Christmas Card

Color photo's credit RCP

With how many Christmas cards we want to send out and how much it would cost for me to print them in good quality (my standard of quality) and send them out we decided it was a bit too expensive this year. In most years we'd bite the bullet and do it anyway, but we have no idea how many med schools will want to interview Douglas and how much it will cost for us to get him out for each one. So my solution? Put up my hard worked on card on the blog. That way everyone can see it, and we can save up for interviews. I know it's just not the same, and I admit I'm a bit sad about it, but we must adjust to the situation. I am glad that in this day there is a way for me to still be able to "get the card sent" to everyone (assuming you all decide to check it). Merry Christmas everyone!

Halloween Fun

So I've been a bit of a slacker at getting this up, but here it finally is.  Because of our car being stolen I didn't get a chance to take our normal looking at the camera picts until today.  And today was a lot colder th an Halloween was so we're all wearing jackets for those ones.  I did make sure to take the camera to our Trunk or Treat, so there are a few fun ones there.  (Side note: the cops did find our car so we're in the process of getting it taken care of)  Hope everyone's holiday was a good one!

Small Project

Look out flour & sugar, you're about to get classy!

A few years ago I saw some cool storage containers for flour and sugar, but we didn't have the space for it.  (In fact this is the first time I've bought flour or sugar in such large bags.)  When we finally did I couldn't find the containers anywhere.  Well I finally found what I was looking for and for a reasonable price.  The containers make storing and getting into my big storage of flour and sugar sooooooooo!!! much easier!  (Love the hinged lid!)

But why stop here when it can be much less boring?!  If I had a cricut or something I would have cut out some vinyl, but I don't so I didn't.  Thanks to some scrapbook paper and clear contact paper it was easy, looks good and should hold up.  So glad I thought of contact paper before modgepodging it on!

Kitchen Make-over

I have wanted to paint our kitchen since before we moved in. But alas it has remained elusive, waiting for the day when other things are not more important. Finally Douglas has finished all regular and pre-med schooling, and so the goal was to paint before the end of the year. Thanks to a crazy thought by Douglas, that day has come sooner than anticipated! We still have a few finishing touches to take care of (clean-up, etc), and a last coat of white on the stairway, but I'm calling this one project done and successful! I'm so happy with the way it turned out! And now all the parts of the kitchen finally feel like they all belongs together.

Before (but after tearing down wallpaper)

The ugly wallpaper

Nice bright ceiling

Top part finished

Finished product

(Ignore the vacuum & ladder)

Fun curtains (same off-while color as trim)

Oktoberfest 2011

We had such a great time at Oktoberfest this year.  It's sad to think this may be my last year going after doing it my whole life.  But I can't be too sad at having such great memories and pictures!  I probably took way too many pictures because it was really hard to narrow it down. And the slideshow isn't working today for me, so here are even fewer than I was going to show.  We had a few close calls in the pool with kids, but everyone is doing great.

A Day Off During a Busy Time

First off I should blog about Japheth graduating pre-school.  He had such a blast going to school, and he learned a lot.  It's still sinking in for him that school is over, but so far he's doing well with it.  The day his teacher set for graduation Japheth was so excited and couldn't wait to go to graduation.  When we got there he said, "That's a party for me!"  He felt special all day, and it was really fun to see.  We probably won't be starting Kindergarten early, but find other things to help him grow and learn.

With Japheth graduating, Douglas in his last semester, and getting really close to taking the M-CAT it's felt pretty busy in our family.  So what happens when you get an entire afternoon to yourself?!  Besides feeling relaxed and getting to listen to some good music (without having to skip songs that aren't appropriate for kids!)?  I got a bunch of pictures from my long queue touched up and sorted into their final resting files on the hard drive, plus finally had the time, space, and kid free environment to get a this project done!  If you can't tell it was a good afternoon!  (Idea and intructions for the project came from: http://thesassypepper.blogspot.com/2010/11/mod-podge-photos-on-canvas.html)





2 Years old

Xander turned 2 at the end of May.  He had a blast with all the attention and fun.  We went to a park for his party and let the kids play.  Then we had cupcakes and opened presents, followed by going to a little wading stream to float some little rubber ducks.  Everyone had a great time, and all the other kids around us were looking jeaslously at our ducks.  Thanks to everyone who could come, and for the fun presents.  Xander has been having a blast playing with all the presents he has gotten from friends and family!  I think his favorite part of birthdays this year (anyone's birthday) is singing "Happy Birthday!"  There has been many a night since the birthday festivities began that he has sung himself to sleep with "Happy Birthday."  It usually sounds like happy to you Yander, he'll have to get the hang of the Z sound.

He is doing great and constantly learning new words.  He still loves to play with balls and read books.  He loves watching Curious George and meowing like a cat (just like his big brother).  He is 32 1/5 inches tall and weighs 24lbs 3oz.  He continues to grow like a weed, and be as cute as is possible.  I would like to state that taking his pictures this time was very frustrating since he was a bit of a punk and refused/had no interest in looking at me or the camera.

School Update

Another semester ended and another semester started.  Douglas got A's in all his classes again for spring semester, even though he was worried about O Chem 1.  We only had a 2 week break between spring and summer semesters, which was filled with working more since he could, and still having his M-CAT prep course.  I'm unsure how I feel about starting another semester; I definately am NOT excited for more home time being filled with homework, but I AM excited that we're starting the last semester before going to Med School.
So here's the run-down.  He is taking 1 class and 2 labs this summer (O Chem 2 with lab, and the lab for O Chem 1 since he couldn't get into it last semester).  He will take the M-CAT mid-July, and will hopefully be done applying to 20-30 Med Schools by the end of August. 

Happy Mother's Day All!

I received an email from a friend's mom the other day, and liked it so much that I decided to post it for Mother's Day.  I think that we could all do with an up-lifted view of what we, our moms, friends, wives, (who-ever we know with kids) do as a mom.  Especially since in the run-of-the-mill of everyday, we tend to forget to look at things in this kind of way.  Enjoy, and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! (Thanks Kathy for the email)

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the Count Clerk's office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.  She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you have a job or are you just a ....?"
"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.  I'm a Mom."
"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'Housewife' covers it, said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."
"What is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it? I do not know the words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"
Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) In the laboratory and in the field, (normally I would have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern. I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy! And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom."

Motherhood!  What a glorious career! Especially when there's a title on the door.  Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations"  And great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates?" I think so!!!  I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants."

Thanks mom for all you do!

New High Score!

This morning Douglas and I played Ticket to Ride Europe before he got to studying for his O-Chem final.  We decided to play an expansion version of the game called Big Cities.  Now it looks like Green (or me) lost to Red (Douglas), but not so people, not so!  Douglas got a respectable score of 122.  He had 2 really long trains in his run- 1 set was 21 points, and the other 15 points, and that didn't include his destination ticket points or the rest of his train (plus he usually gets the 10 extra points for longest train, which he did this game); so, looking at what he might be getting point-wise, I decided to keep picking up destination tickets to try and compansate for a big score on his end.  At the end of the game I ended up with 16 destination tickets, and the points from that alone got me 146 points!  I had 7 trains left when Douglas ran out of his trains, and my grand-total?  Dat-dat-da-dah. . . 212!!!!!!!!

Hat Success!

Back in college I somewhat tried crocheting.  I tried to make my sister a fun scarf, thinking it would be easy.  Much to my dismay I failed said attempt and thought that it just wasn't my thing.  Then a few weeks ago we were hanging with some friends; while the men got to playing Halo, my friend Liz was brave enough to get me to have another go.  Come to find out that my biggest problem with the scarf was the yarn I chose, while fuzzy, soft and fun, not the easiest one to see your stitches.  So we planned another hang out with the plan to have lesson 2 while the hubands played Halo again.  Luckily most of what I learned in college had come back to me in lesson 1 and so for lesson 2 I decided to make something.  And... after attempt 1 at a hat that felt too loose for what I was going for, I had success at making something cute!  And with a little ribbon hat 1 will be a present for my niece.  So that makes 2 successful hats that are cute!  And all with only buying one thing of yarn.  Thanks Liz!

Dad Update

 Dad was moved out of ICU Saturday morning, and has been doing well.  He takes a walk around his floor a few times per day.  He had some tubes taken out before we saw him Sunday, but he was still hooked up to the Sci-fi machine; and I think they took some more tubes out later that day, or Monday.  He can go home sometime between today and Friday.  They are waiting to talk to a Doctor to make sure everythings on the up and up, and to discuss home options, etc. before they decide when to go home.  I think my mom is hoping that they get to go home today for their anniversary.

Dad's Surgery

Looking out the window with Xander before surgery.

Trying to see the cars before surgery.

Everything went well with dad's surgery.  He did have a triple by-pass, his artery was 90% blocked and it was right before the artery branches off (refered to as the 'widow maker' since it effects your entire heart instead of just part of it, and pretty much no one lives after having a heart-attack from that spot).  He had an extra branch off which is why it ended up as a triple by-pass instead of a double.  Of course that's not where the oddities end with dad; his artery played hide and seek with the doctor, which is part of why the surgery took longer than normal.  Most of the time you find it laying on top of the heart, but dad's was actually embeded in his heart muscle.

But everything went successfully, and he is doing well.  He is currently in the ICU, but should be moved out some time today or tomorrow.  He works on flexing his legs and sometimes sitting forward in his chair to switch things up.  He still has plenty of tubes coming out of him, though some tubes were taken out before the pictures I took; and he is hooked up to sci-fi looking/sounding machine (helps take out extra fluid and possibly maintain the right pressure for his lungs).  He wanted me to thank everyone for their concern and prayers, and also to say "I shouldn't have joined this gym!"  Funny as always.

Blows into this to help prevent pneumonia.



His boiling Sci-fi machine, you can't see the bubbles very well.



30-4

So this is a crazy month of birthdays since we have 2 about a week apart.  But we made it through successfully!  Japheth had a "How to Train Your Dragon" party and loved it.  We didn't have a pinata this year, but we played Dragon Trainer Says, Musical Dragons and Pin the Head on the Dragon.  It was a lot of fun.  Japheth is now 4 years old, and I can't believe how big he's getting.  He is 35 lbs 12 ounces and 39 1/2 inches.  He continues to get smarter every day.  He reads probably at a first grade level and is now learning a little math and money (pennies and nickles, etc).  He writes pretty well, and loves to write and receive notes.  He is also becoming a pro at riding his trike.

For Douglas' birthday he had a Halo party.  11 of his friends over for a 3 TV/3 Xbox extravaganza.  We didn't get to bed until about 2:30am and had a 6 am wake-up call from Japheth, but it was a blast!  I think we had a Halo hangover for 2 days.  He is now the big 3-0! He's doing well with all of his schoolwork and learning a lot for the M-CAT. He juggles everything pretty well and we're always so proud of all his hard work.