Wednesday, May 28, 2008

The Lion King

Doug and Mary (Grandpa and Grandma) and Grandma Maddex (Great Grandma) went together
on Christmas gifts and bought us 4 tickets to see the Broadway version of The Lion King at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. The story was the same as the movie and most of the songs too so the kids enjoyed it. The costumes were simply amazing. The pics below (except the one with my kids) are borrowed images - in case you've never seen it or anything about it. Amazing!

L to R: Mufasa, Rafiki, Sarabi

The giraffes and the leopard. Some of the coolest costumes. The giraffes were men on stilts with extend arms, their backs must have been SORE by the time the show was over.

And our kids!

And a picture I'm in, weird huh?

Update

- Pastor Lisa came out of surgery very well yesterday! They managed to get the entire tumor out and she was awake and talking last night already. Thank the Lord. They still think its cancerous and will know for sure by Friday so the road ahead is still long and scary but thank the lord for small miracles.

- The kids have 4 and 1/2 days of school left now.

- My work schedule continues to be crazy this week, gets a little better in the next 3 weeks and is awesome by the end of June! Woohoo!

- We decided on a summer trip and will be spending a long weekend at Captiva Island, now we just need to set a date.

- A website I have been working on/dreaming of for a long time is going to go live this week...so stay tuned!

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Bad things Good People

Its an age old question that everyone has some kind of version of answer too...Why do bad things happen to good people?

This morning I just want to send out a prayer request to those that pray. The amazingly talented children's pastor at our church is a young woman - 35 to 40 - with two teenage daughters and a husband. Friday she was taken to the hospital after passing out on the way to a cheerleading competition, apparently following weeks of headaches. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor 4 cm across on her frontal lobe. They are operating this morning. Best case scenario she has a nasty scar and may have to learn to do mundane things like reading a watch again. Worse case scenario she has been handed a death sentence. This woman has impacted hundreds of little lives day after day and year after year, my own children being two of them.

Please pray for her. For good news, for good attitudes, for peach and hope. Pray for comfort for this family facing incredibly scary unknowns!

Thanks friends!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Math

16 + 4 + 4 = 24

That is a 16 hour shift plus 4 hours of sleep plus 4 hours with family = 24 hr day.

Thats what I call bad math.

I know I get holiday pay but the 16 hour shift yesterday from 3p-7a and having to go back tonight while spending the day BBQing with family, not sleeping, was not my best idea ever.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Portfolio Day

Tori's school does end of the year student led conferences. Parents come and the students show you a portfolio they have put together of pictures from trips, writing samples, math samples, projects, etc. This years highlights:

- Tori received 2 "Prestigious Paw" awards and the Character Kid for one month.
- A writing sample about her summer vacation to Orlando for a day and a half, LOL!
- An "all about" book she made all about Max.
- Her Sunshine Math in which she has now learned division as well as prob solving.
- Cursive.
- A lexile score of 797, aka she can read at a level equivalent to the high scoring
3rd graders, average scoring 4th graders and low scoring 5th graders.

Then she got to leave school early (the teacher told us all to take our students out to lunch) and we had a nice lunch at a diner with her best friend Rebecca and mom Karen!

The New Survivor for Men

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 2 kids
each for six weeks, each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry,
and pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and
relatives!

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist
appointment and a haircut appointment.

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the
Urgent Care.

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house
and keeping it presentable at all times.

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep
and all chores are done.

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least
once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the
morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by
7:00 am.

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will
be required to know all of the following information: each child's
birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name.
Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of
labor, each child's favorite color , middle name, favorite snack,
favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they
want to be when they grow up.

The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man
wins if and only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse
at a moment's notice.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Yay Cook!

I have been pulling him for weeks now but when his final song was by Collective Soul - an old favorite of mine - I was done for. Yay for David Cook! I love that hes kind of a rocker, sings ballads great and is super cute...now if someone could get him out of those hideous boots.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Dogs

Are cute and cuddly and sweet and always there for you...

BUT ALSO VERY FRUSTRATING!

My dog started the day by licking my feet to death as I got out of the shower, stealing the shoe I was trying to put on and barking at the woodstorks (all before 7 am).

I came home and he has since gotten into my sewing stuff, Tristans shoes, the laundry and the kids dress up stuff! Hes lucky hes cute or I might ship him out today.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Check!

Last swim lesson - check!

Last tball game - check!

Last brownie meeting - check!

Last youth group meeting - check!

Do you hear that? Thats the sound of spare time slowly coming my way!!! Now if I could unbury myself from the laundry and the sewing orders and crazy work hours I will be ready for my poolside margarita :-)

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Fun Quotes & Sayings!

What if the hokey-pokey is what it's all about?

For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.

A woman is like a teabag. You never now how strong she is until she gets into hot water!

Some days you're the dog... Some days the hydrant.

Insanity is hereditary, you get it from your kids!

Countdown...

Summer vacation starts in 16.5 days (the kids last day is a half day)! Thats only 10.5 days of school left.

Despite the complications my job provides this summer I do really look forward to the time with the kids, the lazy days around the pool, and getting to sleep in more often.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Marriage Test

Stick multiple large pcs of furniture in a room not really big enough for all of it. Add the couple. Give them one hour to place the furniture until they both think it looks good and all of it fits. See if they survived. If they did see if they are still speaking to each other.

Tori got a new desk for her birthday...Todd and I learned we dont rearrange well together. An hour and a whole lot of attitude later it all fits, of course the bookshelf is in the closet.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

How did this happen?

Tori turned 8 yesterday! I remember finding out she was a girl like it was yesterday and picking out that teeny tiny little first dress. We had a girls name all picked out so as soon as the dr told us it was a girl we knew she would be our little Tori.

Its been a wild ride thus far and I know it gets crazier but heres to my sweet girl - who has a huge heart, wisdom beyond on her years and a faith that makes me the proudest mama around!

At 2:

Age 4:

Age 6:

Age 8:

Buon Compleanno!

Remember the days of McDonalds birthdays...

Tori celebrates turning 8 at Macaroni Grill. The server in the background is singing Happy Birthday in Italian, alone, wow!

Birthday Tea

Big thanks to Aunt Jenni for the wonderful birthday tea. Tori got to leave school early to make her 11:30 tea time. Aunt Jenni also provided the fabulous birthday girl crown and sash.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Land Down Under

Friday was our last big brownie event of the year. The girls spent some of their hard earned cookie money to take an overnight trip to the zoo. We did whats called an "Australia Night Site" and the girls got to play in the water area of the Australia section of the zoo, see various lizards up close and personal, make boomerangs, feed budgies, take a behind the scenes tour of the zoo, check out the bats, and touch a kangaroo. Here are a few pics.

On part of our tour to see the African safari

This baby kangaroo was super friendly!

EARLY the next morning (wake up call is 6 am) before breakfast.

Tori with a budgie (an Australian parakeet!)

Friday, May 9, 2008

Out of the mouths of babes.

Tristan's preschool helped each kid fill out a questionnaire and hung them on a board. It was our job to guess which one our kid said. Tristan said I was very good at "selling things on ebay" which was a dead give away.

Also sweet...he says I am as pretty as a flower, he likes to do nice things for me by drawing pictures, and he loves it when I take him out to dinner (weird answer but whatever).

My personal favorite though: "My mom is so smart...she knows more than my dad!"

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Bad Mommy!

I am so frustrated with my job. I know, I know, you've heard this before.

Pros:
- I get paid well.
- They are flexible about my schedule to an extent, if I cant work I don't.
- I have to leave at 1 when I work days and they say ok.

Cons:
- My schedule is never the same twice.
- I seldom know my schedule more than a week in an advance if that.
- Summer.

So I am stressed about summer. They want me to cover random positions...one week as an assessment nurse (no I am not a nurse), two weeks as an activity therapist (no I am not an activity therapist) and another week as a social worker (nope not that either). They are willing to be somewhat flexible with hours but its so hard to work and find care for the kids, etc! I dont want them to get out of school and be dumped with a babysitter. And while I think camps are fun - the first week out of school should be relaxing not shipped off to camp!

So I am trying to decide if I can work that week and they can go to tennis camp together?!? Argh!

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Party!

Okay last post for today, needless to say I just emptied my camera!

Toris PJ Party/Breakfast in Bed Party was Saturday morning. The kids had fun. Here's a few snapshots!

The Thinker

I take few pictures of just Todd but I love this one, despite that I can't see his face. I know he is sitting there content to watch the kids and dog run around...I love that!

Tooth Fairy Blues

She's going broke! The kids have now lost 9 teeth altogether.

No thanks...

to my creative friends. I wandered Michael's, found these, and Voila!

Before:

After:

Earth Buddy

Tristan's school has spent the week learning about planting, tending and watching plants grow. He brought this home virtually bald Monday and today he has lots of "hair".

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Creative friends - HELP!

Toris birthday party is Saturday morning - the theme is pajama party/breakfast in bed. I need a craft idea pronto! Got any?

Right now I am thinking sleep masks that they decorate with ribbon and sequins, etc...but I am not altogether thrilled with the idea. Tori wants to make soap bars but seeing as how neither of us have ever done that it sounds like a nightmare.

FYI - 12 girls, 2.5 hour party that also includes games, food, presents, etc.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

Patient Report

One of you told me I had not posted any good stories lately so here are a few.

In the past month people have been really really violent/trouble. We have had 6 glass windows broken, the cops called on a patient in the ER 4 times, one escorted off the property by police, another by hospital security. And a grand total of 14 restrained. This is all on my shift. Granted I work the busiest hours.

I got see a live endoscopy (the little camera through your intestines) in search of a 17 gram bag of cocaine someone had swallowed. I got to watch after it took 8 of us to restrain him and hold him down for the 20 minutes it took for meds to kick in.

I got spun around in my chair and screamed at by someones father, he was the one police removed. Stupid boy took a bunch of advil which will not kill you, cause good amounts of internal damage/delays and most definitely get you Baker Acted.

We had an overdose that crashed twice, was saved twice and then spent 2 weeks in the ICU unit. She finally got to go home after spending another couple of days in the behavioral health unit. Hate to see that bill! Oy vey, poor woman.

And the saddest patient was this poor woman who was convinced there were dead puppies in her mouth and she would be fine if we just removed them. What in the world do you say to that?

Sleep.

I average 4-6 hours a sleep on a given weekday, yes day not night. Last night I came home from work sick early (about 12:45) and slept until 11 today. One does not fully appreciate sleep until you get that much. Wow!

I think I caught a flu bug so I am not feeling up to par but that sleep makes me feel recharged despite all that. Yay!