Dear President Bush -
I have been a long time supporter of the Bush family. I was even one of the (unpaid) staff members for your father's campaingn in 1992. Even while your poll numbers have dropped, I've still been very respectful of your choices and decisions.
However - today, I am extremely frustrated and upset. Today, you came to the Mile High City to particiapte in a fundraiser for Bob Schaffer. I understand that it is the leader of the incumbant party's responsibility to help raise funds and support other party members. I applaud you for doing your duty.
But, whomever planned the event and your departure from the fundraiser for RUSH HOUR traffic - and planned on shutting down major routes during RUSH HOUR traffic is an IDIOT. My normal 15 minute commute took 1 hour and 45 minutes.
You are more than welcome to visit our city - but please don't shut down the interstate / roadways during rush hour traffic.
Sincerely,
Someone who will NOT be voting for Bob Schaffer this fall
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
It's a Bird - It's a Plane....
No, it's a post!
I'm going back and catching up some on the last month of my life that I seem to have lost. As we've slowly unpacked, Randy & I realized today that it had been over a month since we took any pictures of the kids. So - an update on life here...
Christmas. I think Christmas in the eyes of a three year old has got to be one of the better Christmases. These kids truly believed in Santa Claus - enough so to overcome their fears and sit on his lap (our first trip to Santa, too!).
We had a really good Christmas, although it wasn't the best for Tanner & Morgan. Yes, Santa Claus did make it to our house. And, while the upstairs Christmas tree was decked out on Christmas Eve...
The downstairs wasn't nearly as festive...
Tanner & Morgan opened all of their gifts (a. aren't the matching monkey pjs cute? b. yes, Tanner got a Cinderella for Christmas, that's what he asked for, and Santa doesn't follow typical gender rules).
And, then they were promptly packed for our impending move. The good news is that when they got to our home in Colorado - it was like Christmas all over again.
The 27th was Tanner & Morgan's last day at preschool. I can't tell you how hard that was for all of us. We had pizza brought in for lunch that day - and had also brought oreos. However, we were facing a large snowstorm and had to pull them out before they actually got to share the Oreos with their friends. I would post a picture of Tanner & Morgan with their best friend, Aiden - but I don't have permission to post his photos.
I will tell you all that Aiden broke my heart. When I picked them up from school, it was right at the end of naptime. Tanner got up and got his stuff - and gave Aiden a hug. Aiden then asked his teacher if he could give Morgan a hug. When that was done, Aiden came up to me and asked me if I was taking them home. I told him yes - and he asked if they were moving to Colorado (again, I told him yes). Then, he asked me if I would bring them back again - because he would miss them and they were his friends. What can you say to such a sweet kid like that? Aiden, buddy, Tanenr & Morgan still miss you.
And, the teachers who cared for these two...what can you say? You don't even realize how attached you are until it's time to go.
Here is Tanner with Ms. Mandy - while Ms. Mandy wasn't around for too long (I'm guessing about 6 months) - I think Tanner won her heart. I remember after one of her first few days, she came up to me and asked "what the heck had happened to that kid?" With all the information she had been given about Tanner (egg allergy, etc) - no one had mentioned his liver transplant until she saw his scar. Ms. Mandy set a lot of good boundaries for Tanner, but still did so with warmth and compassion.
Then, there is Ms. Melonee. She came about the same time as Ms. Mandy. These women were so wonderful for Tanner. Ms. Melonee was especially fond of Tanner - in fact I think I heard "favorite" tossed around from time to time. Tanner was spoiled so very much by Ms. Melonee - she & Ms. Mandy made special desserts for him & they even cooked in the classroom with 20 pre-k kids (lord help them!). She also struck a real soft spot with Randy & I. Ms. Melonne was working toward her Civil Engineering degree. She struggled (as both of us did, too). We can't help but have a ton of respect for someone who was working their way through college and not giving up. I couldn't have asked for a better role model for my children.
Ms. Keighley was there from the first day of Tanner & Morgan's time at school. She cared for them in their toddler classroom - and then continued to have them in the Pre-K classroom. She had two boys of her own - and through everything she went through, she was always there. She was a constant, steady force - and it was somethign that was so very important to me in their preschool upbringing.
Poor, Ms. Tomi. When we signed up for preschool, we met with the director and gave them a list of our requirements for Tanner & Morgan (egg allergy, liver transplant, etc). However, when we arrived for the first day of school, there was a new director - and none of the information had been relayed! So, we gave Ms. Tomi a long letter of everything the kids needed - she never batted an eye. While she was never one of the primary teachers for either kids, she was always there and provided a lot of love and support for the kids (and mom & dad, too).
We were so blessed to have found such a wonderful daycare that cared for Tanner & Morgan for 19 months. We have a good school here, also, but it's still been a difficult transition. The new daycare seems to be excelled academically - it's exceptionally clean. The teachers are wonderful - most of them have been at the school for over three years. They even have several male teachers, which I think is a good influence for both kids. But, they don't provide lunches (this has become a bear of a chore) and it doesn't have a large outside area. The kids aren't getting enough energy burnt off during the day - and we are definitely feeling the effects of that at night. We will probably keep them there another 2 - 3 months, and evaluate our other options after they are 4 years old.
After a bone chilling month here in the Mile High City, we finally caught a break in the weather this weekend. We took the kids to a couple of different parks this weekend. You could tell they were so excited to burn off the energy. And, they fell asleep promptly tonight. Here are some pictures from today:
(Doesn't it look like they are plotting in the one below?)
Randy & I are hopeful that in a few more weeks, the house will look & feel more like home (we've made good progress - but we've still got some boxes that need unpacked). I think putting some of our ideas in the house will help, too. On tap - finishing off a space downstairs for a real office (and not a bedroom that is usd as an office). We surveyed the yard this afternoon - it needs quite a bit of TLC. The good news is that is appears to have a full sprinkler system. But, we've got lots of work to do - repairing or replacing part of the fence, removing a large amount of dead leaves, killing grass that has grown in the river rock areas, replacing some grass/sod, and leveling out the play areas). Eventually, we'll need to replace the deck boards on the deck - but we've probably got a few years for that. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon with some pictures of the new house.
Finaly note - if you haven't received our Christmas cards yet - it's because we haven't sent them! We'll send out letters soon with new address information - maybe we'll make it in time for Tanner's transplant anniversary...
Have a great week, everyone!
I'm going back and catching up some on the last month of my life that I seem to have lost. As we've slowly unpacked, Randy & I realized today that it had been over a month since we took any pictures of the kids. So - an update on life here...
Christmas. I think Christmas in the eyes of a three year old has got to be one of the better Christmases. These kids truly believed in Santa Claus - enough so to overcome their fears and sit on his lap (our first trip to Santa, too!).
We had a really good Christmas, although it wasn't the best for Tanner & Morgan. Yes, Santa Claus did make it to our house. And, while the upstairs Christmas tree was decked out on Christmas Eve...
The downstairs wasn't nearly as festive...
Tanner & Morgan opened all of their gifts (a. aren't the matching monkey pjs cute? b. yes, Tanner got a Cinderella for Christmas, that's what he asked for, and Santa doesn't follow typical gender rules).
And, then they were promptly packed for our impending move. The good news is that when they got to our home in Colorado - it was like Christmas all over again.
The 27th was Tanner & Morgan's last day at preschool. I can't tell you how hard that was for all of us. We had pizza brought in for lunch that day - and had also brought oreos. However, we were facing a large snowstorm and had to pull them out before they actually got to share the Oreos with their friends. I would post a picture of Tanner & Morgan with their best friend, Aiden - but I don't have permission to post his photos.
I will tell you all that Aiden broke my heart. When I picked them up from school, it was right at the end of naptime. Tanner got up and got his stuff - and gave Aiden a hug. Aiden then asked his teacher if he could give Morgan a hug. When that was done, Aiden came up to me and asked me if I was taking them home. I told him yes - and he asked if they were moving to Colorado (again, I told him yes). Then, he asked me if I would bring them back again - because he would miss them and they were his friends. What can you say to such a sweet kid like that? Aiden, buddy, Tanenr & Morgan still miss you.
And, the teachers who cared for these two...what can you say? You don't even realize how attached you are until it's time to go.
Here is Tanner with Ms. Mandy - while Ms. Mandy wasn't around for too long (I'm guessing about 6 months) - I think Tanner won her heart. I remember after one of her first few days, she came up to me and asked "what the heck had happened to that kid?" With all the information she had been given about Tanner (egg allergy, etc) - no one had mentioned his liver transplant until she saw his scar. Ms. Mandy set a lot of good boundaries for Tanner, but still did so with warmth and compassion.
Then, there is Ms. Melonee. She came about the same time as Ms. Mandy. These women were so wonderful for Tanner. Ms. Melonee was especially fond of Tanner - in fact I think I heard "favorite" tossed around from time to time. Tanner was spoiled so very much by Ms. Melonee - she & Ms. Mandy made special desserts for him & they even cooked in the classroom with 20 pre-k kids (lord help them!). She also struck a real soft spot with Randy & I. Ms. Melonne was working toward her Civil Engineering degree. She struggled (as both of us did, too). We can't help but have a ton of respect for someone who was working their way through college and not giving up. I couldn't have asked for a better role model for my children.
Ms. Keighley was there from the first day of Tanner & Morgan's time at school. She cared for them in their toddler classroom - and then continued to have them in the Pre-K classroom. She had two boys of her own - and through everything she went through, she was always there. She was a constant, steady force - and it was somethign that was so very important to me in their preschool upbringing.
Poor, Ms. Tomi. When we signed up for preschool, we met with the director and gave them a list of our requirements for Tanner & Morgan (egg allergy, liver transplant, etc). However, when we arrived for the first day of school, there was a new director - and none of the information had been relayed! So, we gave Ms. Tomi a long letter of everything the kids needed - she never batted an eye. While she was never one of the primary teachers for either kids, she was always there and provided a lot of love and support for the kids (and mom & dad, too).
We were so blessed to have found such a wonderful daycare that cared for Tanner & Morgan for 19 months. We have a good school here, also, but it's still been a difficult transition. The new daycare seems to be excelled academically - it's exceptionally clean. The teachers are wonderful - most of them have been at the school for over three years. They even have several male teachers, which I think is a good influence for both kids. But, they don't provide lunches (this has become a bear of a chore) and it doesn't have a large outside area. The kids aren't getting enough energy burnt off during the day - and we are definitely feeling the effects of that at night. We will probably keep them there another 2 - 3 months, and evaluate our other options after they are 4 years old.
After a bone chilling month here in the Mile High City, we finally caught a break in the weather this weekend. We took the kids to a couple of different parks this weekend. You could tell they were so excited to burn off the energy. And, they fell asleep promptly tonight. Here are some pictures from today:
(Doesn't it look like they are plotting in the one below?)
Randy & I are hopeful that in a few more weeks, the house will look & feel more like home (we've made good progress - but we've still got some boxes that need unpacked). I think putting some of our ideas in the house will help, too. On tap - finishing off a space downstairs for a real office (and not a bedroom that is usd as an office). We surveyed the yard this afternoon - it needs quite a bit of TLC. The good news is that is appears to have a full sprinkler system. But, we've got lots of work to do - repairing or replacing part of the fence, removing a large amount of dead leaves, killing grass that has grown in the river rock areas, replacing some grass/sod, and leveling out the play areas). Eventually, we'll need to replace the deck boards on the deck - but we've probably got a few years for that. Hopefully I'll be able to update soon with some pictures of the new house.
Finaly note - if you haven't received our Christmas cards yet - it's because we haven't sent them! We'll send out letters soon with new address information - maybe we'll make it in time for Tanner's transplant anniversary...
Have a great week, everyone!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Transitioning
Yes - I'm still here. Just slowly making the transition to the new home, new office, new position, and all that jazz.
Some days I think that I am doing ok...and then days like today hit and it's hard. I talked to our old neighbor today - damn, I miss them. This is the mom of the 3rd Amigo. They were there to bail us out whenever the kids became too much - and we did the same for them. We shared common values - goals - and our kids would have gone to school together. That's hard.
She told me what the new neighbors had done to our house....that's hard.
But...we're making this house home. I'm still stealing internet from our neighbors, but we hope to get that done this weekend. We hope to get some more boxes unpacked, maybe some pictures on the wall. Slowly, as we fill the house, it feels more like a home.
We're adapting to the elevation - and I made our first calls today to find a pediatrician for the kids.
We're getting our routine established. Thsi was our first week back at work. Randy's commute is long - and sometimes very trying. He's going to shift his work hours 30 minutes and see if that will help his commute.
The kids and I are getting settled into the drop-off & pick-up routine. Since I'm closer to the kids and work, that's my responsibility. It's going well so far. It only takes me 10 minutes to get to their school - 10 minutes to get them inside, unpacked, coats off, checked in, & ready for the day - and another 10 minutes to my work. Not too shabby.
We're getting there - slow and steady wins the race, right?
But...I still miss home...
Some days I think that I am doing ok...and then days like today hit and it's hard. I talked to our old neighbor today - damn, I miss them. This is the mom of the 3rd Amigo. They were there to bail us out whenever the kids became too much - and we did the same for them. We shared common values - goals - and our kids would have gone to school together. That's hard.
She told me what the new neighbors had done to our house....that's hard.
But...we're making this house home. I'm still stealing internet from our neighbors, but we hope to get that done this weekend. We hope to get some more boxes unpacked, maybe some pictures on the wall. Slowly, as we fill the house, it feels more like a home.
We're adapting to the elevation - and I made our first calls today to find a pediatrician for the kids.
We're getting our routine established. Thsi was our first week back at work. Randy's commute is long - and sometimes very trying. He's going to shift his work hours 30 minutes and see if that will help his commute.
The kids and I are getting settled into the drop-off & pick-up routine. Since I'm closer to the kids and work, that's my responsibility. It's going well so far. It only takes me 10 minutes to get to their school - 10 minutes to get them inside, unpacked, coats off, checked in, & ready for the day - and another 10 minutes to my work. Not too shabby.
We're getting there - slow and steady wins the race, right?
But...I still miss home...
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Carroling the new-fangled way
Since many of our friends and family are scattered across this great country, we thought we'd do our Christmas Carroling a bit differently this year.
We'll start out our set with one of children's favorite Christmas songs - Frosty the Snowman.
Oops...guess we'll have to work on the lyrics for that song. Let's try Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...
Much better! Now we're rolling....Jingle Bells...
An encore presentation of Here Comes Santa (check out history for Morgan's solo version yesterday).
One more quick song...
And, finally, Christmas greetings from our home to yours. May you have a safe & warm holiday season and be surrounded by family & friends.
We'll start out our set with one of children's favorite Christmas songs - Frosty the Snowman.
Oops...guess we'll have to work on the lyrics for that song. Let's try Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...
Much better! Now we're rolling....Jingle Bells...
An encore presentation of Here Comes Santa (check out history for Morgan's solo version yesterday).
One more quick song...
And, finally, Christmas greetings from our home to yours. May you have a safe & warm holiday season and be surrounded by family & friends.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Jokes
For some reason, my kids have just started to get the whole concept of a "joke". Yesterday, they came home from preschool with their first official joke.
"Where did Tigger look for Pooh?"
"In the toilet!"
Except Tanner forgets to hold out on the punch line....and Morgan's joke goes something more like this - "Tigger looks for Pooh in the toilet!"
"Where did Tigger look for Pooh?"
"In the toilet!"
Except Tanner forgets to hold out on the punch line....and Morgan's joke goes something more like this - "Tigger looks for Pooh in the toilet!"
Monday, December 03, 2007
The Flip That Flopped
We are under contract on a new home. We're excited - it's a Flip that Flopped. We know that we paid only about 7% more for the house than the current owners did. And, since then, they have finished 2100 sq ft in the basement, redone the kitchen, and redone the bathrooms.
The good news is that their is relatively little to do after the move-in. We need to install ceiling fans, paint Tanner's & Morgan's bedrooms, install adjustable shelving in the closet, and replace a few appliances (the one they installed were C H E A P).
We have a few outstanding issues to resolve - radon, sump pumps, and window screens -but nothing major that should hamper things.
The home is MUCH larger than what we really need - but it's in a central location with a huge backyard.
The packers will be here on 12/26, and we'll be loaded on 12/27. Our stuff will arrive at the new house between 12/29 - 12/31. What a way to ring in the new year, huh?
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Not the World's Best Negotiater
Setting: Just prior to naptime.
Characters: Morgan, Daddy
"How long do we have to take a nap for today, daddy?"
"Mmmmm....120 minutes."
"Oooohhhh, that's a long time.... Can we take a nap for 2 hours instead?"
Characters: Morgan, Daddy
"How long do we have to take a nap for today, daddy?"
"Mmmmm....120 minutes."
"Oooohhhh, that's a long time.... Can we take a nap for 2 hours instead?"
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
From the Mouths of Babes
Setting: Sunday after nap. Prior to nap we had explained to Tanner & Morgan that the house was going to sell.
Morgan: "Mommy, I am going to be very mad at you if you sell me."
Morgan: "Mommy, I am going to be very mad at you if you sell me."
Tear-Less
The decision to move / sell our home wasn't an easy one. And, the actual selling of the house has been difficult. Randy has taken it really hard - and rightfully so. Our blood, sweat, and tears are in that home - quite literally. It's a home that we designed and built - and we thought we'd grow pretty darn old there.
It hurts - and I have a small heartache. But, what I can't beleive tonight is that I haven't shed any tears yet. And, then it donned on me - I don't remember the last time I cried.
Oh, I've cried at Extreme Home Makeover and a few movies - but cried over my circumstances, our lives...I don't remember the last time. I think back to Tanner's transplant - I don't remember crying then.
I do remember crying the first few weeks that the kids were born - about Tanner's health circumstances, his PDA, wondering if he were going to make it. I remember crying in Randy's arms in our garage at the uncertainity of it all.
I remember curling up in a ball in our office when we found out about my mom & dad's accident when Tanner & Morgan were 3 weeks old. I remember bawling - fraught with fear - a whole range of emotions.
And, those are the last tears I remember...
I'm sure I would be a wonderful case for a psychologist - if only I had the time, energy, or money...
It hurts - and I have a small heartache. But, what I can't beleive tonight is that I haven't shed any tears yet. And, then it donned on me - I don't remember the last time I cried.
Oh, I've cried at Extreme Home Makeover and a few movies - but cried over my circumstances, our lives...I don't remember the last time. I think back to Tanner's transplant - I don't remember crying then.
I do remember crying the first few weeks that the kids were born - about Tanner's health circumstances, his PDA, wondering if he were going to make it. I remember crying in Randy's arms in our garage at the uncertainity of it all.
I remember curling up in a ball in our office when we found out about my mom & dad's accident when Tanner & Morgan were 3 weeks old. I remember bawling - fraught with fear - a whole range of emotions.
And, those are the last tears I remember...
I'm sure I would be a wonderful case for a psychologist - if only I had the time, energy, or money...
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sold
With only 9 days left on the market, our house sold yesterday. And, it sold for 97% of our listing price - so I feel like we got a good deal.
Our closing date is December 27th. That's six weeks - but we also have to find and purchase a home in Denver in that time. Not to mention that I am traveling for the next 3 weeks straight (2 weeks to Denver which will help with the home purchasing stuff).
But, it's not just that - it's all the other little (and big) stuff. Finding a new daycare for Tanner & Morgan, changing addresses, utility accounts, selling some stuff, finalizing with the movers, getting new cell phones, packing, unpacking. It's going to be a busy 6-1/2 weeks.
I don't think it's all quite sunk in yet. This house has so much sentimmental attachment, but it just hasn't hit me yet. I don't know if I've already dealt with that when we decided to list the house - or my brain is too busy making to do lists to worry about it.
Our closing date is December 27th. That's six weeks - but we also have to find and purchase a home in Denver in that time. Not to mention that I am traveling for the next 3 weeks straight (2 weeks to Denver which will help with the home purchasing stuff).
But, it's not just that - it's all the other little (and big) stuff. Finding a new daycare for Tanner & Morgan, changing addresses, utility accounts, selling some stuff, finalizing with the movers, getting new cell phones, packing, unpacking. It's going to be a busy 6-1/2 weeks.
I don't think it's all quite sunk in yet. This house has so much sentimmental attachment, but it just hasn't hit me yet. I don't know if I've already dealt with that when we decided to list the house - or my brain is too busy making to do lists to worry about it.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
I'm Ashamed to Admit....
I used google today to verify something that my three-year-old was telling me. Morgan sat at the dinner table tonight and spelled her name in Sign Language. Now, I learned sign language in about 5th grade as part of my brownie troup - but I could not remember it (specifically the letter g).
I can just see the show now - "Are you smarter than a 3 Year Old?"
I can just see the show now - "Are you smarter than a 3 Year Old?"
Saturday, October 27, 2007
At the Pumpkin Patch
Tanner & Morgan convinced us to make a trip to the pumpkin patch. We weren't going to since we had already done Jack-O-Laterns with Grandma, but our Jack-O-Laterns had an early demise.
So, here we are at the farm that we bought our pumpkins from this morning.
So, here we are at the farm that we bought our pumpkins from this morning.
Friday, October 26, 2007
And the winner is....
Where is the strangest place you've hidden things before showing your house?
I'm going with underneath the computer scanner lid....
I'm going with underneath the computer scanner lid....
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
How do you...
convince your 3-1/2 year old daughter that girls don't pee standing up?
Please...this has been going on for waaayyyy too long now.
Please...this has been going on for waaayyyy too long now.
Friday, October 19, 2007
I Hate Cell Phones
Warning: Rant ahead.
I hate cell phones. Granted, they are handy at times. Say I'm in Target and I need to call my mom and see if she's been looking for something, I can make a quick call. It's handy when I'm out of town and need to stay in touch with my family. I even like the peace of mind knowing that if my kids need me, they can reach me at any time.
What do I hate about cell phones? I think it's the fact that it implies urgence. There are so many times when the situation doesn't call for that.
I absolutely refuse to call customers on their cell phones. I'll have Sales Reps say to me, "call them on their cell phones, they'll answer their cell phones". But I'm not calling for something urgent - it can surely wait until they are back in their office. I don't like people asking me to call them on their cell phone - again, it's not urgent - I'll leave a message. I figure if what I have to say is important enough or interesting enough, they'll call me back. Right?
I hate talking to someone on their cell phone. The coverage is often lousy, you can hear people talking in the background or wind blowing - it's distracting, it's too difficult to talk to them.
I think driving and talking on the cell phone is unsafe (particularly without a hands free device). I don't want to be responsible for someone else's misfortune.
I don't have to be availbe to work 24 / 7. It's healthy to get away from work folks, really, it is.
Really, folks - a personal conversation while you are grocery shopping? It's not only rude to the person on the phone, but to the other shoppers as well. And, don't even get me started on having a conversation while you are checking out / having a secondary conversation with a cashier. Seriously people - can it really not wait?
I like talking to people, and I literally seem to spend about 6 hours a day on my phone talking to people. I enjoy hearing from our customers and working with them...just don't call me on my cell phone.
I hate cell phones. Granted, they are handy at times. Say I'm in Target and I need to call my mom and see if she's been looking for something, I can make a quick call. It's handy when I'm out of town and need to stay in touch with my family. I even like the peace of mind knowing that if my kids need me, they can reach me at any time.
What do I hate about cell phones? I think it's the fact that it implies urgence. There are so many times when the situation doesn't call for that.
I absolutely refuse to call customers on their cell phones. I'll have Sales Reps say to me, "call them on their cell phones, they'll answer their cell phones". But I'm not calling for something urgent - it can surely wait until they are back in their office. I don't like people asking me to call them on their cell phone - again, it's not urgent - I'll leave a message. I figure if what I have to say is important enough or interesting enough, they'll call me back. Right?
I hate talking to someone on their cell phone. The coverage is often lousy, you can hear people talking in the background or wind blowing - it's distracting, it's too difficult to talk to them.
I think driving and talking on the cell phone is unsafe (particularly without a hands free device). I don't want to be responsible for someone else's misfortune.
I don't have to be availbe to work 24 / 7. It's healthy to get away from work folks, really, it is.
Really, folks - a personal conversation while you are grocery shopping? It's not only rude to the person on the phone, but to the other shoppers as well. And, don't even get me started on having a conversation while you are checking out / having a secondary conversation with a cashier. Seriously people - can it really not wait?
I like talking to people, and I literally seem to spend about 6 hours a day on my phone talking to people. I enjoy hearing from our customers and working with them...just don't call me on my cell phone.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Charity
I had a garage sale this weekend - and it was much different than I had anticipated. I expected that the hot items would be kids clothes & toys. So not the case - but all of the household stuff is gone. That was a big relief.
So, I decided to do something charitable with the clothes. We hand down Tanner's clothes to my nephew, Brayan, but we can't find anyone to hand Morgan's clothes down to. Morgan has some beautiful clothes - and way too many. Most of them are really in great shape.
I contacted a children's shelter to see if they would accept the clothing. They only accept NEW clothes! Really? I love hand-me-down for my kids - and you won't accept them? What? These are really nice, outfits (pants, shirt, sweater, socks, headbands - OUTFITS) that are mostly Baby Gap, Gymboree, or boutique brands...Does that seem totally wrong or what?
So, I decided to do something charitable with the clothes. We hand down Tanner's clothes to my nephew, Brayan, but we can't find anyone to hand Morgan's clothes down to. Morgan has some beautiful clothes - and way too many. Most of them are really in great shape.
I contacted a children's shelter to see if they would accept the clothing. They only accept NEW clothes! Really? I love hand-me-down for my kids - and you won't accept them? What? These are really nice, outfits (pants, shirt, sweater, socks, headbands - OUTFITS) that are mostly Baby Gap, Gymboree, or boutique brands...Does that seem totally wrong or what?
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Big Brother
Yesterday, Morgan came home with some scratches on her leg. She proclaimed that "Ethan did it."
This morning, on the way to school - I hear Morgan & Tanner talking.
Morgan: "Tanner, Ethan scratched me."
Tanner: "I'm going to tell Aiden." (Aiden is his best friend at school.)
Morgan: "Yeah, let's tell Aiden."
Tanner: "And then I am going to spit on Ethan."
WHOA. (insert sounds of screaching trucks coming to a halt here)
I did explain to them that hitting / biting/ spitting / kicking were not okay, and that I was sure Ethan had only accidnetally scratched Morgan.
But, deep down, I was really proud that he was protecting his sister.
This morning, on the way to school - I hear Morgan & Tanner talking.
Morgan: "Tanner, Ethan scratched me."
Tanner: "I'm going to tell Aiden." (Aiden is his best friend at school.)
Morgan: "Yeah, let's tell Aiden."
Tanner: "And then I am going to spit on Ethan."
WHOA. (insert sounds of screaching trucks coming to a halt here)
I did explain to them that hitting / biting/ spitting / kicking were not okay, and that I was sure Ethan had only accidnetally scratched Morgan.
But, deep down, I was really proud that he was protecting his sister.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Too Cute
Good news: We've had some interest in our house lately. We've got one couple who we believe have been here two - maybe three times - and possibly another who is interested.
Bad news: You have to vacate the house when they want to tour it. 95% of the time, this will occur between 1 - 2 p.m. For those of you with toddlers, you know what time that is, right? Naptime.
My solution - ICE CREAM. I mean, really, even when they're tired and cranky, it's good enough bribery to keep them behaving somewhat. The Dairy Queen is somewhat close (8 miles), it'd take almost exactly an hour, it was safe from the rain showers, and the opposite direction from the race track.
The best part of the whole trip, listening to Morgan talk about going to "Dairy Cream".
Bad news: You have to vacate the house when they want to tour it. 95% of the time, this will occur between 1 - 2 p.m. For those of you with toddlers, you know what time that is, right? Naptime.
My solution - ICE CREAM. I mean, really, even when they're tired and cranky, it's good enough bribery to keep them behaving somewhat. The Dairy Queen is somewhat close (8 miles), it'd take almost exactly an hour, it was safe from the rain showers, and the opposite direction from the race track.
The best part of the whole trip, listening to Morgan talk about going to "Dairy Cream".
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Angels
One of the stark realities of being submerged into the medical world, is that we've been introduced to too many children who have left this world way too early. Liver disease isn't pretty. It's sometimes hard for me to realize that if Tanner had been born a generation ago, his odds of survial would have been around 20%. It's still hard to realize that even today, a child with Biliary Atresia chances of survival are around 80%.
When we were first submerged into this liver world, three families surrounded us with love, warmth, understanding, and friendship. Two of those families, Aiden's and Anthony's, had very similar stories to Tanner's. They were little boys, born with Biliary Atresia, had liver transplant when they were under 1 year old, and have done well since then.
The other, was Haley's family. Aiden's mom and Haley's mom were very close - and the four of us would often chat on AOL Instant Messenger. Haley's story was very different - she had Autoimmune Hepatitis, and she wasn't diagnosed until she was in childhood.
Haley had a love and compassoin for the other little kids touched by liver disease. She had a true compassion for them - and she reached out to them in the most special way. Haley was a gifted singer and songwriter - she wrote songs for these kids. Beautiful, relevant, funny songs. Billy Rubin talks about bilirubin being a mean fellow and turning her skin yellow, Prednisone talked about the ill effects that this commonly used steroid can have on our liver kids, and Hots! was written for Aiden who used to enjoy McDonald's French Fries after his regular lab draws. But, my favorite song is Everywhere - which talks about her strong faith in God, even through her illness.
Haley had so much spunk. She had a massive brain bleed in February 2005. During surgery, they shaved part of her head - and when she saw it, her comment was "You should never let a neurosurgeon cut your hair." This girl was flooded with hats that people sent her to wear while her hair grew back in. And, what did she do? She shared them with other kids who didn't have hair (many of them cancer patients). She sang at fundraisers whenever possible.
Two years ago on Monday, October 1, Haley lost her fight. At the time, she was just a little over a month away from her 12th birthday. I still remember when I first heard that she'd gone home to heaven. It still hurts me, two years later - I can't imagine the pain that her family endures on a daily basis. Haley's legacy continues in a foundation that her parents started in her honor - The Haley Vincent Foundation. Through this foundation, they send out care packages to kids who are in the hospital due to liver disease and transplant.
I don't talk about it often on this website, although I really should. Organ donors save lives. If Haley had gotten a transplant, she might still be with us here today. I could list a long list of names here - all children who died waiting for a liver transplant or from complications from getting their transplant after they were too sick. These are children - not people who have abused their livers through drink, alcohol, or drugs. There are over 90,000 people waiting for an organ donation right now. Please consider being an organ donor - and make sure that your family is aware of your decision. To find out more about organ donation, please go here.
Angel Haley, we still miss you, girl.
When we were first submerged into this liver world, three families surrounded us with love, warmth, understanding, and friendship. Two of those families, Aiden's and Anthony's, had very similar stories to Tanner's. They were little boys, born with Biliary Atresia, had liver transplant when they were under 1 year old, and have done well since then.
The other, was Haley's family. Aiden's mom and Haley's mom were very close - and the four of us would often chat on AOL Instant Messenger. Haley's story was very different - she had Autoimmune Hepatitis, and she wasn't diagnosed until she was in childhood.
Haley had a love and compassoin for the other little kids touched by liver disease. She had a true compassion for them - and she reached out to them in the most special way. Haley was a gifted singer and songwriter - she wrote songs for these kids. Beautiful, relevant, funny songs. Billy Rubin talks about bilirubin being a mean fellow and turning her skin yellow, Prednisone talked about the ill effects that this commonly used steroid can have on our liver kids, and Hots! was written for Aiden who used to enjoy McDonald's French Fries after his regular lab draws. But, my favorite song is Everywhere - which talks about her strong faith in God, even through her illness.
Haley had so much spunk. She had a massive brain bleed in February 2005. During surgery, they shaved part of her head - and when she saw it, her comment was "You should never let a neurosurgeon cut your hair." This girl was flooded with hats that people sent her to wear while her hair grew back in. And, what did she do? She shared them with other kids who didn't have hair (many of them cancer patients). She sang at fundraisers whenever possible.
Two years ago on Monday, October 1, Haley lost her fight. At the time, she was just a little over a month away from her 12th birthday. I still remember when I first heard that she'd gone home to heaven. It still hurts me, two years later - I can't imagine the pain that her family endures on a daily basis. Haley's legacy continues in a foundation that her parents started in her honor - The Haley Vincent Foundation. Through this foundation, they send out care packages to kids who are in the hospital due to liver disease and transplant.
I don't talk about it often on this website, although I really should. Organ donors save lives. If Haley had gotten a transplant, she might still be with us here today. I could list a long list of names here - all children who died waiting for a liver transplant or from complications from getting their transplant after they were too sick. These are children - not people who have abused their livers through drink, alcohol, or drugs. There are over 90,000 people waiting for an organ donation right now. Please consider being an organ donor - and make sure that your family is aware of your decision. To find out more about organ donation, please go here.
Angel Haley, we still miss you, girl.
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