In the words of Winnie the Pooh, it's a cold and blustery day. So, I made Giambotta, or Italian vegetable stew. Doesn't it look scrumptious? Comfort food at its finest. I tried to get my son and the neighbor boy that's spending the night with him to try some, but they opted for pizza instead. Mmmm, they don't know what they're missing.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Ice Storm 2007
Here are three pictures of the ice storm that I was able to salvage from my old digital camera's memory card. There were so many trees that looked just like this one, split right down the middle and opened up like a blooming flower.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas!
I hope everyone got everything they wanted for Christmas. I got a new camera yesterday. Well, it's' not actually new, but it's new to me, and it wasn't for Christmas. For some reason, my old camera stopped working the day of the great ice storms. Then, about a month ago, my ex-husband said that he was going to send me a camera that he has never really used for various reasons, so I called him and told him my camera went kaput and could he please send me the camera he was talking about. He said sure. We got it in the mail yesterday afternoon, just in time to take pictures on Christmas day. It's a Canon Powershot A630. A MUCH better camera than my old one. Now I just have to figure out how to use the thing.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Blackout!
I have electricity! I have been without power for a week due to a severe ice storm that swept through Oklahoma last Sunday/Monday. Here are some tips (lessons learned the hard way) in case you are ever stranded without power for a long length of time.
1. Candles, candles, candles: These are a must have during a blackout. However, make sure they are unscented, or you will have one hell of a headache.
2. Lighters or matches: Your candles will be no good to you if you have nothing to light them with now will they?
3. Don't worry about stocking up your refrigerator/freezer with food the night before a reported ice storm is about to blow through, choose non-perishables instead.
4. If you do stock the refrigerator/freezer and don't want to loose $$$ in spoiled food, just stick your food outside. It's an ICE storm remember?
5. If you have an electric stove, how are you going to cook? You don't. You find a restaurant and eat there along with the other 50,000 people in your area without electricity. Luckily we have a gas stove, so we did have that option.
6. When you run out of money to eat out, or just get sick of eating out and fighting the crowd, have a winter backyard BBQ, (yes, vegetarians can BBQ too. They just do it meatless).
7. If birds have built nests in your wood burning fireplace year after year and you have not had a chimney sweep clean your fireplace, EVER, don't build a fire. I repeat, DO NOT build a fire.
8. If you have a gas stove/oven. Thank your lucky stars and use it to try and warm at least a couple of rooms. To do this, turn on all the burners and the oven, open the oven door and hang a sheet from the ceiling to the floor to block off the back part of the house, so that the front part stays toasty warm. Don't forget to crack a window so unwanted gases don't build up and kill you.
9. Flashlights. Flashlights are just as important as candles.
10. Batteries. Batteries are just as important as lighters/matches. Stock up on Size D batteries. After the second day of a blackout, you will NOT be able to find anymore. I promise. Nope. None. No where. Yes, I'm serious. Nada.
11. For entertainment you can make S'mores, tell ghost stories, listen to a battery powered radio, play board games by candlelight, stare at each other, go to bed early, knit, tease, I mean play with the dogs, flashlight tag, shadow puppets, tell jokes, lie in the middle of the living room floor and whine, jump rope, learn some new yo yo tricks, play cards, pretend you are studying for finals (Hey, I couldn't see very well even with flashlights and candles), jump out of dark places and scare the bejebus out of your nine year old, call the electric company and listen to their prerecorded message until you memorize it, color in all of the coloring books you can find in the house, find a place that has power like a Starbucks or Panera so that you can charge your computer, cellphone, and personal DVD players then go to Blockbuster and rent some DVD's.
12. Dogs put out a lot of warmth. If you don't let them sleep with you any other time, let them sleep with you now.
13. Blankets, blankets, blankets
14. It's okay to sleep in your coat, hat, gloves, and scarf even though you are inside your own house.
15. Want to take a nice hot shower, well you are SOL if you have an electric water heater. Boil water, mix it with some cold water and have yourself a bath. Have an electric stove too? Boil your water in a fireplace or on a charcoal grill (do this outside of course).
16. Vow to buy a generator when you can find one which will probably be next summer.
1. Candles, candles, candles: These are a must have during a blackout. However, make sure they are unscented, or you will have one hell of a headache.
2. Lighters or matches: Your candles will be no good to you if you have nothing to light them with now will they?
3. Don't worry about stocking up your refrigerator/freezer with food the night before a reported ice storm is about to blow through, choose non-perishables instead.
4. If you do stock the refrigerator/freezer and don't want to loose $$$ in spoiled food, just stick your food outside. It's an ICE storm remember?
5. If you have an electric stove, how are you going to cook? You don't. You find a restaurant and eat there along with the other 50,000 people in your area without electricity. Luckily we have a gas stove, so we did have that option.
6. When you run out of money to eat out, or just get sick of eating out and fighting the crowd, have a winter backyard BBQ, (yes, vegetarians can BBQ too. They just do it meatless).
7. If birds have built nests in your wood burning fireplace year after year and you have not had a chimney sweep clean your fireplace, EVER, don't build a fire. I repeat, DO NOT build a fire.
8. If you have a gas stove/oven. Thank your lucky stars and use it to try and warm at least a couple of rooms. To do this, turn on all the burners and the oven, open the oven door and hang a sheet from the ceiling to the floor to block off the back part of the house, so that the front part stays toasty warm. Don't forget to crack a window so unwanted gases don't build up and kill you.
9. Flashlights. Flashlights are just as important as candles.
10. Batteries. Batteries are just as important as lighters/matches. Stock up on Size D batteries. After the second day of a blackout, you will NOT be able to find anymore. I promise. Nope. None. No where. Yes, I'm serious. Nada.
11. For entertainment you can make S'mores, tell ghost stories, listen to a battery powered radio, play board games by candlelight, stare at each other, go to bed early, knit, tease, I mean play with the dogs, flashlight tag, shadow puppets, tell jokes, lie in the middle of the living room floor and whine, jump rope, learn some new yo yo tricks, play cards, pretend you are studying for finals (Hey, I couldn't see very well even with flashlights and candles), jump out of dark places and scare the bejebus out of your nine year old, call the electric company and listen to their prerecorded message until you memorize it, color in all of the coloring books you can find in the house, find a place that has power like a Starbucks or Panera so that you can charge your computer, cellphone, and personal DVD players then go to Blockbuster and rent some DVD's.
12. Dogs put out a lot of warmth. If you don't let them sleep with you any other time, let them sleep with you now.
13. Blankets, blankets, blankets
14. It's okay to sleep in your coat, hat, gloves, and scarf even though you are inside your own house.
15. Want to take a nice hot shower, well you are SOL if you have an electric water heater. Boil water, mix it with some cold water and have yourself a bath. Have an electric stove too? Boil your water in a fireplace or on a charcoal grill (do this outside of course).
16. Vow to buy a generator when you can find one which will probably be next summer.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Christmas Tree 2007
This is the last year I'm putting this Christmas tree up. It's about fifteen years old and it's starting to look pretty scraggly. I left off half of the ornaments that we have, because I'm even tired of them. It's time for a new tree, new ornaments, and a new color theme. Also, have I mentioned that I'm really sick of looking at that bright yellow wall?
My New Favorite
If only they came in dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate. They're still good though.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
When does this Christmas spirit crap kick in?
When we first moved into our house seven years ago, no one on our street put up Christmas lights. "This just will not do!" I proclaimed and became the first on the street to decorate. The next year, the people across the street put up lights. Not to be outdone, the people to the left of me put up lights the year after that. Eventually, the entire street, except for one old scrooge, was decorating with outdoor lights. My heart swelled with pride. Then I started graduate school.
I currently have five IQ tests to administer, three IQ reports to write up, a paper on ethics, a paper on an emerging theory, and a paper on personality disorders all due within the next two weeks. Oh, and four finals to study for. So, what do I decide to do tonight? Yep, put up Christmas lights. Actually, it wasn't my idea. The rest of the neighbors already have their lights up, and my son asked if we could put ours up too. My initial response was, "Why? We have so many other beautiful houses to look at that have lights." He wasn't happy with that answer, and I really didn't want to be known as scrooge #2. I mumbled a few #$*&% to myself and up to the attic I went.
Most of the lights strands are old and probably need to be replaced, but I didn't feel like running out and getting some right then, besides you can get them 75% off the day after Christmas. Instead, I went through each strand and located the burnt out bulbs with my handy dandy locater and replaced them with new ones, all the while mumbling #$*&% to myself.
After I got the strands all untangled and glowing brightly, I began stringing them across the front gutter. Austin decided that this year he was big enough to climb the ladder and clip the lights to the gutter instead of me, so he informed me of this milestone. #$*&% I muttered to myself. I didn't want his help. It would be 50 times faster without him getting in my way. I compromised with him and let him do just one strand up on the ladder while I stood there and held it and yelled the following things up to him. "Be careful. You don't need to climb THAT high. No, I will not let go. I'm standing right here and holding this thing. Of course I trust you honey. It's the ladder I don't trust. Hurry up. Put it on the hook. The hook. THE HOOK. #$*&%!
After that, we moved on to the trees. We used to have five trees in our front yard. A tornado blew through one year and blew one of them down. Last year's multiple ice storms took care of two more. I used to wrap lights all around the trunks of these trees. All I have left is one big stump. I decided to try and make a Christmas tree with lights using the stump as a center pole. It didn't exactly turn out as I had envisioned it. It looks more like a teepee, or perhaps a volcano. #$*&%! I thought we could just live with it, but the more I look at it, the more I realize that I'm going to have to take it down and try something else. #$*&%!%&*#&*@$!!!!!!
I WILL live with it until finals are over though. In fact, I think I may have to ground myself from doing other things until I get all my school work done. You know, because putting up Christmas lights is just so much damn fun.
I currently have five IQ tests to administer, three IQ reports to write up, a paper on ethics, a paper on an emerging theory, and a paper on personality disorders all due within the next two weeks. Oh, and four finals to study for. So, what do I decide to do tonight? Yep, put up Christmas lights. Actually, it wasn't my idea. The rest of the neighbors already have their lights up, and my son asked if we could put ours up too. My initial response was, "Why? We have so many other beautiful houses to look at that have lights." He wasn't happy with that answer, and I really didn't want to be known as scrooge #2. I mumbled a few #$*&% to myself and up to the attic I went.
Most of the lights strands are old and probably need to be replaced, but I didn't feel like running out and getting some right then, besides you can get them 75% off the day after Christmas. Instead, I went through each strand and located the burnt out bulbs with my handy dandy locater and replaced them with new ones, all the while mumbling #$*&% to myself.
After I got the strands all untangled and glowing brightly, I began stringing them across the front gutter. Austin decided that this year he was big enough to climb the ladder and clip the lights to the gutter instead of me, so he informed me of this milestone. #$*&% I muttered to myself. I didn't want his help. It would be 50 times faster without him getting in my way. I compromised with him and let him do just one strand up on the ladder while I stood there and held it and yelled the following things up to him. "Be careful. You don't need to climb THAT high. No, I will not let go. I'm standing right here and holding this thing. Of course I trust you honey. It's the ladder I don't trust. Hurry up. Put it on the hook. The hook. THE HOOK. #$*&%!
After that, we moved on to the trees. We used to have five trees in our front yard. A tornado blew through one year and blew one of them down. Last year's multiple ice storms took care of two more. I used to wrap lights all around the trunks of these trees. All I have left is one big stump. I decided to try and make a Christmas tree with lights using the stump as a center pole. It didn't exactly turn out as I had envisioned it. It looks more like a teepee, or perhaps a volcano. #$*&%! I thought we could just live with it, but the more I look at it, the more I realize that I'm going to have to take it down and try something else. #$*&%!%&*#&*@$!!!!!!
I WILL live with it until finals are over though. In fact, I think I may have to ground myself from doing other things until I get all my school work done. You know, because putting up Christmas lights is just so much damn fun.
Monday, November 26, 2007
A Tribute To Mary
To my next door neighbor, Mrs. Mary.
You started having health problems about a year ago and last month you started declining really fast. Hospice came to take care of you, and they did a great job making sure that you were comfortable and had everything you needed. You died today.
Who's going to make sure I remember that it's trash day?
Who's going to wave to us from the window every time we pull into our drive way?
Who's going to watch our house when we are away?
Who's going to talk to me through the fence when I'm doing yard work?
Who's going to sneak dog biscuits to my dogs through the fence? You didn't realize I had figured out it was you they kept getting them from, did you? I didn't say anything. I didn't want to ruin your fun.
Who's going to tell my son that he is welcome to come by for a Popsicle any time.
Who's going to toss my son's golf balls back over the fence?
Who's going to catch me up on all the television programs I've missed?
Who's going to make me fudge at Christmas?
Who's going to watch my son do a gazillion fireworks on the Fourth of July?
Who's going to tell me that my son is trying to blow up the mailbox with Black Cats?
Who's going to tell me that my son is too smart for his own good?
Who's going to give me tomatoes from their garden?
Who's going to ask me where my helmet is when I ride my bicycle?
Who's going to make sure that they have an extra special treat for my son when he comes to their door on Halloween night?
Who's going to let my son take a rose from their rose bush to give to his mom?
I think what I'm trying to say Mrs. Mary is that you will be missed.
You started having health problems about a year ago and last month you started declining really fast. Hospice came to take care of you, and they did a great job making sure that you were comfortable and had everything you needed. You died today.
Who's going to make sure I remember that it's trash day?
Who's going to wave to us from the window every time we pull into our drive way?
Who's going to watch our house when we are away?
Who's going to talk to me through the fence when I'm doing yard work?
Who's going to sneak dog biscuits to my dogs through the fence? You didn't realize I had figured out it was you they kept getting them from, did you? I didn't say anything. I didn't want to ruin your fun.
Who's going to tell my son that he is welcome to come by for a Popsicle any time.
Who's going to toss my son's golf balls back over the fence?
Who's going to catch me up on all the television programs I've missed?
Who's going to make me fudge at Christmas?
Who's going to watch my son do a gazillion fireworks on the Fourth of July?
Who's going to tell me that my son is trying to blow up the mailbox with Black Cats?
Who's going to tell me that my son is too smart for his own good?
Who's going to give me tomatoes from their garden?
Who's going to ask me where my helmet is when I ride my bicycle?
Who's going to make sure that they have an extra special treat for my son when he comes to their door on Halloween night?
Who's going to let my son take a rose from their rose bush to give to his mom?
I think what I'm trying to say Mrs. Mary is that you will be missed.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Vacuuming
This is what happens in my house when you are lying in bed watching cartoons and then your mother comes in to vacuum the floor and then you scream at the top of your lungs that you CAN'T HEAR THE TV!!! STOP VACUUMING!!!!
Not Vacuuming
This is me lying in bed demonstrating how NOT to complain when OTHER people are vacuuming.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Be Ye Not Afraid!
I am much better with power tools than one would think. Look what I put together all by myself! Finally, I have a mudroom. With my son getting older, I have been in desperate need of a mudroom. I don't have an entry way closet and have just been using simple hooks on the wall next to the front door to hold our coats. The shoes just seem to lay where they fall, which is usually all over the hard wood floor, which isn't too much of a problem when it's dry outside, but not so good when it's wet and muddy. I'm so excited. Austin helped me hang the shelf. By helped, I mean he stood there and cried while he held one end over his head and I held the other end and power screwed with one hand. Wimp!
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Confusing Weather
Sunday we hit the 80 degree mark. Monday we were in the 70's. Yesterday we were in the 60's. I mowed the yard yesterday for the last time (I hope). We finally got our first freeze last night. Yep, finally fell to 31 degrees. The rest of the week is supposed to be in the 70's again. See those two trees in my front yard. They're confused. The one on the left has stripped itself of all its leaves. The tree on the right still has all its pretty green leaves. If you enlarge the photo, you will see that my sweet potato plant sitting there on my porch is still green and lush. The grass however is brown in some places and green in others. We're all confused. I refuse to mow again until March. Bring on some snow please.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
In Honor of Halloween
We have a ghost that lives with us. He's been with us since the day we moved in. How do I know it's a he? I don't. It's just a feeling, I guess. Anyway, our friendly ghost has made banging noises. He has turned the lights on and off. He has dimmed the lights. He dimmed them once when my sister was here and totally freaked her out. He sets off Austin's motion detector toys in the middle of the night. He has done this on numerous occasions. My dogs love to bark and stare at him. Also, when I take pictures inside my house, I'm ALWAYS catching orbs. He has never scared either Austin or me. He's a friendly ghost. The picture up above is a picture I snapped of my nephew while I was sitting there talking to him. You can see the orb smack dab in the middle of his forehead. It even has a little bit of a tail, so that it looks like I caught it in motion. A few seconds after I snapped the photo, my dog started staring at the corner behind where my nephew was sitting and then barked at it. I love having a resident ghost. I feel protected.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Whatchu talkin' 'bout?
I love this picture. I think it's hilarious. No, I'm not talking about the fact that my son has had a much needed growth spurt and his pants are now way too short. I mean the "put the camera down" expression that he's wearing on his face.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Oklahoma Air Show
Today, we went to the Oklahoma air show. Austin loved it. It was 70 degrees with a slight breeze and lots of sunshine. Beautiful! Although I really wouldn't mind if the leaves would begin to change. I have a feeling we are going to go straight from green to crispy brown. Oh, and I would really like to stop mowing the lawn. It's almost November for goodness sake.
An Early Halloween
Since I will be in class all night on my favorite night of the year, Austin and I had our Halloween celebration early. We went Trick or Treating in Brookside where they were having their annual Boo Ha Ha celebration. Austin was being a party pooper, because he didn't like his costume. Hey, he was the one that picked it out.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
King of the Buffalo
The buffalo roamed free and there were lots of signs warning not to get to close because the buffalo would charge. Austin wanted to know if they used Mastercard or Visa.
The Tall Grass Prairie
Today we visited the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve. There was a lot of..uh..well...tall grass.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Goin' Veg
I've decided that I'm going try vegetarianism again. I was a vegetarian for awhile when I was in college, (the first time around), but somehow moved back into eating meat. I think it may have been that back then there were very limited options and the fake meat was nasty. Anyway, a week ago, I decided to ease back into it. And by ease I mean I still have some meat in the freezer that I refuse to just throw away, but I'm not going to purchasing anymore and once the meat in the freezer is gone, it's gone. I wasn't sure if Austin would be willing to be a vegetarian with me. I left the decision up to him, however, I told him I wasn't going to be cooking separate meals and if he didn't like what I cooked for dinner then he would have to fend for himself. Surprisingly he has loved the veggie meals I've prepared so far. We both love the "fake meat" options that are available in today's markets. They are far superior to the "meat" in the early days. Austin has tried Morning Star corn dogs, and Gardenveggie BBQ Ribs. He says they taste better than the real meat versions. We could be onto something here. Bring on the veggies!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Damages
Okay, so here are those stories I promised you. One night, as my son and I lay watching television in my bed, a food commercial comes on. Austin, being the dork that he is, gets up and tries to eat the pizza that's on the screen. He misjudges and bonks his face hard into the television. He starts crying. I start laughing. He starts crying and laughing. He asks me if he is bleeding, because if there is blood then he knows that he is seconds away from death and can appropriately raise the scream-o-meter a few notches. "No", I say without really looking. He then goes to look in the mirror, because he doesn't believe me and really wants an excuse to raise the scream-o-meter. He comes back and tells me he has chipped his tooth. "YOU WHAT!" I promptly raise the scream-o-meter myself as I grab his cheeks and pull his face closer to me. "Austin, you goober, that's your permanent tooth. It's going to be like that for the rest of your life." He smiles and says, "Cool!"
Damages too!
So the next day, I'm waiting in the "car line" at Austin's school to pick him up and somewhere behind me a Kindercare bus is trying to squeeze through the crowd of parents' cars. Apparently, it does a pretty good job of squeezing until it gets to my car. I hear the crunch and scrape of metal against metal and my jaw drops. "Are you kidding me." I yell to no one, since I'm the only on in the car at the moment. The crossing guard looks toward my car and his jaw drops too and he shakes his head. The Kindercare bus keeps going. I jump out of my car and run after it. When I catch up, the driver rolls down her window and I calmly say, "You just crunched my car quite badly." Her reply was an innocent, "Oh, did I?" So then I run back to my car and we pull over into an adjacent parking lot. I call the police. She calls her employer. Her employer tells her to leave and go pick up the kids. The police dispatcher tells me to stay put and that there is someone on the way. The Kindercare driver hops out of her bus and hands me a paper with her name and the Kindercare phone number on it and tells me she has to go. I tell her she shouldn't leave the scene of an accident. She says she has to go pick up the kids. As she hops back into her bus to leave, I grab the number off the license plate. A few minutes later a police car pulls in and asks me where the other car is. I tell him that she left. He shakes his head and says, "That's not good. I don't like that one bit." To make a long story short,the officer went to the Kindercare and kindly got the insurance information for me and my car will be fixed to tune of $1,100.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Ugggg!
I'm dead tired. This week, I have been putting in a living room floor and a kitchen floor. Oh, all right, I supervised. However, I was the one that moved every stinkin' thing out of those rooms and then back in again. I also co-hosted a garage sale today. I'm too tired to think, let alone type and think, so you will just have to wait to hear about how my son chipped his tooth trying to eat a television and how I was attacked by a Kindercare bus.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Geocaching
We just started a new hobby. Geocaching! There are currently 820 caches in our area for us to find. I guess we better get busy. Austin loves it! He's even got the jargon down already. It's kinda funny listening to a child with a speech impediment talk about "coordinates", "longitude" and "latitude". I can't even begin to type them how he says them. This picture is of our very first find. There was lots of poison ivy around the area, so as soon as we got home we both jumped into the showers. So far no poison ivy as appeared on either of us. Thank goodness!
Monday, September 03, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Sight of the Day
I threw out a few random ball pit balls that I came across while I was cleaning out things this weekend. (My child hasn't had a ball pit in six years, but I still come across a random ball or two every so often. I think they mate.) Anyway, I looked out the window just as the trash men were coming down the street and noticed one of them in front of my trash pile juggling three of the balls. It's nice to see someone having fun at work. He stopped juggling before I could run and grab my camera though.
Friday, August 24, 2007
You Just Wish You Lived At My House, Don't You?
This is how I'm living at the present time. Not only do I NOT have a living room floor, but somehow I got the bright idea that now would be the perfect time to rearrange and organize all the crap that's in the spare bedroom. I'm an idiot.
I do have the flooring. It just hasn't been installed yet.
This is what the spare bedroom looks like as I write this.
Click here to read all the little notes I left behind on each pic.
I do have the flooring. It just hasn't been installed yet.
This is what the spare bedroom looks like as I write this.
Click here to read all the little notes I left behind on each pic.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Bob and Weave. Bob and Who?
So I'm trying to exercise more, and I get the idea that I'll ride my bike to the store to get the poppyseed dressing I need for the salad I'm going to make for lunch. After walking the kid to school, I hop on my bike and head to the store. Everything is fine on the way there, no pulled muscles, no heat exhaustion, no flat tires. I did bruise my heel when my foot slipped off the pedal, but other than that everthing is cool. I'm feeling good. I made it to the store. Now I just need my dressing and I can head back. Keep in mind that I'm out of shape, really out of shape. The store is 2 miles away. I'm really out of shape. It's 9:00 am and it is already 95 degrees with 100% humidity, and I'm really out of shape. I get about half way back, and I start to feel very nauseous. I shake it off and keep pedaling. Lots of cars are driving past. I keep telling myself that I'm not going throw up. I refuse. I have never thrown-up in public and I'm not about to start now. I keep pedaling. Cars keep driving by. I start to feel light headed as well as increasingly queasy. I keep pedaling. Cars keep driving by. I have emitiphobia, which means I have an intense fear and dislike of vomiting. I start to feel like I'm going to pass out. I keep pedaling even though I'm starting to get tunnel vision. I don't know if it's the heat that's causing this, or my phobia. I keep pedaling. Cars keep driving by. "I will not stop and puke." I keep telling myself. "I will not pass out." I keep telling myself. I begin to bob and weave on the bicycle, because, like it or not, I'm about to pass out. The cars that keep passing me probably think I'm drunk. I finally decide that maybe it might be a good idea if I get off the bike. I start walking with the bike, and gradually start feeling better. By the time I got home, I was perfectly fine. I never did puke or pass out. However, next time I want to ride my bike in 95 degree weather with 100% humidity, I'm going to stay home.
On a completely different note, I want to post this before I forget about it. My son had surgery 3 weeks ago. Apparently, when he was growing, the tissue around his testicles pulled tight and caused his testicles to pull up into his adominal cavity. Therefore, they had to go in and "release the boys", pulling them back down where they're supposed to be. So, the night right after he just had surgery, my nine year old and I have the following conversation.
Austin: Mom, my voice sounds weird.
Me: Yeah, you're hoarse. They had breathing tubes in your throat, and
sometimes it causes your voice to sound funny. Don't worry. It will go
away.
Austin: Awww, man! I thought it was puberty.
On a completely different note, I want to post this before I forget about it. My son had surgery 3 weeks ago. Apparently, when he was growing, the tissue around his testicles pulled tight and caused his testicles to pull up into his adominal cavity. Therefore, they had to go in and "release the boys", pulling them back down where they're supposed to be. So, the night right after he just had surgery, my nine year old and I have the following conversation.
Austin: Mom, my voice sounds weird.
Me: Yeah, you're hoarse. They had breathing tubes in your throat, and
sometimes it causes your voice to sound funny. Don't worry. It will go
away.
Austin: Awww, man! I thought it was puberty.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Rivalry of an Only Child
My nine-year old son is an only child. He will probably always be an only child. I, on the other hand, am the youngest of three girls. I have witnessed and been a participant in many a sibling scuffle. My son does not have to deal with the problem of sibling rivalry……or does he?
After getting a kid’s meal with a really cool toy inside.
Me: (grabbing the bag) I get the toy this time.
Austin: Mooommm, give it to meeeeeee.
Me: I paid for it.
Austin: So, it’s mine.
Me: I paid for it.
Austin: It doesn’t matter.
Me: Of course it matters.
Austin: It’s myyyyyy toy.
Me: But I want it.
Austin: IT’S MINE!!!
Me: If you don’t let me have it, I’ll tell all your friends that you still sleep with your stuffed monkey and suck your thumb at night.
Austin: No, I don’t.
Me: Who do you think they’re gonna believe? You or me?
I’m in my bedroom and hear screams coming from the kitchen.
Austin: Stupid dog! Stupid, idiot dog!
Me: What did he do?
Austin: He stole my corn dog.
Me: Oh, well.
Austin chases dog and tries to kick him
Me: Hey, hey, hey. Just get another one.
Austin: That was the last one. STUPID DOG!
Me: Well, be more careful with your food next time. Don’t leave it where the dog can get it.
Austin: You love him more than me. He storms out of the kitchen.
While eating at Taco Bell, he finds two sauce packets. The mild packet has “Thanks for rescuing me. Hot was getting on my nerves.” printed on it, and the hot packet has “Thanks for rescuing me. Mild was getting on my nerves” printed on it. He takes the sauce packets, and begins playing with them, and making them talk to one another.
Mild: I hate you!
Hot: Not as much as I hate you!
Mild: Would you just go away? I thought I got rid of you.
Hot: You will never get rid of me.
Mild: Shut UP!
Hot: You shut up.
Mild: I’m telling.
Hot: Who ya gonna tell, cry baby?
Mild: If you don’t shut up I’m going to smush your head into the burrito.
Hot: Just try it.
Yeah, I'm a little disturbed by that last example too.
After getting a kid’s meal with a really cool toy inside.
Me: (grabbing the bag) I get the toy this time.
Austin: Mooommm, give it to meeeeeee.
Me: I paid for it.
Austin: So, it’s mine.
Me: I paid for it.
Austin: It doesn’t matter.
Me: Of course it matters.
Austin: It’s myyyyyy toy.
Me: But I want it.
Austin: IT’S MINE!!!
Me: If you don’t let me have it, I’ll tell all your friends that you still sleep with your stuffed monkey and suck your thumb at night.
Austin: No, I don’t.
Me: Who do you think they’re gonna believe? You or me?
I’m in my bedroom and hear screams coming from the kitchen.
Austin: Stupid dog! Stupid, idiot dog!
Me: What did he do?
Austin: He stole my corn dog.
Me: Oh, well.
Austin chases dog and tries to kick him
Me: Hey, hey, hey. Just get another one.
Austin: That was the last one. STUPID DOG!
Me: Well, be more careful with your food next time. Don’t leave it where the dog can get it.
Austin: You love him more than me. He storms out of the kitchen.
While eating at Taco Bell, he finds two sauce packets. The mild packet has “Thanks for rescuing me. Hot was getting on my nerves.” printed on it, and the hot packet has “Thanks for rescuing me. Mild was getting on my nerves” printed on it. He takes the sauce packets, and begins playing with them, and making them talk to one another.
Mild: I hate you!
Hot: Not as much as I hate you!
Mild: Would you just go away? I thought I got rid of you.
Hot: You will never get rid of me.
Mild: Shut UP!
Hot: You shut up.
Mild: I’m telling.
Hot: Who ya gonna tell, cry baby?
Mild: If you don’t shut up I’m going to smush your head into the burrito.
Hot: Just try it.
Yeah, I'm a little disturbed by that last example too.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
It's not 100 degrees today!
Today has been a nice day. The temperature has been hovering around 90 degrees. Much better than the 100+ degree days that have kept us inside the air conditioned house all month. The sky is overcast, but as long as it doesn't rain we can continue to have some outdoor fun. In celebration of the cooler temperature, I took Austin to a new skatepark that just opened up a couple of miles from our house. I was a little worried at first, because he just had surgery 16 days ago, but he did fine. That is until he ran to me screaming, "Bleeding! I'm bleeding! Bleeding! Bleeding! I'm bleeding!" Knowing the drama queen, uh king, that my son is, I just sat there while I watched him run towards me screaming. The other parents kept looking around for this poor child's mother to jump up and run to her bleeding son's rescue. I think it only registered to them that I was his mother when he stood directly in front of me and stuck his foot in my face. I checked out the stinky, sweaty ankle, and informed him that it was only a little scratch. I then wiped the small amount of blood off with a crinkled up napkin I found in my backpack and off he went. A litte later he decided that he was tired of skating and wanted to go to Bass Pro Shops to "just look around". Yeah, I've heard that one before. It always ends up with him asking me to buy him 20 different items and me eventually giving in and buying him "just one thing and that's it". Surprisingly, I got out of there without buying him a single thing, although I did have to buy my dogs a dog bed that was being "given away" for only $9.88. 
Friday, August 17, 2007
I'm Back!
I think I might be able to regularly update this blog, at least for a while. So, here's a quick update to catch you up on what has been going on in my world lately. I just started working on my Master's degree in child psychology. I plan on getting my PhD immediately after completing my Master's. For two months this summer, I lived in Stillwater, OK while going through a summer program where I got to do research at a hospital in Oklahoma City. The research involved children with cancer. I also did a praticuum placement in Tulsa where I shadowed two different child psychologists. In other words, I got to drive in between Tulsa, OKC, and Stillwater while I watched the gas prices go up and up and up.
My son just started back to school last week. He is back in public school again. I wish I could continue homeschooling, but as a single parent, it just isn't possible. At least, not right now. I found out this past May that my son is dyslexic. I suspected that he was ever since I began homeschooling him a couple of years ago and saw for myself the trouble he was having. No, the public schools did not ever mention the word dyslexia to me when he was having trouble at school. They threw every other label at me that they could think of, but dyslexia was never one of them. Anyway, I had him formally evaluated by a private psychologist when I knew that I was going to have to put him back into public school. I didn't tell the psychologist ahead of time that I thought Austin was dyslexic, but several tests later the psychologist confirmed what I already knew. Hopefully public school will be better for Austin this time around since we now know where all his frustration is coming from.
Let's see. What else has been going on. Oh yeah. I have been living without any flooring in my living room for almost a month. The pipe that runs to the washing machine got clogged and flooded my living room. Needless to say repairs are going slow and I've been living on a concrete floor ever since. My insurance company assures me that I will eventually have a new living room floor as well as a new kitchen floor. I'm still waiting.
I think that's enough for now. It feels good to be back.
My son just started back to school last week. He is back in public school again. I wish I could continue homeschooling, but as a single parent, it just isn't possible. At least, not right now. I found out this past May that my son is dyslexic. I suspected that he was ever since I began homeschooling him a couple of years ago and saw for myself the trouble he was having. No, the public schools did not ever mention the word dyslexia to me when he was having trouble at school. They threw every other label at me that they could think of, but dyslexia was never one of them. Anyway, I had him formally evaluated by a private psychologist when I knew that I was going to have to put him back into public school. I didn't tell the psychologist ahead of time that I thought Austin was dyslexic, but several tests later the psychologist confirmed what I already knew. Hopefully public school will be better for Austin this time around since we now know where all his frustration is coming from.
Let's see. What else has been going on. Oh yeah. I have been living without any flooring in my living room for almost a month. The pipe that runs to the washing machine got clogged and flooded my living room. Needless to say repairs are going slow and I've been living on a concrete floor ever since. My insurance company assures me that I will eventually have a new living room floor as well as a new kitchen floor. I'm still waiting.
I think that's enough for now. It feels good to be back.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
