Thursday, April 10, 2008

Flood Day!

Schools are closed in our area today, because a lot of the roads are impassable due to flooding. We get snow days from time to time during the winter, but I do not believe there has ever been a flood day. The kids are having a ball playing outside on this sunny, warm, spring day. It is weird. Flood day. Whodda thought?

Thursday, April 03, 2008

All tied up and no where to go


All tied up and no where to go
Originally uploaded by Marti515
What's the first thing you do when you arrive at Walt Disney World? Tie up your cousin with hotel pillow cases of course.

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

May I borrow your kidney?

My son was born with a multicystic kidney. This kidney has had zero function since before he was born. His other kidney has been fine up until a year ago. Last March we found out that his "good" kidney has now developed about three cysts and maybe some tiny ones that we just can't see yet. I took Austin to his pediatric nephrologist today and not much has really changed. That's the good news. The bad news is that Austin will probably have to have a kidney transplant down the road. Not anytime soon, thank goodness, but sometime. Hopefully, he will reach adulthood before that happens.

In unrelated news, I am waiting for an email to come through from Oklahoma State University telling whether or not I have been accepted into their clinical psychology doctorate program. They only take 5 students per year. The lab I'm wanting in is only accepting 1 of those students. ONE! I'm currently in Northeastern State University's counseling program, but I want clinical psych and I want OSU. I interviewed this past weekend and they said we would know by today or tomorrow whether or not we have been accepted. There were over 120 applicants and only 20 got invited to have an interview and now only 5 of us will be allowed to enroll in the Fall. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

Update:

I didn't get in. I guess I'll stay at NSU.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Quinoa


Quinoa
Originally uploaded by Marti515
I've been learning how to use this new grain. Well, it's new to me. Actually the grain itself is ancient. Not the specific grain I used. I mean the type of grain I used. Oh, never mind. The grain is quinoa (keen-wa), and I found a recipe I wanted to try over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen for vegetable fried quinoa. It was delicious! Although, I think I may add some green onions to the mix next time for a little extra oomph.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Cakeface


Cakeface
Originally uploaded by Marti515
It ain't a party until someone gets cake all over their face!

Valentine Party


Valentine Party
Originally uploaded by Marti515
I know. I know. I'm really late posting these pics, but better late than never, right? Right!?

My son the goofball


Fat Albert
Originally uploaded by Marti515
I guess he comes by in naturally. He decided he was going to dress up like Fat Albert. He had already unstuffed his top part before I thought to grab my camera, but I was able to snap a quick pic of his overstuffed behind. What a goober!

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

A Sock or an Ancient Torture Device?


Knitting
Originally uploaded by Marti515
I have knit a lot of things, but I have never knit socks. My youngest nephew saw these socks in one of my knitting books and said he would give anything to have a pair. Since I am such a wonderful and giving aunt, I told him I'd try to knit them for him. As you can see from the picture, the socks are going to be bright green and black. What? Don't look at me! I didn't pick the colors.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Checkmate!

My son was in a chess tournament Saturday. Does he play chess, you ask? Why no, not really. You see, last week my sister, who teaches gifted and talented children, asked Austin if he wanted to be in a chess tournament. Austin said that he hadn't played chess in a long, long time and couldn't even remember the rules. My sister told him that his mother, that's me, could teach him the rules if he wanted to enter the tournament. I was then informed about this, and I have spent the last week playing at least one game of chess with my son each night. I was a little nervous about letting him do the tournament. I didn't want him to get upset when he inevitably lost. So I kept reminding him that the other kids had been spending months, if not years, being coached and instructed in chess, and also being prepared by their gifted and talented teachers (and I'm sure their parents too) just for this tournament. He was only getting a week's worth of half-assed instruction from his not so gifted and talented mother. He assured me that he could take getting his ass whooped. Therefore, I took him to the tournament. He tied for 4th place. There were 26 kids in his division. Not bad, huh?. That'll teach me to doubt my child. The parents weren't allowed anywhere near the rooms where the games were being played, so I don't have any pictures. However, my sister was the monitor in the room where my son's division played, so I got all the inside scoop after the tournament.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Flip Video

After a month of back and forth emails to the Flip Support people, I think we've finally gotten my computer to be compatible with the camera. Here's a test video to see if it actually works. Cross your fingers.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

New year, new look!

How do you like the new digs?

I've been trying to figure out how to upload a video Austin filmed, but I've been having all sorts of problems with it. The lastest upload has the picture okay, but the audio sounds like a recording of The Chipmunks. I've got a call into the Flip camera support people. Hopefully, they can figure it out.