. And we have appointments for both boys (thanks to the deadline given by T's preschool -- ya gotta love deadlines.}

Now on my doctor To Do list, I need appointments for:
  • Eye doctor for me (no, I still haven't gone)
  • Eye doctor for M (to check on that thing that was not intrusive but needs to be watched)
  • General check up for me
  • General check up for M
  • Dentist for all four of us
  • Gynee for me (unless I do the general check up first, then all can be covered there)
  • Endocronologist for M

Whew! If I just get two of those checked off my list this week I'll be happy.

I'll be even more happy on Friday night when my SISTER COMES TO VISIT :> :> :> :> :>

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Of Colds and Ear Aches

Ugh...

R and I got a cold two weeks ago. We both felt pretty lousy for a week. I would sneek home to take a nap in the middle of the day (the beauty of living 12 minutes from work) and R stayed home from school for a day. After about 5 days, we felt better, albeit still stuffed up. M and T, in the meantime, got a weaker version of this cold. Anyway, between Sudafed, Dayquil, Children's Triamenic, and Tylanol, we were all feeling a bit better. So we went to the cottage. And had a great time. By the end of that trip, we didn't need the drugs any more and were'nt blowing our noses every three seconds.


But R and I still had some stuffy (me) or runny (him) noses. And then, on Wednesday night, R woke up at 12:30 and came to my bedside. I asked why he was up and he said that he didn't know. So, I had him go tinkle, get a sip of water, and took him back to bed. Then, he was up again at 3:30, with his ear feeling like "it has a huge metal ball in it, trying to push out." I thought that was a great description of an earache (much better than his very vague decriptions from when he had a "soft tummy." So, I gave him some decongestant and ibuprofin and stayed up with him whimpering until 5:30, when he fell asleep,

Took him to the doctor on Thursday and yep, he has an ear infection. I wanted the doc to check my ear too (since we have been on the same path with this illness) but didn't ask because my ear really didn't hurt, it just felt plugged up. R stayed home from school yesterday (after another night of being up with mommy around 2-4 am) and he seems a lot better today (the wonders of antibiotics!)

Now it's Saturday and we're waiting until 9:30 for the Urgent Care to open because I have a large metal ball in my right ear trying to get out.

Bummer.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Cottage Life



Welcome to Shady Shores! What a great place...a place where we hope to return to next year :>






Here's our cute little cottage on the beach where we spent a lovely Labor Day weekend. All of us had such a great time.


R and T had fun playing shuffle board. They don't know how to play, but had a good time making up their own rules. As usual, wrestling was involved (I know, I know...but they are boys.)




T loved playing in the sand. If it were up to him, he would have stayed in the sand all day. As a matter of fact, his favorite way of warming up after getting cold in the water was to lay down in the prone position in the sand. He looked like a sand monster, but he was warm.

Monday, September 05, 2005

Fun Times at Shady Shores

A friend of my from California has relatives in the Midwest who own a group of seven cottages on a lake. We just got back from a fun trip visiting with them. I'm too pooped to blog much, but I'll think of a few highlights:
  • Great food! BBQs to the max - burgers, dogs, steak, Greek Chicken, corn -- yum!
  • The boys body surfing on the lake because the wind was so high that it made waves.
  • Flying a kite and tying it to the chair on the beach to float in the breeze as it wanted to.
  • Being served breakfast by all the kids; giving them tips; and taking them to get ice cream cones (doubles!) with the tip money.
  • Watching the boys learn how to play poker with the other kids.
  • Bonfires every night.
  • Looking for shooting stars - and admiring the Miky Way every night.
  • Drinking great wine and tasty coolers.
  • Walking out as far as you could and still be on the sand bar, with the water only up to my knees.
  • Sleeping in the adorable two-bedroom cabin with the family.
  • Playing fooz-ball with R in the main cabin (and him beating me each time!)

That gives you a good taste of the weekend for now. Photos to come later...