This Beautiful Mess

Random Thoughts and Weekend Plans

2010-01-15T07:31:00.000-08:00

Tyler ISD takes some whacky holidays. We get a random day off about once a month. I think they call them "teacher work days" or some nonsense, but I'm looking out the window and I don't see any vehicles in the parking lot over there. Are they working from home?! We've always had a break on Martin Luther King Jr's birthday, but our school district decided to turn it into a 4-day weekend. So I decided to take a 4-day weekend, too! :)

Today, Madi and I are being lazy with two of our favorite people: Madi's BFF Baily, and Baily's baby brother, Lane. And it has been some serious lazy around here! All of us are still in our pj's, the girls slept 'til 9:15, and Lane is napping right now. We're waiting for him to wake up so we can play with him! It's pretty much a perfect day!

Tomorrow is the 2nd meeting of the Tyler Area 2010 Camaro Club! I have to admit, when these folks first contacted me, I laughed. A lot. I thought it was sooo silly, and I wasn't going to go. Madi talked me into it, because she wanted to see all of the other Camaros. (She's kind of a huge fan, now that we have one.) It was actually a lot of fun, and seeing all those cars together was pretty stinkin' cool! So I think we'll go tomorrow and see all of our friends (car and human), and check out our new additions. :)

Sunday is, of course, Cowboys Sunday, and we'll be hosting another party at our house. So fun!! My 3 favorite food groups will be represented: burgers and brats and junk food! Oh, and I love football. Have I mentioned that lately? GO COWBOYS!

Monday will be Casey Day. I'm cashing in my gift certificate for a one-hour massage, manicure, and deluxe pedicure. I love to be pampered. I am SO looking forward to Monday!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend as much as I will!

It's Just Stuff

2010-01-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

I was reminded this week of what it means to be a Good Samaritan.

A local man was cooking breakfast in his home when he heard a loud crash outside. The East Texas Deep Freeze we are currently living in had caused the road outside of his home to ice over, and a truck had left the roadway and flipped, coming to rest against a tree. He ran outside to check on the occupants of the truck and offer assistance.

In his hurried departure from his kitchen, he left a hot skillet on the stove. A few minutes after heading outside to help two complete strangers, he turned around to see his home engulfed in flames. Apparently the grease from the skillet ignited a fire in his kitchen, and within moments his entire home was consumed.

In an interview with local news reporters, he said that he had run inside to retreive his dog, and to move the skillet from the stove to stop the fire. The smoke was too thick and he had to get out. Aside from his dog, he lost everything. He had no insurance.

The driver and passenger of the truck were ok, but visibly shaken - possibly from the wreck, but more likely because of the complete act of selflessness that another human had just displayed.

In a follow up interview with the local man, who had returned to his home the next day to try to salvage something from the shell of his home, the reporter asked if he would do it again. He didn't hesitate, never stumbled - he said yes. Given the same circumstances with the same outcome, he would do it again.

This 60-year-old man, now homeless and without any worldly possessions except the clothes on his body and the dog by his side, taught me an incredible lesson.

It's just stuff. And it's not worth more than the safety of another human being.

Every time I get a new claim, I take a recorded statement from each of the involved parties. There are several questions about their personal info, the scene of the accident, and what happened. But there are two questions that I ask every time to which I rarely get the answer I'm hoping for: Were there any witnesses? Did anyone stop to help? Nine times out of ten, the answer is "no." NO?! Were people so busy that day that they forgot what it meant to be human?! To CARE about the safety and condition of people around them?

A man heard a crash outside of his house, stopped what he was doing, and ran outside to help. He could have stayed inside. He could have ignored the sound of the crash, or dismissed it as someone else's problem. But he didn't.

And his story touched my heart. So I am sharing it, in the hopes of maybe changing the way others react to the people and circumstances around them.

Pass It On

2010-01-04T18:33:00.000-08:00

Madison and I enjoyed a UT-Tyler basketball game yesterday, courtesy of her (read: her father's) fabulous cookie dough selling skills. I didn't realize how much I know about basketball until I was seated next to an inquisitive 10-year-old who likes to know everything...about everything.

Lucky for her, I was in an "answering" mood!

She wanted to know all about scoring. Why are those worth 3, but those are only worth 2? How come that guy gets to stand there and shoot for free, and all those other guys have to just watch? Why do they get to grab the ball if it doesn't go in after the 2nd free shot, but not the 1st one?

And then there were the scoreboards, and all their fancy lights. What does the "B" mean? What about the arrow? What's a jump ball?

For nearly two hours, I shared with her every detail that I could think to tell her about the sport of basketball. I've spent an entire football season teaching her what I know about the pigskin. (Which honestly isn't much, compared to most. I didn't discover my love for football until about 4 years ago.) It wasn't that we sat down together and I schooled her on how to play - it just happened. She has questions, and I have answers. Usually.

It made me realize that, as parents, we are a wealth of information and knowledge just waiting to be summoned. I'm sure I've always known that, though sometimes I'm guilty of not taking the time to stop and share. But why do we wait for the questions before we share the answers? Why DON'T we take the time to share what we know at every opportunity?

I always struggle with "resolutions" as each new year begins. I don't like to place a time stamp on the changes or improvements I'd like to make in my life. I want them to be more than a cliche.

But as I sat next to my daughter, remembering what it was like to be so young and wide-eyed, and full of questions and life and open-mindedness, I realized that I MUST make a change. I must always remember to share what I know, to help shape her into a well-rounded, intelligent, thoughtful individual who will hopefully one day have the chance to pass on a small slice of what I've taught her.

I must always remember to pass it on....

I think we'll be taking advantage of every possible UT-Tyler sporting event. :)

A New Year...a Renewed Me!

2010-01-03T19:52:00.000-08:00

I know it's very cliche - everyone is "restarting" their blog as they welcome 2010. It's the "in" thing to do. All the cool kids are doing it. What can I say - I'm a lemming.

Actually, I'm not. I'm me. And I need to keep a record of the "me" that I am constantly becoming. Each year, as the calendar rolls to another January, I seem to remember less and less of the preceeding 11 months. As I get older, life seems to accelerate at a higher rate of speed. I can remember being on Christmas break as a kid in school - it felt like an eternity! There was plenty of time to play with friends, to explore new toys, to eat delicious food, to annoy my sister. The possibilities were limitless. Now I sit here wondering how in the world it is already January 3rd. And 2010?! Seriously?? How did THAT happen?

So on my honor, I will try to update this blog regularly. I won't call it a resolution. I'll call it a revolution, from the Latin revolutio, "a turn around." Hold on and enjoy the ride!

Abandonment...

2009-01-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

...of this blog is a direct result of my involvement with - nay, ADDICTION TO - Facebook!

If you have not yet been drawn into the time-sucking machine that is Facebook, you should join. Now. You will be amazed at the number of people that will find you. You will be amazed at how easy it is to keep up with all of the important people in your life, in one place! You'll be amazed at how dirty your house gets as you search feverishly for old friends and classmates! You'll be amazed at how glossy your eyes become after staring at a computer screen for hours on end. You'll be amazed at how much later you can stay up at night. You'll just be amazed.

Seriously.

Join Facebook.

I heart eBay!

2008-10-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've sold anything on eBay. It's usually clothes or shoes that Mini Me has outgrown, or random household items that aren't worth much. It's just a thrill to watch the price balloon...even if it's just a few dollars!

But THIS time is different. This time, our junk is actually worth something!!

When the Hubby upgraded his computer, we were left with several random computer parts. We also upgraded our phones recently. I'm not gonna lie and say I'm the neatest neat-freak around, because everyone who knows me knows that would be the most obvious fabrication ever spoken. But when I'm surrounded by wires, fans, and assorted shiny metal objects that obviously don't belong among my "decor," I just want to scream!

So I dusted off the eBay username and password, and started posting. At first, it was just one phone...just to see what we'd get. For your reference, a used Sony Ericsson Walkman phone is worth about $150.00! Who knew?!

That was it...I was hooked.

Two more cell phones...SOLD!

Then it was time to post the computer stuff. After an extended photo shoot, we were ready to sell. I decided to only post 2 or 3 items at a time, so I can stagger the auction end times (and the shipping). The first 3 went live last Sunday, and end today. Two more will end this week, and I have 2 more items to post today.

I have literally spent the last week (at work, at home, AND on the iPhone) constantly hitting "refresh." I can't help myself. It's an addiction!!

If you're interested, here's our seller page:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/cande1998

I'm not sure what I am going to do when everything has sold. I suppose I'll be tearing the house apart and shopping the clearance racks, scavenging for something cheap to sell!

I think I need intervention....

Take a Hike, Ike!

2008-09-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

Hello from soggy East Texas!

I don't have any pictures to upload for this post. Fortunately, there isn't much to photograph in our area. We are still getting some pretty heavy "wispy" wind, and a constant drizzle, but we've not seen ANYTHING like we expected.

We've been tuned to MSNBC all day, and the footage from the destruction along the Gulf Coast is, once again, heartbreaking. It never ceases to amaze me how powerful nature can be. Incredible and awesome, but devastating and terrible at the same time. Landmarks that have stood for decades are gone in a blink. Homes and lives are turned upside-down with every crashing wave and howling wind.

And yet, the morons remain. I just have to vent a bit: WHO THE HECK TRIES TO RIDE OUT A HURRICANE ANYMORE?!?! This morning, I awoke to news that the local emergency agencies along the coast had received hundreds of calls throughout the night from people "begging for rescue." I'm sorry, but if you choose to stay until the last possible minute - in spite of numerous warnings as strong as "if you stay, you'll face certain death" - you don't get to call for help when the storm is half-way into landfall. In my opinion, you don't "deserve" rescue. That's not to say that your life is somehow worth less. But if there are people who are truly trapped in other areas, they should get priority. And emergency & rescue personnel should NOT have to risk their lives to save your crazy butt.

OK I'm done. For now. :)

ANYway, I've spoken with everyone in my office today except K2, and we are the only ones who still have power. In the words of my amazing 8-year-old, "we are blessed." So it appears that we were spared any damage or major weather activity here in the beautiful Piney Woods.

If that changes, I'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, please continue to keep those affected by Gustav and Ike in your thoughts and prayers. They've got a long road to recovery ahead....

Caution: Slow Blog Ahead

2008-08-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

To all of you whom I love so dearly, who check my blog regularly only to be greeted with the same old stuff...I'm SOOOO sorry! Life, as it is for all of us, goes by so quickly, leaving little time for simple pleasures.

I will update this week with something a little more exciting, and on my honor I will try to keep the updates slightly more regular!

Stay tuned...

"S" is for S-M-A-R-T!

2008-02-10T15:30:00.001-08:00

Mini Me competed in her very first East Texas Regional Spelling Bee! She placed 2nd among all of the second graders at her school, so she was able to advance to the "Big Show."

There were nearly 40 kids competing in the Bee, and she finished 12th! She practiced and studied, and we couldn't be more proud of her special accomplishment!

In typical parent-error fashion, we kind of breezed over the easy words, and spent most of our time on the more complicated words. She aced the spelling of the word "metal." Unfortunately, they wanted the spelling for "medal." (It turns out that one of the other kids from her school got the word "meddle." That's gotta be terribly confusing for 8-year-olds!)

The pronouncer for the spelling bee was Christine Nelson, the anchor for our local ABC affiliate. We love her! It was exciting to get to meet her and take a picture with her!

Next year, we will be at a different elementary school. The school is new this year, and did not compete in the bee. We intend to make sure that they compete next year, so Mini Me will have another opportunity to dazzle us with her sensational spelling!!

Moving Right Along...

2008-02-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to update a few photos of the progress on the house.

The slab was poured last week, before the wretched weather set in. Fortunately, it had enough time to set/dry/whatever concrete does before the rain started.

The storms rolled through last weekend, and then on Tuesday the climax arrived -- with monster hail, wind gusts around 60 mph, and more...rain. Happy freakin' Mardi Gras!

Finally, on Thursday of this week, the framing started.

I couldn't get any good ones inside, because all of the supports are still in place. Once they remove those, I should be able to get some interior photos. Of course, you can't tell squat from a bunch of pictures of raw wood nailed together, but it's exciting to ME.

Yesterday, they built the stairs. That's a discernable feature. I'll try to take pictures tomorrow...you SHOULD be able to tell what that is in a photo. :)

We've had a LOT of traffic through our current home. In fact, a couple looked at it yesterday and are wanting to put a contingency contract on it. YaY!

Building a Dream

2008-01-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

Our new house has a footprint!

For those who may not know, we decided to build a new home. We love our current home, and know that it will be very difficult to leave. It's our first! However, we are definitely feeling the "growing pains" that are associated with children getting older and plans changing. We've looked around a bit to see what homes are available, but we've ultimately decided to build the home that fits us perfectly, and that will meet our needs for many, many years to come!

On Monday, our new home took shape! The footprint of the foundation was laid on January 14, and today the plumbing was routed. The post-tensioning cables have been dropped off at the property, so it looks like the foundation will be poured shortly after the plumbing is complete.

We are so excited!!

I think the biggest adjustment will be that Mini Me will be attending a different elementary school. She's slowly warming up to the idea, but she LOVES her current school. We all do! She especially loves the friends that she has there...and although she knows several kids who attend the new school, she is nervous about leaving the comforts of familiarity.

On a (VERY) positive note, this is the view from our house:

That big, beautiful building is Mini Me's new school!! I have ALWAYS wanted to live in walking distance to school. You can't get much closer than across the street!!

I'll keep you posted as the build progresses. In the meantime, please keep us in your prayers as we wait for a buyer for our current home.

Christmas Goodness

2007-12-25T13:41:00.001-08:00

I love Christmas. I always have. It's my absolute favorite time of the year. Frantic shopping leads to finding that PERFECT gift. Careful planning leads to delicious meals. Months of anticipation lead to wonderful memories of time shared with family and friends.

This year has been a bit of a funk -- a combined result of personal and work issues that all slammed down at once. I admit, I let it get the best of me. I allowed it to seep in and, on occasion, steal my joy.

But I have a beautiful 8-year-old who reminds me of the source of my joy, and the very reason why I love Christmas so much: Jesus. She wrote a letter to Santa at school that was published in the Tyler Paper, and the first thing she wrote was that she celebrates Christmas because it is Jesus' birthday. She reminds us as we are opening gifts that Jesus is the reason for our little party. She sings in her sweet voice songs about Jesus' birth. She can tell you the meaning behind every color and aspect of the Candy Cane as it relates to Jesus.

She reminds me to seek Jesus, and my joy is restored.

And so, today, as I sit in a sea of dirty dishes, torn wrapping paper, tiny bits of toy packaging, and a huge mound of new toys and clothes (as if we NEEDED any more), I feel joy.

I am joyful that I was able to spend a tiny sliver of my holidays with my family in Baton Rouge. The time always passes so fast when we are all together, but it is time I will always treasure. My family is amazing.

I am joyful that we are all happy and healthy for another year and counting. I know that we are blessed beyond measure.

I am joyful that I am gainfully employed, despite my constant complaining -- and that I am surrounded by my own little "family" among the cubicles. Our jobs are not easy, but whose are?

I am joyful that I have a church family that surrounds me with love and support and friendship and encouragement, and that I can literally see the Lord working there. I am joyful that Mission Tyler was able to rebuild the Jeffersons' home, just in time for a Christmas homecoming! God is so good!

I am joyful that I have a Saviour who loves me more than life itself.

And, of course, I must add some silliness in here: I am joyful that Greenberg Turkeys is located in Tyler, TX. Oprah and I don't have a lot in common, but she has featured these smoked turkeys on her list of Favorite Things in the past, and she is SO right. We last had a Greenberg turkey several years ago, and this year I decided to get another one. They are SO delicious, and require NO preparation aside from carving. That is a definite win-win combo for me.

Their website is www.gobblegobble.com, they'll ship anywhere in the U.S, and they ROCK. Just another little slice of Christmas Goodness.

Tomorrow, I return to the daily grind of estimating, and arguing, and angry people. But today, I feel joy. And I pray that the joy of Jesus will stay with me tomorrow and throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas!!

Halloween Fun!

2007-11-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

Halloween is so much fun! I have lots of memories of Halloween as a child...carving pumpkins, toasting seeds, trick-or-treating, dressing up in fun costumes with my sister! For us, it was never a "Devil's Holiday," it was a chance for kids to be kids and for grown-ups to be kids, too! Of course, it was never as important as Christmas or Thanksgiving or Easter, but it was a different kind of special.

This year, for the first time in several years, we carved pumpkins. Oh, not just one. Mini-Me decided she wanted one for each of us. Including the cat.

Chloe's pumpkin was a pie pumpkin, because it was the perfect size for the family pet. Mini-Me decided she wanted to paint Chloe. First, we drew a kitty face. Then, Mini-Me made Pumpkin Chloe come to life with lots of color and care!

She also really wanted to dig in to the pumpkins this year...including getting all the slimy, goopy insides out! She did a great job, but I think her initial reaction to the feeling was just priceless:

She's usually such a girlie girl! I was very proud of her for putting her hands in those pumpkins. We were going to toast the seeds, but I think our pumpkins were a little dated since we waited so late in the season to buy them. So we opted to save that for next year! We scoured the internet for carving ideas, and found three perfect faces! One looks like Jack from A Nightmare Before Christmas, one is a silly ghost, and one is a creepy ghoul! We had so much fun carving them. Here is the finished product:

Mini-Me had originally wanted to be a cat for Halloween, but we never could find a costume she really liked, and I didn't have time to make one. Her second choice was the devil costume, which I was slightly opposed to at first. I decided that she could wear it for the school carnival, and for Halloween -- but NOT for the church festival! (She was a salsa dancer for that one.)

She turned out to be the cutest little devil I've ever seen!

We were really anxious for Halloween this year. As she gets older, it's so much fun to share her excitement as the various holidays approach! Now, we are seriously counting down for Thanksgiving. (Naturally, I haven't told her that I am actually counting down to Black Friday...my favorite shopping day EVER!)

It's The Great Pumpkin!

2007-10-28T11:33:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not exactly THE Great Pumpkin...but Charlie Brown and his crew were definitely at Pappy's Pumpkin Patch yesterday!

There's a place just outside of Tyler called the Bell Family Farm, and evidently they open their farm to the community every fall. There's a playground and hayrides and mini-train rides, and you can feed the fish in the pond...and, of course, you can search for the perfect pumpkin! At the beginning of the season, they brought in over 1,000 pumpkins. We went on the last day, so the pickins were slim!

Mini Me found a few that she thought were perfect. She's such a dainty, petite little thing, she had a little trouble lifting them from the ground. But that girl is determined...much like her Momma. SO finally, after much grunting and groaning, she was able to heave one for a photo op!

I was so proud!

The past several days have been just beautiful weather-wise, and yesterday was certainly no disappointment. We went a little late in the day, so the shadows were long...but I love this picture!

I think we've just started a new family tradition. Next year, we'll try to go earlier in the season, when the pumpkins are plentiful.

Eight years...gone in a flash!

2007-10-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

I honestly don't know where the time has gone! Mini Me turned EIGHT on Monday, and it seems like just yesterday she looked like this:

My beautiful baby girl is becoming my beautiful, strong, independent, intelligent young lady! Of course, she'll always be my baby girl, too. But she's just blossoming into this wonderful little person right before my eyes. It's just hard to believe eight years have passed.

The party was a blast! We had it at Build-A-Buddy, which was fabulous! Our hostesses were wonderful, and the girls had a really great time. They played tons of games...4 corners, Hokey Pokey, Freeze Dance, and of course The Limbo!

Her four very best friends were all able to make it to the party, so I think that really made it even more special! They danced and sang High School Musical songs and ate cake and laughed and played and danced some more! Ahhhhh to be a kid again!

After allowing me a one-year hiatus, Mini Me decided she wanted a homemade cake again. I intended to do a cut-out cake like I used to do, but time just snuck up on us (Rose Festival Queen's Tea on Friday afternoon, shopping with Grandma Friday evening, soccer game on Saturday morning, Party on Saturday afternoon...phew!). SO I did my best to try to draw a fluffy little girlie bear on her cake. It's no Picasso, but I was pretty proud of it!

And here is the Birthday Princess herself...Her Majesty...Mini Me!

It really was a wonderful birthday. By the time I blink again, another year will have passed. I've got to learn how to slow this time thing down....

A Great Song!

2007-10-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

I have been a Caedmon's Call fan for years. They are an awesome Christian folk/rock band from Houston, TX. I first heard them while I was at Tech, and I've been hooked ever since!

They've recently released a new album called Overdressed. I love this album...and especially this song. It's called Sacred, and it's so perfect for Moms. The female singer in the band was pregnant with her first child when I was pregnant with Mini Me. It's so great to hear songs by Moms for Moms!

My favorite lyrics are "teach me to run to You like they run to me for every little thing." It's a great reminder that God is our "Daddy," and He wants us to come to him like a child.

I wish I knew how to imbed a music file on here...I'll have to figure it out. For now, here are the lyrics:

"sacred"

this house is a good mess
it’s the proof of life
no way would I trade jobs
but it don’t pay overtime

I’ll get to the laundry
I don’t know when
I’m saying a prayer tonight
cause tomorrow it starts again

could it be that everything is sacred?
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes

the children are sleeping
but they’re running through my mind
the sun makes them happy
and the music makes them unwind

my cup runneth over
and I worry about the stain
teach me to run to You
like they run to me for every little thing

when I forget to drink from you
I can feel the banks harden
Lord, make me like a stream
to feed the garden

wake up, little sleeper
the Lord, God Almighty
made your Mama keeper
so rise and shine
rise and shine
rise and shine cause

everything is sacred
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes

Creepy-Crawlies!

2007-10-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

That's the best description of the feeling I get when I am forced to deal with the (nearly) inevitable: HEAD LICE.

Yes, it has descended on Mini Me's classroom. Yes, it found its way into her beautiful hair. Yes, I am about to yank my OWN hair out trying to rid our house of these nasty little pests.

Nearly two weeks ago, she came home from school and told me that her friend had head lice. She said that the nurse had checked all of the girls in class, and that no one else had it. She never seemed particularly itchy/scratchy, so I figured it was an isolated incident. Fast forward to this past Sunday....

We were just waking up, and I noticed that Mini Me was scratching her head constantly. I dreaded what I was about to find. I started around the top of her head and behind her ears. Nothing. *Sigh of relief* Then, the head lice brought the pain. I lifted what I thought would be the last little bit of hair, just behind the crown of her head. And there, among the beautiful golden blond curls, were the most horrifying creatures I have ever seen.

I immediately sent her to the bathtub, and woke the hubby to keep an eye on her. I jetted off to Walmart to purchase the necessary lice-ridding remedies. We went step-by-step through the process. Wash with regular shampoo. Towel dry. Saturate hair with lice zapper. Wait ten minutes. Lather and rinse. Spend the next two hours of our lives dividing hair into 4 sections, combing meticulously through from top to bottom, front to back, in no larger than 1" sections.

We stripped the beds, stripped the pillow cases, washed every washable piece of fabric that may have come into contact with her head, sprayed every non-washable surface with lice spray, sealed all of her stuffed animals and other non-washables into black trash bags...it was literally a marathon day.

Monday, she and hubby stayed home (Columbus Day, no school) and I went to work. I checked her Monday night...nothing. Sweet! We're in the clear, right?

Wrong.

Tuesday, the school nurse called to say that she re-checked the class after hearing about Mini Me's run-in. She said that she may have found one among the curls, but wasn't sure. She told me to keep an eye out and check it periodically. Tuesday night, as Mini Me was getting ready for bed, I took a quick peek. Much to my dismay, there were MORE lice. These were much smaller...evidently the first "batch" had been there a while!

So, for the next hour and fifteen minutes (second time around...I was becoming a pro by then!), we shampooed, saturated, lathered, rinsed, separated, and combed hair, then I stripped, sealed, and sprayed everything. Again. She finally went to bed at about 10:30, and I was feeling like the Worst. Mom. Ever.

This brings me to tonight. Let's just say that the third time actually took far longer, because I did not miss a strand of hair on that head. Twice. If those little monsters made it past me this time, then they have freakin' invisibility and invincibility super powers.

I feel completely exhausted. This is NOT a fun process. I don't know what else to do! At Walgreens tonight, when I went to buy my third can of "lice-feeding spray," I noticed a product called Lice Ice. It's a NON-shampooing, NON-lathering, NON-rinsing, NON-seperating technique that consists of one easy step: gel. You saturate the hair with this gel and leave it on for 8 hours (overnight). It forms a hard casing around any live bugs and eggs, leaving them incapable of living and/or hatching. Then you shampoo as usual. It says you only have to comb if the carcasses (yum) get stuck in your hair.

IF there is a round four of this fiasco (oh Dear Lord, PLEASE don't let there be a round four), I will be calling the school, calling the pediatrician, and enlisting the help of Lice Ice.

Please pray for me!!! I'm losing my mind.

Soccer Mania!

2007-09-29T06:26:00.000-07:00

The soccer season is in full swing again!! Mini Me is having a great time this year playing for the Copperheads. She's one of the older kids on the team (grades 1 & 2), so she's a lot more confident. It's so much fun to watch her!

Last year was her first year playing soccer. She was very timid around the ball...didn't wanna get kicked, didn't wanna get dirty, didn't wanna run much.

This year, she has blossomed into a little superstar! Her favorite position is goalie, and she doesn't let ANYTHING get past her! She digs her knees down in the dirt to stop the ball. She even asked if it was OK to dive for the ball if she needs to. Who is this child?!

When she's running the ball up and down the field, she is right there in the middle of everyone, fighting for control. She's learning to work with her team, to pass the ball to get it to the goal.

I am so proud of her!!

Here are some great action shots:

She's already telling me that she wants to play soccer forever. It really seems to give her a sense of confidence that she just hasn't found with almost 5 years of dance. Don't get me wrong...she's not giving up dance anytime soon! Soccer is only a nine or ten week program. Dance is a nine month commitment. Plus, she gets a trophy this year in dance...and that is worth more than gold to an (almost) eight year old!

Update on the J.I.T.B. Fiasco...

2007-09-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

OK quick update: I called the local restaurant this morning and spoke with the manager on duty. I asked if he was aware of an incident on his property last night. Of course he was not. I explained that I needed the name of the employee involved, and the name of the supervisor who stood by and did nothing. He provided all of the info I asked for...I think he was completely dumbfounded that this had occurred.

Later, I spoke with the rep at the corporate office. She took a detailed statement from me and apologized profusely for what happened. She said they will order an internal investigation and review the surveillance tapes from the drive thru and parking area. She said she would get back with me once they have more information.

Then, I kid you not...she offered to compensate me with "a few coupons for free combo meals" for my troubles. Seriously.

I'm sure this is their canned response, but come on! I would expect the free combo meals routine for bad food, or a wrong order. But physical confrontation by an employee representing their company?? I think not.

SO she asked..."what do you want Jack In The Box to do to make this right for you?"

I told her I would talk to my husband and call her back.

I should mention that the first thing Mini-Me said when I picked her up from school was "Mommy, I wanted to call you today. I still feel scared." (This is after last night, when I put her to bed and she got up a few minutes later to say "I don't feel like going out to eat much anymore. It makes me scared.")

I talked to my co-workers today, and I think my biggest fear is that this baffoon's behavior is going to somehow warp the way my little girl views the world. It's one of those events that can shape your perceptions. What will this do to her?

More updates later....

Verbal Assault at Jack-In-The-Box!

2007-09-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

I know we all have horrible fast-food experiences, but I had to share this one. It's by far the scariest situation I have been in (I know, I practically live under a rock). I will never EVER eat at this restaurant again.

We went through the drive thru at Jack-In-The-Box tonight, but it took us a minute to figure out what we wanted because of new menu items. The employee was rude, was mumbling all of his replies and questions (requiring us to ask him to repeat himself at least twice after EACH response), and was basically being a jerk. We tolerated his attitude for a while (it was late and we were hungry).

We had a coupon for a free shake with the purchase of the new Sirloin Burger, so we told the guy we wanted to use it. (Initially, we asked if the free shake would apply with the purchase of a combo. I'm not sure what his reply was, because he sounded like he had marbles in his mouth when he spoke.) He said "I'll get it at the window." Now, I understand that he'll get the coupon at the window. But now that they have these handy-dandy screens that show you everything you ordered, we could see that he didn't ring it up. So again we mentioned that we wanted to add the shake to the order...an Oreo one (there are different flavors, you know). He continued to argue that he didn't need to know that. Finally, we just said "forget it, you're being a jerk" and asked him to cancel the order. As we pulled forward, he yelled "f*** you" into the intercom.

When we rounded the corner to leave, there was another vehicle in front of us at the window blocking the exit. There was also a vehicle behind us, so we were trapped. The drive thru guy saw us coming, and took off running out of the restaurant into the parking lot. He came around the corner and started screaming at us, yelling profanity and threatening us. By this time, I was calling 911 (not sure why...it was my natural reaction, given that Mini-Me was in the back seat)...so most of the "conversation" between them was a blur. I know that he called Hubby the "n-word," which was sort of amusing.

You would think that a manager-type person would have recognized what was going on and controlled the situation, right? Uhhh wrong. We saw at least two other employees in the restaurant, one of whom came over to the drive-thru window to either assist the customer in front of us, or get a better view of his homeboy in the parking lot. No one even attempted to control this guy.

After (what seemed like) several minutes of arguing, the vehicle in front of us finally pulled away, and we were able to leave. I was terrified and shaking, and Mini-Me was sobbing in the back seat. I'm not sure what I thought the guy was going to do...and Hubby keeps telling me he wouldn't have done anything...but I guess you just never know. Now my biggest concern is that he wrote my license plate number down.

I've already written a letter to their corporate office, and I will continue to call and/or write until I get a response.

What is wrong with people? What is happening in the world in which we live? How can this happen in my sleepy town, 6 blocks from my house?! How do I comfort my sobbing, terrified child when I don't feel the least bit comfortable with it myself? How do I protect her from this madness?

When The Cat's Away...

2007-08-31T15:45:00.000-07:00

...the co-workers will fill his desk with balloons!

We have 3 Kevins in our office...and we refer to them by number. K1 is old-school, been around for a long time. K2 is our New York transplant, and has been with us for about 2 years now. K3 is our most recent acquisition, coming to us from Florida last year.

K2 hardly ever takes vacation...but when he does, he goes all out! He's been out since last Tuesday, and won't be back until the day after Labor Day! 2 WEEKS! That's a long time to deal with someone else's claims.

The last time K2 took an extended vacation, he came back to a desk covered in aluminum foil. And it was AWESOME. (I'll find some pics and post them later.) You'd think he would have learned his lesson about leaving us alone with his cubicle. But alas, he did not. And so balloons found their way IN.

We blew up 144 balloons to fill his cubicle. It still wasn't enough, but it'll have to do! Even with 3 women in the office now, there's not enough hot air for THAT many balloons!

Another view:

I'll be sure to post a "reaction shot" when K2 returns!

Mwahahaha.....

Back-To-School Spa Night!

2007-08-26T19:33:00.001-07:00

Mini Me is SO excited about school starting tomorrow. She is (quite literally) bouncing off the walls...or at least off the couches! We've been planning to have a little spa night for a few weeks, but time has just slipped away from us. So tonight, in honor of my precious angel's big step into the world of second grade tomorrow, we did it! (I had to find something to distract her!)

We tried to find a kids' face mask. You would think SOMEone would carry something catered toward kids. Uhhh no. We were sure that we would find something at Bath & Body Works. (After all, they have the American Girl line...which I highly recommend, by the way!) But no kids' face masks were to be found. The girls at B&BW told me that the all-natural olive face mask I have would be gentle enough for Mini Me, so we decided to give it a try!

I must say, she is quite the little spa diva. First, we cleansed our faces with Olay daily facials. We had a fabulous conversation about how to properly wash our faces without pulling at the skin, and she made sure to remind me to wash behind my ears. Then, it was time for the mask. I didn't want to put too much on her face, not knowing how her skin would react. She took one glance in the mirror and decided that it wasn't NEARLY dark enough for the picture, so we waited a few minutes to make sure she didn't have a nasty reaction, and then added a bit more for the sake of color!

After about five minutes (and a quick photo shoot), we washed the masks off. I taught her how to pat her face dry. She was amazed at how smooth her skin was, which she made sure to point out to her Daddy. He was thoroughly impressed!

I suppose every now and then I need a reminder of the simple joys of childhood. What seemed like a mundane task for me (washing my face? boring!) turned into a great adventure with her! She stops me in my tracks almost daily, and makes me do a quick self-check about what the next five or ten minutes of MY time can mean for US together. The moments I have with her are so precious, and so vital.

After all, this will be the only time we'll ever have a Night-Before-Second-Grade Spa Night!

High School Musical Fever!

2007-08-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

I did it! I jumped on the bandwagon of crazy Moms who let their children have a party for the premier of the most-anticipated movie of the summer: High School Musical 2! Mini Me invited some of her closest friends over for food, film, fun, and of course, constant chatter! (What little-girl party would be complete without chatter?!)

We didn't have fancy decorations, but we had a TON of fun! After hot dogs, curly fries, and cupcakes, we settled in for the movie. It wasn't long before popcorn was in high demand. As you can see, the best way to keep a room full of 2nd graders (and 6th and 9th graders, in case you didn't notice them in the background) entertained is with popcorn, and Troy from High School Musical. Don't they look mesmerized???

Here, have a closer look...they're completely tuned in!

After the curtain closed on what turned out to be a consensus of "the best movie EVER," a few friends left and the others stayed for a sleepover. Yes, I am insane. I learned a lot of things about that little bunch of roses. For example, after serving cupcakes and hearing excessive giggling coming from those little angels at the table, I learned that one them has an extreme reaction to sugar. And when I say "extreme," I mean hyper. Extremely hyper. She was "practicing her cartwheels" all night...all across my living room. I also learned that another one is a hugger. But not just a "hug-you-once-and-leave-you-alone" hugger. I mean a full-contact, as-many-times-as-I-think-about-it-in-a-half-hour-span hugger. If nothing else, I felt loved.

But most importantly, I learned this is the most amazing, diverse, beautiful bunch of young ladies, and I couldn't wish for better friends for my precious Mini Me.

OH, I also learned that 2nd graders know "hot." As in, "Troy is hot." Oh boy...

I just can't wait....

2007-08-23T19:47:00.001-07:00

...for school to start!! Yes, I realize I am not actually IN school. But around this time every summer, I yearn for the schedule and structure of the school year!! I mean, don't get me wrong. Summer is AWESOME! I love to travel. I love vacations. I love to spend time with my family and friends. I even love the Texas heat! But my OCD self loves the school year.

Yesterday, we received the long-awaited postcard telling Mini-Me who her 2nd grade teacher will be. She will be entering the TARGET program, which is for Gifted and Talented students. They spend four days a week at their regular campus, and then one day a week at another campus studying an advanced subject. She is SO excited!!! Tomorrow is Meet The Teacher. I will be sure to post an update!

Our extra-curricular schedule is packed full of events, too! On Tuesdays, she will be taking dance again...only this time, we're tackling Hip Hop! (Thankfully, it is a Christian dance studio, so it will be focused on sharp movements and timing, and NOT on pelvic thrusts.)

On Wednesdays, she'll have GA's at church. It used to be on Sundays, but they are shuffling things around this year. Hopefully it'll work!

On Thursdays, it's soccer time again! Practices start the week of Labor Day. And this year, I got wrangled into being an Assistant Coach! Go Copperheads!!

So you see, my weeks practically plan themselves. The only thing left to worry about is what's for dinner. I can handle that. Most of the time. :)

Good Day, Sunshine!!

2007-07-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

I moved from the comforts of home in Louisiana to make a new home in Texas in 2000, and I have always loved it here for a variety of reasons. One of the main reasons is that you can always count on warm, dry summers -- well, let's be honest: it's usually warm and dry here all the time, with the possible exception of February.

This time last year, we were in the middle of one of the worst droughts in the history of the state. It was SO hot and SO dry that our year-end rainfall in this area was about 15 INCHES shy of where it typically falls. OUCH! And aside from constantly watering my lawn, and my electric bill skyrocketing from the intense heat of the blazing sun on the roof of my house, I loved it!

Fast-forward 12 months...well, 10 months. In the past 60 days, we have had measurable rainfall on 45 of those days. We've had rain for 15 of the last 16 days!! Even on the days that it WASN'T raining, we didn't actually see the sun because of the cloud cover. It's absolutely mind-numbing to live in an environment so bleak, and so damp, and so dark. It's completely depressing.

The past few days have been the worst. It rained ALL DAY on July 4th. For the first time in my memory, I spent the 4th of July in my house, watching the water fill my flower beds and float ALL of my mulch all over my yard and sidewalk! We had about 45 minutes without rain in the afternoon - just enough time to start the grill and throw some meat on before the deluge returned. This morning, there were at least 100 roads in the county that were under water, and at least a dozen more roads and bridges that are completely washed out. There were actually water rescues...here...in sleepy, dry East Texas! People were pulled from their sinking vehicle after the road just washed out from under them! Another vehicle was swept about 300 yards down the "creek" and lodged nose-first against a tree.

This morning, I awoke to the same sound of pattering rain on my roof that has greeted me daily for over 2 weeks now. Another dreary day. Another 12+ hours of listening to kids moan about how boring their lives are. Another day of watching the mulch float out of my flower beds. (ARGH!) Another day of damp, dark, depressing RAIN.

And then, the most beautiful sight I have seen in almost TWO MONTHS appeared to me, and it looked like this:

I looked out the window in the living room, and I noticed that there was an odd dark spot on the ground under the swing...and another under the grill...and another casting a strange shape on the grass. And then it dawned on me...they were SHADOWS!! THE SUN WAS SHINING!! I promise you - I practically heard angels singing! I ran outside and just stood there, soaking in the warmth and joy that a ray of sunshine can bring. It was fantastic.

There is still rain in the forecast for at least the next 3-4 days...but I don't care. Today, I saw the sun. Today, I love Texas again.

Mother's Day

2007-05-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

I had a fabulous Mother's Day! Mini Me and hubby woke up early and brought me breakfast in bed - complete with French Toast, orange juice, and a beautiful rose! It was delicious!

Then, when I walked in the living room, I had a bouquet of roses waiting for me, along with 2 of the sweetest cards I have ever read!

Mini Me had also decorate a wonderful cookie cake for me. Hubby took her to Albertson's, where they were letting kids come in and decorate hear-shaped cakes for their Moms! It was a great surprise!

We also went to lunch with hubby's Mom at Texas Roadhouse. I admit it, I picked the restaurant. And it was soooooooo good! We spent the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying each other. The only thing that could have added to the joy of the day would have been spending time with MY Mom!

I wish Mother's Day was every day... :)

Rah Rah Ree!

2007-05-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Mini Me has been in a cheer class this year. This was our first year to stray from the traditional dance/tap/ballet classes that she's been involved in for years. It was a definite adjustment, but she LOVED it. Her recital was in April (and Nana even got to come for the special day! We were SO glad to have her here!).

This is after we straightened her hair...doesn't she look like such a big girl??

At the beginning of the routine, when everyone is still focused and together!

Because she is so small, she gets to be one of the "flyers," which means that she is at the top of the lifts and stunts. Very exciting! As she gets older, she'll be the one they toss and catch...not sure yet how I feel about that...ask me later. :)

This is her cheer portrait. Check out that form!

Can you tell she likes to have her portrait taken?? I wonder who she gets that from...

We had a really great time in cheer this year. In fact, she auditioned for the Dance-N-Drill Flyers competition cheer squad for next year...and she made the team! We're very excited, but still talking about how much time and energy is required, and how much our teammates depend on us ALL year long. We'll keep you posted!

Easter Fun

2007-05-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I realize that Easter was about a month ago, but I'm a busy lady with a busy 7-year-old. Give a girl a break.

This year was a pretty low-key Easter. We woke up to check out what the good bunny brought, went to church in our Easter finest, and then hunted Easter eggs in the back yard. (After a snowy Easter eve, we weren't sure whether the egg-hunting would happen, but we managed to squeeze it in between flurries!)

I promise she wore shoes to church...we're in East Texas, but we aren't THAT country. Besides, she probably wore her pink crocs or something. :)

In honor of the good bunny, she HAD to wear the ears. Of course, I think they're adorable (even if they ARE broken). She had a great time!

Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

2007-04-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

I can assure you that these are NOT what little boys are made of! On Tuesday, April 3, 2007, we welcomed the most perfect, precious, angelic baby boy into the world, and into our wonderful extended family!

Brady Luke is the first boy in the family...my parents had two girls, I have a girl (and 2 step daughters), and my sister has two girls.

...Scratch that...

Now she and her husband also have a baby boy! Brady was born at 8:15 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs 14.6 oz, and was 20 3/4 inches long. He's the smallest baby in the family: both of his sisters and his cousin were 8 lbs or more at birth!

I am so proud of my sister, and I feel so blessed that I was able to be there with her for Brady's birth. She and my brother-in-law are already amazing parents, and I can't wait to see how their wonderful family changes and grows with the addition of this little angel.

His big sisters are SO proud! They were just mesmerized by him. Every time they held him, they just beamed with love and awe!

He is absolutely beautiful. He has gorgeous blue eyes, ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes, a head full of precious baby hair...needless to say, he has already stolen his aunt's heart!

It's almost enough to awaken that deep maternal instinct again. ALMOST. :)

Oh I Wish I Were An Oscar Mayer Wiener....!

2007-04-07T16:40:00.000-07:00

Mini Me and I had the great fortune of seeing the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile! Of course we had to stop and check it out...

Did you know that the ceiling of the Wienermobile is painted to look like the sky? Or that the first Wienermobile was built in 1936, and there have been 6 different ones? Or that Wiener Whistles are FAR more entertaining for kids than for their parents??

In honor of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, I give you the lyrics to one of the most beloved childrens' songs of all time:

Oh, I wish I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
That is what I truly want to be.
'Cause if I were an Oscar Mayer wiener
Everyone would be in love with me!

Wacky Texas Winters

2007-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

I've been a certified Texan for almost eight years now (Southern by birth, Texan by the grace of God!), and the weather here never ceases to amaze and baffle me. Our seasons don't "change" - they usually just explode onto the scene in chaotic, surprise fashion and then disappear into the next one. Except, of course, for summer, which seems to last forever...but that's a whole other blog.

Just 3 weeks ago (yes, around Christmastime), our average highs were in the 60's. Mornings were chilly, but afternoons were mild and comfortable, and I loved it. There are thousands of reasons why I live in the south, and one of the higher-ranking reasons is the warmer weather. If I had to drive on ice and shovel snow on a regular basis, I would routinely curl up in a little ball under the bed and sob. It's pretty to look at, and fun to visit, but certainly NOT something I would want to live with.

I should mention that we normally don't get "Winter" until about February, and then it lasts for a few weeks and quickly gives way to Spring. So imagine our surprise this week when the temperatures plummeted to below freezing - and stayed there for 3 days solid!

Our high temperatures never rose above 29 degrees from Monday until Wednesday, when I think we finally got to 31 degrees. The cold weather would be completely tolerable if not for the precipitation that accompanied it. We were fortunate to avoid any snow or real accumulation, but the ice and sleet made for some dangerous driving (and a few mornings of being almost incapable of yanking myself out of bed to go to work).

Mini Me enjoyed the ice - schools were closed on Wednesday, so she was able to take a little vacation. She found some really cool icicles around the house:

So today, after about 8 days with heavy cloud cover and constant shivering, the sunshine is flooding through the windows and the projected high is 57 degrees. Ahhhh now THIS is what I love about Texas....

Our First (Gingerbread) House!

2007-01-21T08:21:00.000-08:00

Mini Me and I have wanted to make a Gingerbread House for Christmas...but time always seemed to sneak away from us! Our holidays are usually so full of activities, we just never had time - and then before we knew it, Christmas was over!

This year, we MADE time for it! We bought the kit and got to work...and this is our finished product! Mini Me did all of the decorating. I helped with the icing...those little plastic tubes are tricky work for 7-year-old hands! I think she did a fabulous job.

We hope to make it our new Christmas tradition. Assuming, of course, that the holidays don't sneak away from us again in the future!

Arts and Crafts

2006-10-07T13:44:00.000-07:00

One of the countless joys of sharing my time with my beautiful Mini Me is that she absolutely loves arts and crafts! She just loves to create! So we decided to make these pretty and practical Flower Pens for the kitchen. We are forever searching for a pen, and we can NEVER find them. Now, we'll never have to search again!

We picked some festive fall flowers for our arrangement - lucky for us, Walmart sells them for $3.00/dozen! Then we chose a flower pot to match our flowers, and filled the pot with black beans (to keep the pens in place).

We snipped the flowers from the stems, leaving about an inch or two of stem so we could attach them to the pens. Then we used floral tape to wrap the pens, to make them look like stems. Mini Me put the finishing touches on our beautiful arrangement by placing them in the flower pot.

We had so much fun, we even made a second arrangement for Mini Me's teacher, who is an extremely loyal Texas Aggie. (My apologies to any Longhorn fans who may be reading...)

It was a fun and simple project! We're looking forward to making more crafts very soon. Stay tuned... :)

The Dawning of a New Decade

2006-09-27T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'm 30! Wow, that's the first time I've typed that. I'm still not sure what to think about it. It looks kind of...odd. Not in a bad way, really. I suppose I'm just so familiar with the 20's after 10 years of them - 30 just seems a little out of place. A little too grown-up for me. :)

It hit me early this morning, when I logged on to the QuakeCon website. At the bottom of the forum, there is a list of people with birthdays on any given day. And there it was, staring at me: *SpICeY* (30). Ouch! Speaking of my fabulous QuakeCon family...how many people get to say they had one of these on their birthday?!

That sign actually exists in Niceville, FL. Wow...I love it!

I'm actually quite excited about what the next 10 years hold in store for me. Time seems to have accelerated over the past few years, so I imagine that my 30's will be gone before I know it. I plan to embrace every second of them!

And besides, who says you have to let go of your youth when you turn 30? I don't feel a day over 29, and I certainly don't intend to act it! Life's too short to dwell on a number....

The eBay bug strikes again...!

2006-09-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

Every few months (normally with a season change, or, in this case, with a birthday coming up), we clean out Mini-Me's room. Clothes, toys, books...everything comes out, everything gets sorted into the "keep" or "discard" group, and the keepers get to move back in. Then we go through the cast-aways and decide what we can donate to Goodwill and what we can sell on eBay!! It's really a lot of fun!

So with the upcoming season change/birthday, the eBay bug has sunk its teeth in! It's unexplainable, really...the joy and fun that can result from watching your items turn into cash! Last night I listed 4 auctions, all for clothing items:

Go to ebay.com, and paste these item numbers to check out our sales!
150032809391
150032817668
150032813538
150032823395

The last time we sold clothes on eBay, Mini-Me made over $60! This time, I'm taking a cut of the profits... :)

The Stitches Are Out!

2006-08-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I should say the stitch (singular) is out.

I went yesterday to have the bandages and suture removed from my wrist surgery! My doctor was out because his wife had given birth on Monday, so his nurse tended to me. As she cut through the layers of gauze and cotton and Ace Bandage, I fully expected to see some morphed, distorted, disgusting version of what used to be my tiny, healthy, normal left wrist. Much to my relief, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be!

I was expecting a series of sutures running across my incision in the typical train-track fashion. Instead, I saw a raw (but well-closed) incision with two little black knots of nylon thread on each end. The incision itself is about 2 inches long, and the knots were just beyond the ends of the incision. Evidently, to avoid unnecessary scarring and to promote a smoother wound closure, they now stitch below the surface of the skin in a zig-zag pattern. So she lifted one end and snipped the knot, and then started to pull from the other end to remove the suture.

One word describes this process: OUCH!

I thought I was going to pass out. In case you've never had an injury to the underside of your wrist, I can now tell you from experience that this is one of the most sensitive areas on your body. Particularly when they start yanking a thread from one end and it slides back out in the zig-zag pattern that it went in with, and the skin has started to heal around it. Oh. My. Gosh. That's painful.

After she finished torturing me, she cleaned the incision and then covered it with Steri Strips, which is pretty much all you can see in the photo. You can also see some purple marks above and running the length of the incision. The one above it is where he wrote "Yes" and his initials on the day of surgery - they are required to do that to prove that they came to your bed in the pre-op area, and verified that they knew which part of your body they would be working on. Comforting. The longer line was drawn to guide the incision. He was actually extremely accurate with the incision. I'm impressed!

Copay at the hospital: $100
Copay at the Ortho's office: $20
Prescriptions, Surgery, Medical Supplies, Latex Gloves, Assorted Fees: $2,000+ (Thank God for insurance!)
Not having to wrap my left hand in a plastic Target bag every time I take a shower: Priceless...

I'm still extremely guarded with my left hand. I'm sure it'll just take some getting used to...

Every Girl's Dream

2006-08-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

OK, maybe not EVERY girl's dream...but there are two movies that I've seen in my life that always made me wonder about that little blue gift box tied up with a dainty white bow: Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Sweet Home Alabama. Just how cool IS it to get a gift from Tiffany & Co.?

Now I can tell you because I got one! Well, technically I won one! Let me explain...

In July, we drove to Dallas for the day. That night, as we were leaving to head back home, we were listening to the local radio station. The DJ announced a contest called "Live Life Like a Trophy Wife," and said that the 20th caller would win the prize. I have had a string of pretty good fortune with radio call-ins (tickets to the American Idol live show after Season 1, movie tickets, and something else I can't remember), so I decided to start dialing. After all, nights and weekends are unlimited. :)

Every time I dialed, I got a busy signal. I had dialed at least 20 times and was JUST about to give up, but decided to try once more. This time, it rang. And rang. And rang. I thought that he probably already had his winner and was just letting the other lines ring, but I decided to hold on until either someone answered, or he announced a winner. The DJ finally answered the phone!

DJ: "Kiss FM"
Me: "Am I the 20th caller?"
DJ: "Who is this?"
Me: "--(my name here)--"
DJ: "YES! You are the 20th caller, and you get to live life like a trophy wife!"

I was sooo excited!! The prize was a gift from Tiffany & Co. and a day at Spa Pangea in Dallas. (I was also in the drawing for a trip to Mexico, but I didn't win that one.)

Evidently, they didn't have the gifts from Tiffany's in yet, so they told me they would call me when it arrived. They finally called! So today, Husband drove to Dallas to pick up my prize!

The day at the spa includes a manicure (or deep tissue hand and arm massage), a pedicure, a full body massage, a custom facial, and a lunch in their cafe. (I'm thinking about buying a body scrub or wrap to go along with it...you know, make it a FULL day at the spa!) The gift from Tiffany's is a beautiful sterling silver heart pendant on a chain...but the little girl in me is SO MUCH MORE excited about the little blue gift box tied up with a dainty white bow!!

So now, I feel like a princess. YaY for silly little things in life that make you giddy!

Wrist Surgery - The Aftermath

2006-08-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

It's done! Surgery went very well, no problems at all.

We got to the hospital at about 7:30 am, and I was in pre-op by 8:00. Husband and Mini-Me were allowed to stay with me in pre-op. By 8:40, they were ready to start the IV. Mini-Me practically had a panic attack, so she and Husband stepped outside the curtain.

Honestly, I was having a bit of a panic attack, too. I HATE needles, especially big ones. My steady heart rate of 76-78 spiked to 117 as soon as she said "IV." It was THE worst part of the whole ordeal! But I survived.

They gave Husband a hospital cell phone, so the surgeon could call him as the surgery was beginning, when it was finished, and when I was out of recovery. I thought that was pretty cool! Gone are the days of drama when the doctor comes to the waiting room and says, "she pulled through!" Now, it's a cell phone call. What a modern world we live in!

When they came to take me back to surgery, the nurse asked if I was ready for a good buzz. I said "sure," he injected the sleepy juice, and I was out. At about 10:15, I woke up in recovery.

I turns out that there WAS a cause for my cyst. Evidently, there was a tear in the tendon in my left wrist, and it was leaving just enough room for the fluid to leak out. The doctor repaired the tear and amputated the cyst, and now my hand is wrapped like a boxing glove. I get the stitches out on 8/24.

Because of the tendon repair, I now have to go to physical therapy, which will start on 8/25. I'm sure my boss is LOVING me right about now... :)

All in all, I am recovering well. The vicodin makes me nauseous...I tried to work today but the meds got the best of me, so I came home. Hopefully I can work tomorrow, though I suppose a little extra rest wouldn't hurt. We'll see.

On a positive note, I managed to shower, dry my hair, and get ready for work all by myself, with one hand!! I'm so proud!!

Thanks for all the prayers!

Ganglion Cysts

2006-08-14T15:55:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of them? A mere 4 months ago, I had never heard the word "ganglion" in my life. Now, turns out I have one of these monsters growing on my left wrist! Joy!

The journey started over a year ago, when I noticed a little bump on my left wrist. I didn't think much of it. It didn't hurt, wasn't causing me any trouble. I figured I'd just leave it alone and it would go away.

No such luck.

By early May, it was getting a little too big for my comfort. I wanted to make sure it wasn't something serious, so I went to the doctor. That is when I learned that this affliction has a name: "ganglion cyst." Basically, it is a fluid-filled sac that juts out between the bones of my wrist. They don't know what causes them, or how to prevent them. They only know how to treat them. Kind of.

The doctor deadened the area and aspirated it by jamming a needle in my wrist and sucking out the fluid. Then he tells me "there's a 30% success rate...so 70% odds are that it'll come back. Good luck!" Needless to say, my little friend returned no more than 2 days later!

So I had an appointment with an ortho, who has scheduled surgery to remove the cyst. He ran some x-rays to make sure it wasn't something more serious. Then he explained that he would have to put me under general anesthetic, because the cyst is growing right over my vein, and if I somehow move during surgery I could basically slit my own wrist. Yippee!

I've never been under general anesthetic before, and I am a basketcase about it! I'm not even so worried about the surgery itself, or the recovery (during which I will have a splint on my left wrist for a week and won't be able to use that hand at all). So pray for me, please!

The surgery is Wednesday morning...I'll post an update when it's over!

When Ballerinas Turn Soccer Pro...

2006-08-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

OK so maybe not "Pro" (yet), but Mini-Me is definitely kicking it up a notch with soccer! The child has never played before, but has begged to join a league for the past year or so. I caved. She's playing in the Upward Soccer league at church (http://www.upward.org/up_soccer.htm) this fall.

On Saturday, they had skill evaluations to determine team placement. The goal is to make sure that each team is well-represented by all skill levels. She did great!! She started out with quick kicks against the wall, then moved on to dribbling in and out of cones. After that, she got to throw the ball toward a painted target, and then kick direct shots as the coach moved around the field. Next, she had to run and kick the ball as hard as she could down the field...and then, SPRINTS! She sprinted back and forth from line to line. She's pretty quick!!

She had a great time, and she is really excited about soccer! In fact, she's in the back yard right now..."practicing" with the girlie glittery soccer ball I bought for her today. I think it's about 101 degrees today? She has water bottles chilling in the fridge. Now THAT's dedication!

Earrings!

2006-08-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Mini-Me decided to get her ears pierced! I was a little skeptical, but she assured me that she is ready to be responsible and keep them nice and clean! So last night, we went to Claires and let her pick out her first pair of earrings.

When we got there, another (older) girl was in the chair, preparing to get a second set of earrings in her ears. When Mini-Me saw the big girl in the chair, she was quite interested to see what reaction the big girl would have. When the big girl's eyes started to tear up, Mini-Me's face went ghost white. I thought it was over, and we would soon be leaving WITHOUT holes in our ears.

When the big girl finished, Mini-Me decided that she was gonna do it. She picked out some beautiful earrings - Pink Tourmaline (the October birth gem) - and hopped in the chair. When she realized she had left her stuffed Hello Kitty at home, she started to panic. Dad and I found a big black teddy bear for her to snuggle with, and she seemed to calm down a little bit...well, until the "guns" came out.

As the girl at Claires marked her earlobes with a marker, she started to fade to white again. We did everything we could to shift her focus, but no such luck. She squeezed the teddy bear, took a deep breath, and *PoP!* First earring in... She was incredibly brave. It hurts my heart when she cries, so I almost fell apart when she started sobbing! The girl quickly reminded her that we only had one more to go...lined up the gun...and *PoP!* All done!!

Since yesterday, she has taken extreme care with the new earrings. She's worn the "Just got my ears pierced at Claires" sticker for 2 days straight, and she has turned the earrings in her ears a thousand times. She reminds us when it's time to clean them. So far, so good.... Now if we can just show that much concern over the mess in her room, we'll be doing well!

My beautiful Mini-Me with her new earrings:

And a closer look. You can't really see the pink in the stones, but it's very pretty:

My Incredibly Talented Sister

2006-07-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

I have the most amazingly talented sister on the planet. God has truly blessed her with a creativity and a passion that I admire!

She is the owner and sole employee of On Tip Toes (www.ontiptoes.com). She designs and hand-sews heirloom pillowcase dresses, and they are absolutely beautiful. She takes ordinary fabric and adds ribbons, ruffles, trim, and embroidery, and she creates these gorgeous, extraordinary dresses!

I love this photo! The simple white dresses are so crisp and beautiful!

This one is a variety of her creations: one is the white pillowcase dress, and the others are adorable pantaloon outfits she designed!

This photo melts me, too! I think it's the simplicity of the white dress with the innocence of a giggling child. Like I said, I love the white dresses....!

And her newest creation: I love the color, and the fit, and the flare, and the beautiful smile on that child's face!

(The models are the Nieces and Mini-Me...aren't they gorgeous??)

You can check out more of her designs and personalized gifts (and even order online!) at her website!

I am so proud of my Sister!

Quakecon 2006

2006-07-21T16:51:00.000-07:00

I realize that a lot of people who will read this blog have NO idea what Quakecon is, and probably had no idea I was such a geek. Well, I am. Sort of.... Let me tell you the story.

Back in 2000, Husband heard about this gaming convention in Dallas. It was called Quakecon, and it was a place where thousands of online gamers came together to play each other in person. The main part of the event is called the BYOC (Bring Your Own Computer), and it is open 24 hours solid for 4 days straight. At the time, I didn't give two flips about the computer...much less online gaming. But he was into it, so Madison and I drove over to check it out one day while he was there.

So my first Quakecon wasn't a big deal to me. I thought it was pretty freakin' cool that so many computers were gathered in one place. But Mini-Me was less than a year old at the time, and most (if not all) of my "spare" time was devoted to her.

The BYOC:

Over the next year, I started trying to play games. Quake 2, to be exact. Before long, I was playing in an all-girl "clan" (which is just a little group of folks that play together as a team) called *scarie*. I had to make up a name, so I thought it would be funny to be *scarie*spice (as in the Spice Girl). It was also a bit of a tribute to my roots in South Louisiana. Before long, I was hooked. I enjoyed playing online with other girls who also had kids and families and jobs and housework!

By the next August (2001), I decided to attend Quakecon as an actual gamer! (Well, Husband and I shared a computer...but still!) I started recognizing names of people I had played with online, and I got to meet them in person. It really was a lot of fun to be a part of this community!

The next year was pretty much a repeat of 2001, only I had "upgraded" to Quake 3, started playing a specialized "mod" called Rocket Arena (after I learned that it's much easier to hit a moving target with a rocket than a pencil-thin rail gun), and changed to a co-ed clan after *scarie* disbanded. Wow, I miss those girls....

By 2003, I decided it was time to do more. I have the attention span of a flea, so I generally can't sit still for extended periods of time playing a game. This chick's gotta move around!! So I decided to volunteer. I arrived early at the event and helped crimp patch cables to create the network for the BYOC, and I crawled around running cables all over the building. It was awesome! I played a bit during the event (I had my own computer by then), but the majority of my time was spent at the registration desk helping to check people in. I literally worked all day and (almost) all night in registration to make sure that people could get in to enjoy Quakecon.

In 2004, I was invited to join the staff as a member of the Entertainment team. The event is run completely by volunteers, hosted by id software, and sponsored by a multitude of companies. As a member of the entertainment team, I got to see what went into "making" Quakecon. The experience is absolutely amazing! To know that I am partially responsible for the largest (and greatest) LAN party in North America is a little overwhelming, and 100% exciting!

I joined the Executive Staff in 2005 as the Director of Entertainment...a position I am filling again this year. I have learned that it is FAR more rewarding to be a part of the creation and execution of Quakecon than to simply attend and soak it all in. I've always loved to serve others, and I like to think I have a creative force in me somewhere...! In the Director position, I have the opportunity to create contests and games, to distribute prizes (or "swag" as it's called in the Quakecon world), and to try to make sure that EVERYONE has fun!

It's really kind of hard to describe how this community has become like a family to me. It seems odd, I suppose, that people who share an interest of online gaming could form such strong connections and bonds. After all, the stigma associated with "gamers" is generally a negative one...basement-dwelling loners with violent tendencies. I can honestly say that this is 100% false. Sure, there are people who fit that mold. But the vast majority of people who attend Quakecon are "normal." In fact, I would venture to say that over 50% of the attendees are over the age of 21...with families and jobs and responsibilities, too. And each year, there are more and more women (I think in 2000 there were about 30 of us...last year there were hundreds).

And so, on July 30, I make the annual pilgrimmage to Dallas, TX, for Quakecon 2006. The event doesn't actually start until August 3rd, but there is much to be done to prepare the venue and schedule all the fun that's in store! And just like every year, I am so excited I can hardly contain myself...the focus has officially shifted to "how many more days of work until I get to go to Quakecon?!?!" Oh man, I can't wait!!

Our Wonderful Vacation

2006-07-19T19:57:00.000-07:00

Mini-Me and I joined my Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-In-Law, and 2 beautiful nieces for a fabulous vacation in Florida back in May. It has been YEARS since I've been on an actual vacation...and far too long since spending a full week of quality time with my family! In short, it was amazing. It was relaxing, peaceful, enlightening, special, memorable....perfect.

Mini-Me was especially excited to see the ocean for the first time. She was thrilled! Actually, I think she was completely overwhelmed at first. I guess it's tough for a six-year-old to grasp that a body of water can be SO BIG that you can't see the other shore! (After all...we're surrounded by trees, lakes and rivers in East Texas. Everything has a boundary.) She quickly overcame her awe and was ALL ABOUT jumping and splashing in the salty water. Unfortunately for her, I am ridiculously cautious and spent most of my time pacing the shore watching for sea creatures. Her Nana, Aunt, and Uncle made up for it, though...helping her stay above water, bouncing her in the waves. She loved it!

She also had a chance to do fun stuff, like swim in the pool and fly kites! We even buried the Uncle in the sand, but we'll spare him the agony of posting the picture on the internet! :)

Our vacation was amazing. There is so much to tell about it, and so many memories that we will always treasure. In fact, we're already looking forward to the next one! WE LOVE FLORIDA!

And the blogging begins...!

2006-07-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

I 100% blame my sister for this new addiction! (You can check her blog out at http://mylittlecorneroftheplanet.blogspot.com/) I love to keep journals, but really...who has time for that?? I'm hoping that this blog will allow me to keep track of the events in my life, and share them with the important people who mean the world to me!