How Much Is That Going To Cost?

It's been a long week.

I think I mentioned that.

So why not top it off with a trip to the Emergency Room?

I like to keep things exciting around here so that's just what I did.

Thursday night, actually I suppose it was technically Friday morning, 1:30am to be exact.

I awoke from a dead sleep to intense pain in my chest and pressure, lots of pressure. Like a cow sitting on my chest and something, I'd say snake or python but that paints a picture of my biggest nightmare so I'm sticking with something, squeezing my ribs so tight I can't breath.

I didn't panic, at first, I think it took me about 2 minutes to decide I needed to wake up Barry. I've never felt so much pain. I've never not been able to breath. It didn't get better, it got worse.

Then it went something like this. My dad was in the room, taking my pulse, then my mom, and they are making me take aspirin. This is when I realized they had called 911 and so I wanted some clothes on. This is one downside of sleeping in your underwear, paramedics in your bedroom. I only ever did get the pants on because I couldn't lift my arms without intense pain. And this is also when I realized I was sort of freaking out, sort of. Then there is a policeman taking my pulse and then like 5 paramedics. They are sticking sticky pads all over my abdomen and putting oxygen on my face. They are asking me a million questions and I can't really answer because all I want to do is breath air and I'm having a really hard time doing that.

Then someone asks me if I've been stressed out lately. I'm instantly confused. Stressed? I'm always stressed lately. No more than usual. Stressed? They think this much pain comes from stress? I can't breath people! Has anyone removed the cow from my chest yet? Or better yet the python that is wrapped around my ribs?

So then I'm on a gurney and in an ambulance and they are giving me more aspirin and starting an IV and taping it on with a years supply of tape. I didn't realize this till later but seriously I'm like a human lint roller now. You can't get that adhesive off your skin. I know, I should give them a break, they are trying to make sure you don't die while riding in a vehicle which is probably not all that still. So the tape probably seems necessary at the time.

The whole time all I'm thinking is where is Barry? I want Barry! Where is Barry? Then they open the ambulance doors and there his is. Ahhh, I can breath again. Wait, no I really can't and I am still in a lot of pain. Isn't that weird, I don't really remember being in pain in the ambulance because I was so focused on why Barry was not there with me.

By the time they got me in the ER, one of the paramedics had talked me into breathing normally. Apparently I was hyperventilating and that is why my hands and feet where totally numb and tingling and I could barely move them. Don't underestimate breathing, breathing is our friend.

Next they tried to get a EKG but apparently I was shaking too much to get a good one and then they took blood and made me pee in a cup. Can't miss that one, you must always pee in a cup when you are sick. They did ask if I needed a basin in case I couldn't hit the cup. That was nice. :) I hit the cup just fine thank you. I think my dad came about then and he and Barry gave me a blessing. Then a chest x-ray where she asks me if I'm pregnant. Pregnant? Umm, I don't know. It's possible, not likely. (By the way, not pregnant) By this time the pain and pressure are going away but I'm left feeling like someone has just beat me up. My back is so sore I can hardly sit still and my ribs are aching and throbbing.

Then they make me drink some Mylanta with Lydacaine in it. Barry tells me to just gulp it like a shot. Hmm, no experience with shots Honey, thanks anyway. So my mouth and throat are so numb I gag when I swallow. Trying to rule out GI distress, I think. Then they do another EKG and take some more blood.

What's the verdict? Good Question! My heart looks fine, no GI problems, nothing in the x-ray, no blood clots. However I have low potassium, so I have to take 2 of the largest potassium pills I have ever laid eyes on. At this point I'm trying not to feel dumb and Barry looks at me and tells me not to feel dumb without me even saying a word. Then he says maybe I'm more stressed out about everything then he thought. Yes, that is true, but I don't think it was the problem. See that day had been filled with discussions of Barry's schooling and all that it encompasses, which is NOT a stress free topic. See Barry is SO laid back to the point that just how laid back he is causes me stress. Bottom line, I don't feel dumb because I was in pain y'all. I could not breath and I was really scared.

So was it an Anxiety Attack? Don't Know! Isn't that so frustrating! I've had an anxiety attack before and it was nothing like that. Plus, I still don't feel right. I'm exhausted, I'm dizzy, I'm spacy, my ribs are still sore and my back is sore. I have to go have a stress test on my heart on Friday and I guess we'll see what that says.

So here are the after thoughts. Did I know any of those policemen/paramedics being that they got to see me in my skivies? Luckily no. Phew! Did the kids wake up? Amazingly no! Can you believe that! Ry and Jen's room is right next to ours and they slept through it all. And Sara...she didn't move a muscle! She is in our room! Lights on, me carrying on (Barry said I was quiet, I don't really recall) Barry, both my parents, at least 1 policeman and I believe at least 5 paramedics all 3 feet if not closer to her crib and she sleeps through it all. I'm amazed but glad that none of the kids saw any of it. And so far no neighbors have asked either. Although here I am posting it for the all to read but my neighbors don't read this anyway.

So the last thought remains - How much is that going to cost us?

I'm sure potassium pills that size are at least $100 a pop.

Couldn't they have just fed me some banana's?

Is It Over?

This must have been the longest week I have endured in years.

I'm So Happy It's Over!

Preschool Done
Soccer Done
Field Trips Done
Dance Done
Kindergarten Done
Trips to the Doctor Done - Wait not done.

I had my Allergy testing done on Wednesday and was suprised to find out I am actually allergic to a lot more than I thought. So what now? Not sure.
I think Allergy Shots every week for the rest of my life or somewhere close to that.

The Big Man officially graduated from Kindergarten on Thursday.
I hate to be a party pooper but is Kindergarten Graduation really neccessary? A Kindergarten program would be enough. I mean they just started Elementary so why the graduation? Oh-well, it's done and Ry picked his nose through the whole thing, literally.
If nothing else that was embarrassing, I mean Entertaining!
This little diva is so excited for Kindergarten she can hardly contain herself.

Jena is just so cute at all her T-ball games.
I always hear someone commenting on the cute little girl with all the pink accessories.
Little Sister loves to come to the games.
She pawns treats off anyone close and loves to yell at 'Ena' and 'Rara' while they play.

Little Sister is starting to do pretty much anything she darn well pleases.She says
'Ena' for Jena
'RaRa' for Ryan or RyRy
Thank You
BomPa for Grandpa
Matt
Ball
Up
All Done
Bye
Hi
woof woof

She will also take her own dirty diaper to the garbage, wash walls (with anything in her hand at the moment), put her dish in the dishwasher, wash her hair, attempt to buckle her seat belt, give you her binky when asked and scream for ice cream.

Miss America

Jena is officially a preschool graduate!
Her class had a patriotic program and then graduation.
She remembered all of her parts and best of all...check out the dress.

We went looking for a red t-shirt (my choice)
we came home with this dress (her choice)
I have to say, I would never haved picked it
but it is so Jena and pretty darn cute.

Check out the little girl on the right end. The poor thing cried through the whole thing!

S is for Salt Lake City
This look cracks me up. I was videoing the program and every time I would move the camera off of her she would give me this look and point at herself.
Can we say narcissism.

Here are her teachers. They are so great, Mother and Daughter and they've been teaching for 30 years. They are SO old school! Check out the hair and her retro puma's. We love them though, they have taught her respect, disapline and manners like no other school even tries anymore.

Of course she got flowers! Ry was so excited to give them to her.

Thank Goodness

You Are a Mac

You are creative, stylish, and super trendy. You demand the best - even if it costs an arm and a leg.

Are You a Mac or a PC?

What do you think?

This isn't the greatest quality picture, but what do you think, do they look just alike or what?

Ry just came wandering in the office at 1:06 a.m.

The kindergarten is going to the zoo tomorrow morning.
He's worried he won't wake up in time.

He's so excited he can't sleep.

Not excited about the zoo, excited to ride the BUS!
There are no buses to his school and to him there could be nothing cooler than riding the BUS!

I expect he'll wander in again around 4 am and again at 6:30.

I think this might be more exciting than Christmas.

We'll see if I get up in time...I would never live that one down!

Now and Then

Just curious to see how they've changed in 1 year

My little man has lost all of his little boy roundness.
I think even his ears got skinnier.
He looks just like his dad,
Minus a few teeth here and there.

Big Sister's hair grew back.
(She had a few scissor issues last year for those of you just tuning in)
Her face is longer and her hair has lost it's golden yellow.
You can't tell but she has also grown 3" to average height for her age.
(Something we thought would never happen)

Little Sister is no longer a baby!
{Sniff, sigh}

Parents teach their children about life.
Children teach their parents what life is all about.

Need I Say More?

Poor, Poor Little Hubby

Barry and Jena 2004

Barry went in for some Allergy testing today.

No big deal, right?

Well, if your not allergic to anything, then yeah.

If you are Barry you nearly give the nurse a heart attack, call in the doctor, get shot up with every medication in the office and get sent home without even finishing the test.

Good time, huh?

So the down low is that if you are allergic to as many things as my husband than you have to take a dose of Benadryl, get a shot of something that I've never heard of and then another shot of Epinephrine because the first 2 aren't working.

Then you lay down for 1/2 hour while the itching subsides and your throat stops swelling.

Next you try to drive home without falling asleep behind the wheel because you are so medicated.

And lastly, you get to call in sick to work and sleep all day.

Now if you know my husband then you know how much he L O V E S to sleep. So I'm thinkin it was all a plot to get a sick day that no one could question and a free pass to sleep all day long.

I'm only joking of course. I love him and I'm glad he didn't die. But hey could you take the garbage out? And Sara is stinky, could you change her? Oh, me? What am I doing? I'm watching American Idol Honey! I know I've never watched it before but it's the last one! Hello, your fine now right?

Sensitivity is not my strong point. I'm working on it. I blame it on my mom. She was too good to me.

Now you know why my husband cleans up the throw up at our house and if the kids come in to our bed at night they always go to his side and why my mother thinks my husband walks on water. I married up y'all and I know it. He is a good, good, good man with more patience than I have in my little finger.

Now if I were sick...whoa, that's a whole other ballgame!

I didn't realize it at the time, but check it out.
Barry was apparently 12 when I married him.
And I never noticed I had a mushroom head!
Why didn't anyone tell me?

the good, the bad and the ugly

THE GOOD

This is my favorite kind of Jena photo.
I love when she gets all girled up and then plays as hard as the boys.
I can't believe she is done with preschool tomorrow!
I'm not ready for 2 of my kids to be in elementary.
Then again, I am SO ready!

Don't mind the white trash trailer behind her. we are doing a bit of remodeling, house painting, door replacing etc.

THE BAD

This cute little one has me pegged.
She gets whatever she wants, it true.

Today she cried literally all day long.
Nothing would appease her.
Could never figure out what was wrong.
I guess a girl just has to cry sometimes.

Some of her favorite things lately:

*being naked*
*her binkie*
*stealing tampons from beneath the sink and leaving them all over the house*
*unrolling the toilet paper*
she is known as the toilet paper bandit at our house.

*this pink polka-dot purse*
She carries it all over the house on her shoulder with her arm straight in the air.

*the red swing*
*feeding other people*
*riding in her new baby bike seat*
*going for walks with mom in the morning*

AND THE UGLY

Ryan and Teri out playing catch on Sunday-

Ryan - Teri did you play t-ball when you were a kid?
Teri - No.
Ryan - Oh yeah, they didn't have t-ball back in those days.
Teri - They certainly did have t-ball! I just didn't play it!

PLUS SOME OTHER STUFF

Did any of you read Tori's comment about the library? She's so smart! I knew I should have just asked her! Being that she's way into school and everything it's only obvious that she would know how the library works.

Tori is one of the people who knows things about everything and she doesn't know why she knows, she just does. I guess when you never miss a day of school in your life that's what happens.

Not that I would have any idea what that's all about.

It's a little odd that we are best friends being that she was all brainy and popular and on the dance team and I was...in the parking lot asleep in my car or 4-wheelin up the canyon or hmm I don't really remember.

Plus, how did she know that I always get fiction and non-fiction mixed up? Sort of like Annuals and Perennials, I can never keep it straight.

That's why they pay you the big bucks Tori!

AND IN LOCAL NEWS

It looks like that David Cook won Idol. Oh dear, I'm posting about American Idol on my blog!

What have I reduced myself to?

Grey's Anatomy is acceptable being that Patrick Dempsey is just So... But 17 and 25 year olds, I just don't have the time to swoon over that, being that I'm 30 and all.

Back that truck up! I'm not 30, I'm 29!

I always jump ahead on my age like six months early. Maybe it's so I have that long to cope with getting older. Then when I'm actually 30 it will be no big deal because I've been saying it for so long.

It's worth a shot right?

Cheaper than therapy anyway.

Dewey Who?

Since I've recently decided that buying books is too expensive I have been frequenting the library.

My first trip was to the Farmington Library which was like a trip back in time. Now don't let me fool you into thinking I've ever used the library enough to have memories of it, but it's like the air in there hasn't even been recirculated in 30 years. I'm sure it is the same air I breathed on my very few trips there in junior high school. It is totally...RETRO. They could probably sell all the tables and chairs for a good sum of money now days, because you can't find that stuff anywhere else. The smell of dust and mold and paper is so overwhelming it makes me want to run for the door and gasp in fresh air, hold my breath, grab a book and then run for the front door.

Now we have the nice new Centerville Library. It's, well new with great architecture and stained glass and a fun kids area and no books. Yup, they have no books. You have to wait for anything you want to be transferred from another branch. At least this is my experience because anything I want they don't have.

This would be a problem if I even knew how to find a book in the first place. This brings me to my point. Am I just a complete idiot or maybe I missed that class in, geez probably Elementary School, where they teach you the Dewey Decimal system. I don't recall ever understanding it. The very few trips I was forced to take in my school years went like this. I would look the book up on the computer, write down everything on the screen and then ask the lady at the front desk to locate it for me. Now, Magazine, I can find those. So the same problem exists today. Only now, my kids want to check out books. Crap!

Jena wants a book about Princesses and Ryan wants Star Wars, this never changes, it is the same request every trip to the library we take. I have stopped even trying to use the computer, we just wander the isle hoping something will pop out at us. See, some books are in Alphabetical Order by title, some by authors last name, some by some crazy numbering system, how are you suppose to know the difference? I have looked up books and they give you 2 different numbers. I've tried to find both and...you can guess, no luck. I can't even imagine using the old card file system.

I have a plan. See I need a new book and I'm going to ask the nice little lady to give my children a lesson on how to find books at the library and then I will secretly learn along with them!

Or the best method, I will reserve it online and pick it up at the front desk.

What I was gonna say

So here is a few things I was gonna blog about, but I've just been too...emotional, busy, tired, emotional, sick and emotional.

I have a Scentsy warmer on my dresser. I always shut if off when I put Sara to bed since it is right next to her crib. I turned it on, I left, Granny put her to bed, didn't realize it was on.
Liquid wax all over Sara, bedding, wall and floor. Crying Baby, panicked Granny.
Sara's face was covered in wax.
Now my plug for Scentsy...She was scared but not harmed! The wax only gets slightly hotter than body temp. Warm, red face and a ticked off baby because she had wax stuck to her but no burns! Came off the walls really well too. I've yet to wash the bedding, does that tell you the state of my laundry room!
The warmer is no longer on my dresser if your wondering, not my brightest idea. But how great is that? No fire, no burns, I love Scentsy.

Yo, Whaz Up.
LL Cool Ryan takin a picture of himself.
I can not believe he is going to be done with Kindergarten and headed to the 1st grade!
He has just taken off with reading lately and I could not be more proud of him.
I'm re-learning all the 'rules' right along with him. Sad but true.
I really can't figure out what happened to that chubby little baby I used to have.
He was so irresistible, but then, this skinny little man is really irresistible too.

Mother's day flowers for Granny.

We made a Trifle on Mother's Day and Ryan put all the strawberries in a heart.
He was SO proud of it!

Have I mentioned Granny got a Bosch mixer and a grain mill? Well she did and lots of white wheat too. So, we are learning to make bread from scratch. Grind the wheat to flour all the way to bread in 2 hours. Wow, huh, 5 loaves of bread in 2 hours is worth it. I'm not sure we'll buy bread anymore, that Honey Wheat Bread is super good.
Jena loves her own bread pan and rolling pin. She comes up with some great creations.


Here is what's happening while we make bread. Teri and Matt have decided to do P90X. It is some way intense workout system that I should totally be doing with them, but I'm making some bread to add to...let's not talk about that. The fun thing has been that Jena and Ryan do the workout's with them. Mostly Ryan, Jena gets distracted. Ryan however is hardcore, he will stay the whole hour with them and do every exercise. He totally wants big guns (biceps). It's very entertaining to watch as you can see Sara likes to wander the family room and watch everyone and laugh at them.


I want you to notice the shoes on Teri's feet. Yup, their mine. See Teri is out of School for awhile. Oh, she got into Nursing School at the U of U! Yeah! First try too! Good Job Teri!
Anyway, so she's been around a lot. Which we love, really, Sara likes her better than me lately. But there is this thing that happens when sisters are together a lot. Things start disappearing. It's very strange. I get in my shower and what do you know...No Conditioner? I'm positive Barry didn't use it because if he had the empty bottle would still be there, no bottle at all. And then the running shoes, that's weird I used to have those very same running shoes. Hmm, maybe it's like the gray skirt I have in my closet. I love the gray skirt. I think I stole it when I was pregnant with Ryan and then she stole it back. I took it again a few years back and it's mine now. I hide it. I'm on the lookout for my stuff. I'm sure more will go missing soon.

Who does she think she is? Coming to my house, make me feel all guilty by exercising in front of me, make my kids like her more and then steal my stuff? Wow, I love my sister but I'm feeling a bit like I'm 15 and she's 18 again.
Hey Teri, I want my stuff back!

Jena had her Spring Recital today.
She did a great job!


She loves to get her hair done, put makeup on, dress up and be apart of all the girls and craziness that goes on at a Dance Recital. I think they call them Performances now. They called them Recital's when I was young. I better get with it, I wouldn't want to embarrass her. In fact, when I took her back stage I told her when she got up on stage to dance I would yell 'Go Jena!' She looked at me very seriously and said 'Mom, Please Don't.' Oh, you don't want me too? Ok, I won't. She loved that last year, not this year though, keep up mom!

The first year Jena danced, Teri brought her some flowers. She was elated! Those flowers made her week. The next year, we didn't even think of it, but she did. Where are my flowers? Ummm, Ahhh, oops! Well we remembered this year. But they were $8 and this really cute statue was only $10. Statues last longer than flowers, I'm practical, what can I say? She loved the statue, she wanted to pose like the statue, it was great. But wait, Where's my flowers? Ummm, Ahhh, You'd rather have flowers? Really?
Note to self, just buy flowers!


The girl loves her cupcakes!
It made up for the flowers.
It's all good.


Just a cute picture of Sara today.
She has had a fever for 4 days now. It has finally gone down since her molar broke threw. She's still not feeling great though. All 3 of the others are very swollen also. I have a feeling those are going to have to break through before I get my happy baby back.
I can't believe she is 14 months!
It's funny how much more relaxed I am with her.
Ryan was saying 20+ words and running all over town at her age. She still toddles and only says 3-4 sort-of-words.
Jena was long done with the bottle and almost with the Binky.
I haven't even attempted to rid her of either of these things.
She sleeps 10-12 hours a night!
There is nothing more beautiful than a sleeping baby.
She has me wrapped around ever finger too.
I can't get enough of her!

Iatrophobia

So in the last few weeks I have seen more than my fair share of medical personnel.

It all started with the Dentist. I'm getting all my silver fillings replaced with white. I have really cavity prone teeth. I'm doing it because I want to go get Zoom Whitening. So I have had 4 different appointments to get this done and thanks to my good friend Laughing Gas, I have made it through.

Next I had a sinus infection so I took a little trip to the Family Practice Doc. He proceeded to explain to me that I was getting old and it was time I started having yearly physicals. Read 'Your turning the big 3.0. this year and I'm going to rub it in with a Physical'.

So a few weeks later I'm back again for my physical. The doc is a nice guy, we used to live a few houses up the street from him. But that can be a little awkward. It's much better to have a doctor see you naked, in broad daylight of all things, when he no longer lives just a few houses down and you don't have to say hello to his wife and children in church the next Sunday.

I left there with a Tetnus shot, officially diagnosed high tryglycerides (big surprise), a Matabolism booster which I'm pretty skeptical about, but we'll see, and an appointment with a Physical Therapist for the pinched nerve in my shoulder that got worse from sleeping on the floor on our little vacation, no wait, our TRIP to Kansas. I awoke the next day with a super duper sore arm by the way, Tetnus shots really do hurt if you didn't know.

Next it's off to the Eye doctor because literally overnight, I suddenly could not see. So much so that I didn't want to drive at night anymore because I could not read the signs or focus on much at all. Generally with the birth of each of my children my eyes have worsened a bit. This time it took a while longer but they tripled what they usually do. The only good thing about this is that my perscription has now passed my husbands so that means, by his rules, I get Lasik first. Sorry Honey, your rules!

I now have at least 2 more dental appointments to look forward to, an unknown amount of physical therapy, a much looked forward to OB appt (I know, too much information) and an appt with the Allergist so I can start Allergy shots. Great fun huh, a shot every week for the next 3-4 years! Can't wait for that one! To top it off each of my children have check ups coming up in the next month. I tried to schedule these all together, but that would be too easy, so we have 1 a week for the next 3 weeks.

With all the doctor visits and money I've spent I think I deserve some kind of big diagnosis.

Here's my own diagnosis:
Iatrophobia- Fear of Going to the Doctor.
(More like-Sick of going to the doctor, but it will due.)

Sharing the Goodness

While we were in Kansas my sister-in-law Karen made us these little bits of heavenly goodness. The kids went nuts for them and frankly, so did I!

Obviously I love that they are so good but they are also super easy to make. Probably don't love the calorie count but hey, 2 out of 3 isn't bad.



Pretzel Treats
Square or Round Bite size Preztels
Carmel filled Hersey Kisses (Or your favorite kisses. We personally like the carmel/Chocolate combo. Rolo's work well too.)
M&M Candies

Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper (So you don't have to wash it!)
Lay out pretzels in pan and place one Kiss on each pretzel.
Place in over for about 5 minutes. You want them soft but not melted and running all over.
Take from oven and place one M&M on each kiss and press down on pretzel.
Place in the fridge for about 5 minutes to cool.

Enjoy! We are enjoying them a bit too much at our house!

For the Momma

Ok, this is mostly for my brother's and Sister.

My husband was apparently a bit fed up with the state of the garage.
Funny thing is that I think Grandpa secretly thinks it is everyone else's mess and not his.
We all know the truth...Pack Rat!

So this was Barry's un-official Mother's Day Gift to Granny.
She can actually walk a full 360 around her car!
Seriously Ya'll! Look at all that room at the front of her Durango!We are talking a work bench with room to use the tools and like 4 feet of standing room!
People, this is big.

Want to know the secret?
Start to clean out garage while grandpa is still around.
Let him put a few things in the Garbage and charity piles. (If he has 2 things in either pile this is a momentous occasion.)
Next, and this is important. Send Grandpa off on some errand for like 4 hours.
Now, throw stuff away, take it to charity, organize, move and rearrange enough that when he returns he is so impressed that he never misses what he didn't know or remember that he had.
(Like 8 shovels, 12 axes plus 4 or 5 axe handles and so on and so forth)
Can't wait to hear what Great Grandpa Nielsen has to say about this. It should be good.

Cheap Labor

Can we say Happy Mother's Day to me!

What's better than cheap, child labor?

Cheap, Child Labor that was volunteered for with squeals and smiles and blond little heads!These 2 little cuties mopped my entire floor for me on Saturday.
No mind that I had to re-mop it so it was actually clean, not just wet.
It's the thought that counts, right.

Plus, I got a Bosch mixer for free.
It's hand me down from Nancy.
She got a new one, but this one runs like a champ and Hello, FREE!
Doesn't get any better than that.
Thanks Nancy!

Crap for Mom

So, I just read my last post.

Wow, sorry.

That was a big jumbled up mess. I suppose it's because that's how my brain has been since we got back. I've been so busy this week and I'm trying to catch up. Thank goodness soccer is over this week and dance next week. I came home to find out that the Mother/Daughter activity we had been planning for next week was moved to yesterday and not only was I in charge of the game, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader, I also had to cook a spaghetti dinner for 18. So I pulled that out of my... ah, err...hat and I'm just hangin on till schools out.

I gotta say that the end of the school year is much worse than the beginning. And I'm sure this is why they decided Mother's day should be in May. I'm needing a little appreciation.

Speaking of Mother's day. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm not a touchy, feeling, huggy, teary sort of girl. I do have my moments but overall I'm kinda, um, well...? I don't have a word for me. That could be fun, everyone fill in the blank.

Kelli is_______________.

Let's have it, I can take whatever you got!

Anyway, that's not really where I was intending to go. So, Mother's day and me being not so...Sentimental. Yeah, that's it, Sentimental. Since the day I found out I was expecting our first little kiddo I've always thought, 'What am I going to do on Mother's Day when they give me all of that crap.' It's true. You know, school made necklaces, their picture on some piece of paper they have scribbled on, and heaven forbid some lapel pin that I will have to where to church in front of God and Everyone! OK, OK, you are all thinking what kind of mother is she! But read on, you might forgive me soon.

For a few weeks now Ryan has been mentioning this 'Secret' that he has at school and I can't know till Mother's day. I smile, pretend to be very excited and secretly dread it!

Then Thursday my mom picked up Jena from Preschool because I was at yet another doctors appointment. (That is another post in and of itself) Somehow I arrived home first and was sitting right here (Big Surprise) at the desk when Jena runs in yelling for me. She is holding something behind her back and she is so excited that she's could explode like a little fire cracker at any moment. I am genuinely excited to see what she's hiding.

Then out it comes. This little lovely bit of Arts and Crafts.

My heart got all a flutter. She read me all the things she had her teacher write on it, and I knew those came straight from her little heart and mind. It was so great! I will not throw this away and that's big for me! I hugged her so tight and got a little teary until she said, 'Mom, I gotta go to the bathroom!' It is now displayed prominently on the wall next to my most cherished, worldly possession...my Mac. {Insert long sigh here}

Next came Friday and Ry comes running in the door from school. This tells me 1 of 2 things. He either has to go to the bathroom super bad or he has brought a friend home with him. Why you ask? Well, Ryan will not walk home from school by himself. I have to walk 1 house up and directly across the street to pick him up from school. It's true. He is terrified to cross the street by himself. From his own mouth: 'I don't like crossing the street with all those Mom's around. They never watch where they're going!' Yeah, Great Right? ***Note to all you Mom's who drop off and pick up your children from school because they can't possibly walk 3 blocks...Slow the hell down and watch where you are going!

Anyway, there was no friend and no bathroom use so I knew something was up. He is holding a paper bag with 'Mom' written on it and he shoves it at me and practically yells 'Open It!' 'Let's wait till Sunday' I say. Oh, wow, I have hurt his feelings with that one. Read 'My mom does not want my gift!' So I open it. A super cute, homemade card and I love it. And then wrapped in blue tissue paper is this...yup, it's a lapel pin!


But strangely I think it's sort of cute. (At this point I'm thinking I might want to make another doctors appointment, because hello, it's a lapel pin!) And it has his cute little name carved in the back. The tears, they actually flowed, just a few, nothing to call the psychologist about or anything. I promptly put it on. No matter that it was so heavy it practically pulled my t-shirt off my shoulder. I wore it all day too. To the Mother/Daughter Game Night, to the store, to my husbands work. I wore it and I was proud of it. My little man made it for me. My first born, who I labored 15 hours to bring into this world. You bet I wore it and I'll wear it again too. In front of God and Everyone!

So how can this be? All that Mother's day crap? I'm actually loving it. I'm feeling like I want to get a little Jewelry Box and fill it up with all the Mother's Day gifts to come. Did I just say Jewelry box? Me, the girl who wears her wedding ring and 1 of 2 necklaces, both with stars by the way, and not another speck of bling. A Jewelry box?

I'm calling the doctor first thing on Monday.

Several things learned on our trip, that's right, it was a trip not a vacation.

Driving to Kansas takes way too long and when it is done with kids it is tourcher for both parties. It is also tourcher to ride with Great Grandpa, bless his heart!

It is very handy to pull an RV with a toilet when traveling with Jena. Teri, Granny, Grandpa and Great Grandpa may not admit it but they liked having Jena as an excuse to stop and go potty. While sitting on the highway in Wyoming stuck behind a FedEx truck who was stuck in snow, Grandpa decided to use the facility's in the RV. Then the traffic started to move. So grandpa got a little ride on 'The John'.

Kansas stinks. It is from the Feed Lots where they gather all the cows together to feed and slaughter them. Funny Story - When Bart and Karen first moved to Kansas their son Spencer asked them for a clothes pin to plug his nose because he couldn't stand the smell. Smart Kid!

Apparently Tyson, you know the people who make chicken nuggets and such has a gianormous Beef plant in Garden City, Kansas. It employs 1/3 of the town. I'm suspicious now, I've never seen Tyson beef. So is it really chicken or is it beef?

Kansas is too flat. One must have mountains!

Never, Ever eat at the KFC in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Rock Springs has to be the ugliest place on earth anyway, but the KFC...Trust me, just don't go there.

We got to stop in Denver for 2 days and visit Barry's dad. We went to the Aquarium which was really cool. I'm sure we missed a lot though because we could not stop Ryan from running from one thing to the next. Sara was fascinated with the huge fish and couldn't figure out why she couldn't touch them when they were right in front of her. And wouldn't you know it, my camera batteries died while we where there.

Little Matty is more adorable in real life. 5 weeks old and he kept us all entertained by pooping out of his diaper and all over the floor several times. He was kissed and hugged and squeezed and patted and smacked (Sara) enough that I'm sure he's glad we are gone. We just couldn't get enough of him. We were sad to have to leave and separate the cousins. They had such a great time together and we are sad they don't live closer. There were some tears when we left and we wish we could have stayed longer.

I'm sure Karen is glad to have her house back and I am glad to have my bed back but I just don't like having family so far away. And while I appreciate the use of Allie's bed while I was there, I just have to say...Bart and Karen you are now done with school and have a little money, go buy that girl a decent mattress! :) After several nights on the floor my shoulder now has a pinched nerve and keeps shooting pain and making my hand numb and tingly. I'm really happy about that!

Here are a few pictures but I haven't downloaded them all yet. (Can't find the other camera!)

Denver Aquarium- This was my favorite fish, it's like a cartoon, a scary cartoon. This kind of fish is why I don't like the ocean or lakes or really deep swimming pools!

Grandpa Hansen and Ryan at Coors Field. Rockies vs. Dodgers.
Yeah, Dodgers Won!
It was so cold Barry had to buy Ry a sweatshirt to go under his winter coat.

These two little boys became one with the dirt! They had to strip down just to come in the house. They turned the bath water black and the tub brown. And they had such a great time doing it!
This is Bart & Karen's backyard. It is huge! Almost 3/4 acres. That's a big yard to put in and that is what the boys spent all their time doing. That and filling in the holes that Ryan and Spencer dug in the newly smoothed yard. Also, note what is behind their house. Yup, nothin'! For miles and miles and miles . I do love their little neighborhood though, all the houses where so far apart on huge lots. I guess when you live in Kansas you got nothing but wide open space so you get your own big share.
Again in the garage, too dirty to come in. They are so goofy and Ryan misses him already. All the pictures of the girls are on a different camera so I'll have to post those later. Ryan and Jena miss you Spencer and Allie!
I have never seen Barry so dirty! It was hilarious! The wind was blowing so much that it just caked the men with dirt and it stuck to the sweat. I can't get his clothes clean!
Monday evening we got a phone call from a neighbor telling us to pull our cars into the garage because softball size hail was headed our way. The boys we're really skeptical but started putting things away. We had to drive one car up the street to park it in the neighbors garage and boy are we thankful they let us! I have never seen hail like that. We didn't see softball size but we did see baseball size! It was coming down so fast it would shatter and spread over 10 feet. It was bouncing 4 feet out of the grass when it hit the ground. Sadly we had nowhere to protect the RV trailer and the side of it is covered in dents and the vent cover on top was shattered. We must have been amusing to the neighbors for whom this was a normal occurrence. All 10+ of us stood on the front porch watching in ahh, daring each other to run to the street and back, picking up hail so we could take it into the freezer and taking pictures like the paparazzi.

And can you believe that after 2000+ miles nobody got a ticket! 1 hour from home I did get pulled over. In a construction zone. 79 mph in a 60 mph zone. Nice man let me off with a warning! Bless you Officer Peay in Morgan, you are a saint! (Barry was glad he didn't have to pull out his Sheriff ID badge to get me off, he would have too, that is one expensive ticket!)
That's all for tonight folks. I'll look for the other camera tomorrow.