Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Post Christmas

I know I haven't posted anything here in a very long time, but trust me when I say, we've been busy. We had quite the blizzard yesterday that made the roads mile-long ice rinks, but before it really got going, HUGE snowflake clumps were falling from the sky and standing outside the front door felt very much like I might imagine it would be like to live in a freshly shaken snow globe. Awesome.



Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday, from our snow globe to yours...




Wednesday, December 2, 2009

When Your Tree Has a Five Year Old Boy...

...two silver balls might have to share one branch,
but R2D2 will have a place of honor front and center.

The tree is up! Leaning slightly to the right and bit uneven in the distribution of ornaments, but up! Let the holidays and merriment begin.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Rockin' Out, One Colorful Brick at a Time

I stood in line at Old Navy at 2:40am on Black Friday. I had just finished work and they were giving out Lego Rock Band so I figured why not? Ended up with two free games and a newly honed hand/eye coordination that can not be beat. Lucas is spectacularly good at it, despite looking half asleep in his (dirty) recliner. Trust me...he's totally killin' that beat.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thankful for This One


Like, really really THANKFUL.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Weekend Update

So, Lucas and I are finally done being sick. Like completely done. And that's good. But we made my poor mother sick, so that's miserable.
*****
I've been volunteering in Luke's classroom two days a week. Partly because I really want to be involved in his education, and partly because I'm nosey and I want to keep an eye on what's happening in the classroom. Like is he behaving for his teacher? Does he have good buddies? Are his social skills evolving as they should be? All of that is good, I've found, though he does climb off the bus every afternoon with a list of indiscretions from his classmates. This one kid looked at him funny! And this other kid ran away when he asked him to play! Oh the horror!! Kindergarten hasn't toughened him up at all, he's still a pretty sensitive soul.
*****
My home smells like homemade banana pecan bread, cinnamon rolls and bacon right now, and yet all he wants to eat for breakfast is yogurt. I don't get it.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Argh! Happy Halloween Ya Filthy Land Lubber

We are still alive. Barely. Lucas has begun a third round of antibiotics but we've managed to rally just in time for Halloween. But then there was a bit of a monsoon here, and Halloween seemed improbable at best. And then just when all hope was lost that we'd even be able to step foot outside, much less go trick or treating, all the weather nonsense stopped and it was 60 degrees outside and AWESOME.

He's standing on the coffee table, because PIRATES don't have to follow the RULES. I let him because the mess on floor disappears when I take his picture from a height of 18 inches. Happy Halloween everybody.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Have Some Medicine for Your Medicine...

We're finally over the hump of illness...his, not mine. It's hard to avoid getting sick yourself when your child is a breathing germ bucket. He might as well have licked everything we own, such is the virulence of his ick.

He was, of course, allergic to his antibiotics, so medicine was treated with more medicine until I cried uncle and his pediatrician switched him to something else...something better...and he is on the mend. And now I have a chronic cough something-or-other that won't go away. FUN!

I'm thinking of finishing his original antibiotic. I've worked long enough in the health care field to know that's a no-no...but I doubt that'll stop me. Couldn't hurt, unless I too am allergic to amoxicillin...and then wouldn't that be a lesson learned.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

When Swine Flu Hits the Workplace

That's me...getting fit tested for a N95 respirator mask. Hospital work: Good, clean Hazmat-esque fun! That mask, by the way? Way too big. Got a lung full of that nasty super sweet sugar syrup on the first breath. Bah. And no, we never clean the conference room.

Sick Day Revisted


Got another call today from the school nurse. So much for that overtime at work. Had to pack my bag up almost as soon as I got there and suffer through the world's worst shuttle system back to my car to pick him up. I made a call to his pediatrician's office and the triage nurse there was kind enough to tell me not to bring him in and infect all the other sick children. To which I said, HUH? What are you there for if not to treat the ill? I mean, I get her point, but she didn't need to be quite so sassy about it. If he doesn't feel well in the morning we're headed in...all those other sick kids can fend for themselves. It's looking an awful lot like last year's pneumonia...

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Playin' Hooky

I thought it'd be a bit more fun than this, having my little buddy back around for the day. But really, it's painful. He spontaneously erupts into tears wailing, "I just want to rejoin my claaaaaassssss." DUDE! Don't you know how hooky works? You're supposed to only seem sick until the bus pulls away and then you miraculously feel ALL BETTER! But, alas, that's not how my little martyr operates apparently. He actually is sick. And I don't blame him for heaving at the thought of those Children's Tylenol Meltaways...they look yucky to me too.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Sick Day

I got a call from the school today. It was the nurse, and I could hear my child throwing up in the background. Poor kid. Poor nurse. Poor me.

I picked him up and he does indeed look sad, sick and pathetic. He hasn't yet offered up a repeat performance on the vomit (yay me!) but this reminds me lot of that time he had pneumonia. He'll be staying home tomorrow so when nap time comes around I'll have some company.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Mom, I Need Some Paper

There's a lot of talk about hexagons and word sounds around here, these days, which just goes you that his awesome-amazing-super-fun-teacher is not spending her days lounging around the house watching MTV reruns and eating ice cream out of the carton like some people I know. In my defense, I do break up all of that television with an occasional nap. I haven't been alone in almost 6 years people...it's a learning process. And hey, check out that penmanship! I don't want to brag but I did make him myself.


Thursday, September 10, 2009

Friday, September 4, 2009

Rounding Out the Week

He got to rock the HUGE backpack that he uses as an overnight bag for Grandma's house today. Apparently his teacher told him that his lime green (adorable) backpack was a wee bit too small, and to her credit, she's probably right. His home/school folder was a tight fit and all of his artwork was coming home folded in half. But really...the blue one is enormous on him and we'll have to track down another one before all the school supplies vanish for the season.

I spent the day sleeping running errands. I did pick up some really cute picks to use while packing his bento box lunches. He hasn't had any complaints about them and his lunchbox always comes home empty, so I guess he doesn't mind that his lunches look different WAY MORE AWESOME than those of his little buddies.


Thursday, September 3, 2009

Second Day of School!





Equally as happy to get on the bus on day 2 as he was for day 1. I'm off to get a pedicure. I could get used to this.




First Day of School! (Yesterday)





My boy is leaving me for higher education today! He hopped right on the bus without a tear and blew me a kiss. My sweet little kidlet. He made me promise not to do a single fun thing without him. I went to brunch and a movie to keep my mind off missing him, but if he asks? I never left the couch.



Tuesday, September 1, 2009

First Day of School Eve

He leaves on the school bus in the morning, but for now he's freshly scrubbed and tucked in to my bed for some snuggles and Spongebob. Truth be told, he'll probably be sound asleep by the time I get this posted. I'm not ready to let him go, wondering if it's too late to consider homeschooling...

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Facebook Has Taken Over


I forget to post here anymore since Facebook has taken over my life. Seriously...Facebook is addicting. Totally friend me people, I LOVE it!!
Anyway, Lucas didn't get to go on his big date yet. It's been scheduled and rescheduled a couple of times, but those are the breaks I guess, when you ask a doctor out. Their schedules are unpredictable at best. He was bummed the first time, but after that he seems to be moving on quite nicely. He doesn't want to get tied down anyway, he starts kindergarten next week and he'll have a whole new pond to fish in! Heh. I met his teacher yesterday for a Parent/Teacher conference, sans kiddo, to talk about how he learns and his favorite things and how he handles different situations. I am SO GLAD he got her...they will be a perfect match. When I casually mentioned that he leans toward the dramatic in most situations I thou gt she might cringe a little, but no, she happily exclaimed that she does the same thing. Match made in heaven.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

A Boy in Love

Her name is Prema. She has stolen my son's heart. They have a "date" on Wednesday to go to Moe's and the movies. He wonders if she'll try to kiss him at the end of the night. I am dying a little over his immediate devotion to her.We took a road trip up a very high mountain today to help celebrate a friend's wedding to her long-time boyfriend. A very low key and laid back affair with coworkers, friends and family, there was live music and happy conversation and good food. Lucas struck up a chat with this lovely doctor (I know! A doctor! My boy is no dummy!). By the end they had plans to see a movie and dinner at Moe's. I had to ask if I could come along. He spent the entire car ride home listing all the ways she was perfect for him, how excited he was at having a first date, and nervous that I might spill his secret before he was ready to let it out: that he loves her. My heart about broke in two. He's not allowed to love any one else like that yet. Only me.


Friday, August 14, 2009

Picture One Tired Mama Doin' the Happy Dance Here

Yay! It's (kinda/almost) over! I sort of kicked butt on my test yesterday and ended my course with a 94. Not too bad for a gal that hadn't cracked a textbook in well over a decade. Drove myself and three classmates down to the capital after our little graduation ceremony (and there was cake!! And diet Coke!!) to get our newly minted licenses in hand, had an awesome lunch at a little cafe (there was poutine!! Oh my gravy, that was delicious.), and made it back to town by early afternoon. I got to work on my own unit today, but as an LNA, so that was awesome. This whole experience was a fun little side street off from my normally very straight road. All that's left is the state exam and practical test, sometime in early September. By that time I should have my little green booklet of skills tests memorized. But I'm basically done...so YAY!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Almost Over

Tomorrow is a Big Day. But first let me say that my kitchen smells like maple bacon and MAN is it distracting. Breakfast: It's what's for dinner.

Anyway, this whole LNA thing is almost finished. I have a test tomorrow for a temporary license which should be easy peasy, you know, just 100 questions spread out over 50 chapters from a text book I got to memorize in 4 short weeks. And then a Much Bigger Test with the state later in the month for the chance to keep it. But I least I won't have to work on the general medicine floor anymore, where life is sustained at a balmy 87 degrees, made infinitely hotter by Personal Protective Equipment and isolation gowns. The surface of the sun is cooler than the floor my clinicals were carried out on. Back to life in the ICU where we like it icy cold; Where fleece vests are commonplace even through the summer months.

Which me luck for tomorrow people...I'm probably gonna need it.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

One Very Old Dog, One Very New Trick

These last couple of weeks have been every shade of crazy. I'm taking an accelerated LNA course at the hospital, but of course it's something that's only offered in the daylight hours, and so I've had to flip my sleep schedule and the first few days were brutal. I'm just going to put it out there: Being awake and alert and on the job for medical type work by 7am is CRAZY. And I'm sure the employees on days say the exact same thing about us crazy night shifters, but oh my goodness, 5:30am alarm clocks are the work of the devil.

On the one hand, my insomnia troubles as of late have been completely cured, as I am so exhausted by being awake so early that I am ready to crash by 8pm. I haven't slept this much in years. On the other hand, my favorite spot on the couch really really misses me, and the permanent indent of my body has started to disappear off the cushions. They have started to fluff back up now that I spend all of time working or (gasp!) sleeping in my bed like a normal person.

It's hard work, but rewarding work, and everybody needs to cross their fingers that I pass that big test at the end. It is a seriously ginormous textbook to have memorized in 4 weeks.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Figures

Purchased this super cute, macked out Saab to replace my poor, sad, totalled Civic, and then 48 hours later someone hit it with a shopping cart while I was in a store, denting and scratching the back panel. NOT COOL.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Test Drive

Okay, so, I normally work 2nd and 3rd shifts so that I can be home with Lucas during the day. It doesn't leave much time for sleep, but all that will change when he starts school. I'll be able to sleep the day away while he's in school getting smarter than me.

This past Wednesday, however, I started taking classes during the day to become an LNA. I've worked at the hospital for 14 (gulp) years, (I did start there when I was just 12, how kind of you to notice!) but now that the hospital has gone to electronic medical records, well...there's just not enough for me to do. And then the hospital was generous enough to pay for the course, and pay me to go, so I'm going. But I'm a nervous wreck about it, because let's face it, I'm no spring chicken and I haven't taken a test in 15 years. Gah.

AND OF COURSE the first time I work a day shift in over 6 years I total my car on the way home. It wasn't my fault, but still. If I miss a single day of the LNA course I can't finish it. Stressful. And then it was Wednesday night, my car is totaled, I have class in the morning and no way to get there, and life was miserable.

But as with all other things in life, trouble has a way of working itself out. A speedy rental, a thoughtful insurance rep and generous aunt have all come together to produce a fairly stellar end result. We went car shopping today a bought the newest car I have ever owned. With more bells and whistles than any car I have ever driven. And in the end it will cost me less every month to own. So all's well that ends well, I suppose, and when we pick up our new (to us) car on Monday, we'll post a few pics!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

So This Happened Today


And I'm wondering which money tree I should start picking bills off of to pay for it's replacement.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

The Parts I Must Remember

I'm standing at the stove whipping up lunch. An odd smorgasbord of lunch since I haven't been to the grocery store in far too long. Even though none of it really goes together, it still looks yummy, and I call to Lucas to come sit at the table to eat. He comes around the corner with a serious face on.

"I'd love to stay for lunch but I can't."

I'm wondering where on earth he might be going at 5 years old that I don't know about.

"I'm delivering pizzas for Pizza Putt today and my boss wants me back at one o'clock. What time is it now?"

Luckily for him he had a solid 20 minutes left on his "lunch break" before his boss wanted him back so he settled in his favorite chair and waited to be waited on.

"I have to remember to ask him for March 1st off", he continued, "'cause you know I don't like to work on my birthday. And I have to eat quick 'cause he doesn't like it when I'm late."

[It has always been a house rule for me (and now for him apparently) that I do not, under any circumstances, have to go to work on my birthday. I'm glad he's carrying on this particular tradition of mine, since I feel pretty strongly about it. I can guarantee he hasn't had to work a birthday yet.]

He gobbled up his lunch and told me thanks, but he had to go, and headed for the living room. I found him there few a minutes later playing video games. So apparently "delivering pizzas" means "playing xBox" when you're five. Good to know.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Dancing on Tables




I came around the corner today to find my kiddo dancing on the coffee table and shaking his booty to Jack Johnson. That boy's got moves you've never seen.