Ten Things Tuesday

Apparently I'm getting old, because once again, I'll start with the weather.

1. I am VERY thankful today is not 88 degrees like yesterday. Today is said to be TEN whole degrees cooler.

2. I just mailed off a whole bunch of paperwork that took me a week or so to get together, filled out & ready to mail off for/about the kiddos. I love having paperwork monkeys off my back!!!!

3. Son#3, my mom & I went for Chinese for lunch. I don't get to eat out with my mom often, or eat Chinese so it was nice. Not to mention an extra shout out for excellent behavior from son#3.
(Except when he double slapped my face in Ulta.)

4. Fundraising for sons#1 and #2--OVAH!!!! (read: over) Halleluah! They double teamed me this year & both schools sent them home at the same time.

5. I'm thankful for my neighbor Jennifer who brought over some extra Rib Crib take out they couldn't use. That's our dinner tonight folks & what makes it so fantastic is, I didn't have to cook it!!! Add chips...limeades....POOF--instant meal!

6. Our bus drivers & helpers. They are SO wonderful with our kids and sweet to them. The older vets that drive son#2's bus want updates this week after son#2 goes to dental surgery tomorrow morning. They love him so much. We're blessed to have such good people looking after our kiddos when they aren't with us.

7. One of my knitted hat pictures on Ravelry.com got chosen to be THE picture they show with that pattern as the example. It's not some big deal really, but in my mind, it was a lot flattering.

8. I'm thankful for meeting up with two friends last Friday night that I don't normally scrapbook with. One was there on my invitation, the other by chance. It was a fun suprise.

9. Okay, this ones a tad weird I know, but I'm very happy with a recent purchase of a cast iron dutch oven. I LOVE this thing. I'm using it for anything & everything lately. I can do meats in it & they don't splatter up on me like with a cast iron skillet. I have to love it since I'm washing it by hand & drying it as soon as I'm done with it. Thank you Paula Deen for this great investment idea for my kitchen.

10. Another strange thank you....Friday morning last week after the trashmen came (of course), I found someone had left a "present" on my sidewalk. A bag from potatos. With some rotten, juicy ones in the bottom. Have you ever seen that before? Ever smelled it?? Stinks to HIGH HEAVEN I kid you not! Like feet, throw-up & BO all in the same area. I was at a loss. What could I do with it? Not leave it on the sidewalk, and for sure not put it in the garbage can in the garage for the next 4 days. So I ended up leaving it outside next to the side of the house. I was rather embarrssed yesterday when the lawn guy saw it. Well, today was trash day. As soon as I got up this morning, my mission was to make sure hubbo did NOT forget to take that little prize to the curb. He didn't, and the potato poison potion is gone! Horray!!!

Ten Things Tuesday

Well, here we are again!



1. Just spent the weekend in Branson, had a blast with my brother & sister-in-law & kiddos. We did lots of shopping, eating, scrapbooking & mostly laughing.



2. Son#1 had school pictures today, son#2 has them tomorrow. Since they were little, they won't sit for portraits at professional places. So I really enjoy picture day at school, no matter how crazy it turns out.



3. Hubbo cleaned out some seriously messy places this weekend while I was gone. THAT was quite the turn-on to an old married lady.



4. My laundry is caught up--need I say more?



5. I get to scrapbook again this Friday with my peeps. I can't wait!! I even have a new bag!



6. I had messed up with my knitting before I left for my trip but I fixed it last night. That feels good. Like I can start back up again. I'm using Malabrigo Worsted in a butter yellow.



7. I'm thankful we're almost caught up on Smallville episodes. What a fun series that I didn't think I'd like but do! It's fun to escape into a TV show isn't it?



8. Son#2 seems to be behaving better & not screaming at us in huge fits of anger we can't understand. Hopefully he will feel better after being to the dentist Oct. 1st.



9. Son#3 is trying SO hard to use real words. He's babbled for awhile & you get a real word now and again. But now, he's really throwing out word syllables in context. We see the light ahead!



10. And I'm thankful for my blog being nominated to the "I Love Your Blog Award"!
Now I must post who threw me this nod--->Longhorn Diva
and now I must nominate at least four others.



My college friend Danna was the first to jump to mind...she is SO genuine you just hear the happiness in her life through her words. I find her stories of three girls VERY entertaining since I just know boy stories.



Shirley is always crazy busy with some project. I envy her energy & am always impressed with what she creates every time.



Sue, who not only knits, but sews, does jewelry designs and really just wows me with her craft accomplishments over in jolly old England.



Lynne who gets more garmet knitting done than anyone I know & shares the same decorating sense that I have.



And last but not least Abigail. I've never seen such a well rounded person who is so happily blessed and says so often. She has previously served in the Navy and now entertains us troops of knitters with her stories and wonderful finished projects.

Ten Things Tuesday

1. Such good weather, we're not having to use the air conditioning today. Can Fall be far away?! Shhh....let me dream.



2. #3 son and his exceptional sleeping abilities. I do not in any way take for granted he has from the begining been & still is, a fantastic sleeper for me. Just lay him down, POOF--he's out. For hours. This allows me to be selfishly sitting here doing what I want rather than emptying the dishwasher like I probably should be.



3. That Hubbo's t-shirt contest voting is OVER! Dennis Miller picked the winner last night and all will be revealed in the next couple of weeks where I assume the winning tee will be available for purchase.



4. My upcoming trip by myself to go see Hubbo's sister & her family in Branson this weekend. I think 4 hours in the car by myself with my ABBA cd & other 80's music is sounding mighty fun.



5. Because of Prilosec, I can enjoy a nice, fat PBJ for lunch again.



6. Online Hobby Lobby coupons for 40% off one item so I can get some scrapping stuff before my trip.



7. I'm thankful for knowing what I'm cooking for dinner tonight already. Chicken Fried Rice-->
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Fried-Rice-with-Chicken





8. My foot does not hurt & is healing the fastest it's ever healed.



9. Son#1 was "Student of the Day" yesterday and very pleased with himself that he remembered to used good manners all day.



10. A husband that truly "gets" me.

The Dentist & Beetlejuice

We had a first here at our house this past Wednesday. We took son#1 to the dentist. And because of his sensory issues he would not ever allow a dentist to just LOOK in his mouth. Much less clean his teeth, poke around etc. He doesn't even allow us to wiggle teeth. So because of this we were at a surgery outpatient center Wednesday morning at 6am. Wowee, that's early!

Son#1 did well and got up and insisted on Teddy accompaning us as well as his Little Critter book, "Just Going to the Dentist". He said he wanted the nurses & doctor to have it for instructions. I had my knitting bag, recent People magazine and some coffee to wake my body up. We got straight in & son#1 was so brave! He put on his gown, kept his Cars pajama pants on. Used a heated blanket as a cape while drinking part of the "happy juice" provided by one of the nicest nurses ever. He got half down before he started gagging. After fasting since 8:30pm the night before, his empty tummy doesn't like sweet things first. Just like his mama.

The dentist/doctor came out to meet us and go over what his plan was. He was wonderfully helpful and we appreciated he wasn't going in to take everything & anything. Dr. Evan was so awesome & kid friendly in his red scrub pants & X-Men scrub top. He put son#1 at ease quickly although he was a good six foot four or better. Son#1 pointed out his book he brought and how if the dentist wanted to, son#1 would let him borrow it for instructions of what was to be done while son#1 slept. Dr. Evan was very agreeable and even said he loved books and had been brushing up on his the night before.

After the anesthiesiologist came in and gave son#1 an idea of the Darth Vader mask, we waited while he walked back by himself to the OR. He was so brave & I could tell the staff was very impressed and was probably expecting more of a fuss. I went off to the waiting room and Hubbo took off to go get son#2 up, dressed, fed and ready for the school bus. My mom had come the night before to stay the night so when we left someone here for #2 & #3. As soon as Hubbo had #2 gone and #3 up and dressed, he came back. But son#1's procedure didn't take as long as we'd thought so he just missed talking to the doctor/dentist. While waiting out front in the waiting room I was knitting and watching the news an older gentleman sat down beside me. We discussed some politics and got around to my son and how's not your typical child. Ironically, this gentleman's wife teaches D1, a class before kindergarten for developmentally delayed kids. She works in a metro area town and he drives buses for special needs kids in that town also. He was asking me all kinds of questions, and then right before he left, he said thank you. "Thank you for sharing your story of your children. I hope I didn't get too personal, but my daugthers son is not progressing as well with things and my wife & I have questioned it for awhile & didn't know what to say to my daughter. Thank you." I think my lesson I learned here is, you just never know who God will place in your waiting room for chit chat so make it worthy. He does so well placing people who need each other together doesn't he?

Son#1 came out of everything just fine! We were so so very proud of him. The dentist only had to pull 6 teeth and all were wiggly or had one waiting to come in. As we thought, his gums were sore and a problem, but he gave us a prescription for mouthwash to help that. (and it's already so much better!) He told us his jaw may be sore a bit from keeping his mouth open. Or he might need chapstick for a week. And they cleaned his teeth too. First time in 10 years...imagine that. Soft foods for the first few days & oh yeah, he has foam gel in the holes where he pulled the teeth to prevent dry socket and things getting in there while it heals. The gel can dissolve or fall out, no harm or big deal. Scared me the first time I saw one of those puppies come out though. I thought son#1 had some huge sinus problem or swallowed a bug larve!

I called his regular doctor when we got home and got topical rub-on meds for pain and throwing up called in. And son#1 did throw up by the time we got home poor kid. Dr. Evan called that night from home to check on him. What a nice man! We were so blessed. Son#1 slept a lot and by the next day, he was MUCH better & asking to play video games. There was a little problem finding soft foods without corners he'd eat since he's not your typical mac & cheese or jello kid. But he's back at school today and doing so well. We are so thankful for everyone's prayers and well wishes.
Because we were home with son#1 by 9:30am, and Hubbo would be home the rest of the day, I decided to bump my doctor appointment up to that same day. So at 2pm, off to the foot doctor I went. To have him work on the bottom of my right foot AGAIN--for the third time. I have a plantar wart. Well, actually FIVE. Apparently if you don't get them taken care of, like I didn't 8 yrs ago, they spread. Lovely. He's already seen me two other times, and it was so painful, Hubbo had to stay home at times because I couldn't walk for the first day. So I went back again, ready to beg this doctor not to do anymore because I couldn't afford to be off my feet any longer with my kids needing me the way they do. No dice. He sharpened the wooded end of a medicinal Q-Tip and applied more acid from a yep, you guessed it by the title...a BEETLE. Here is how they do it, and apparently, my old man foot doctor is a rouge according to this information:

"Cantharidin acid. Doctors and healers have used cantharidin — a substance extracted from the blister beetle — to treat warts for centuries. Today, this therapy is sometimes paired with salicylic acid. Your doctor paints this beetle juice onto your wart and covers it with clear tape. The application is painless, but it causes the skin under the wart to blister, lifting the wart off the skin. Your doctor can then clip away the dead part of the wart in about a week. However, some doctors are hesitant to use cantharidin because it's not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of warts. "

So the foot doctor is seeing me every two weeks & widdling down the skin till the warts are gone. Guess I should have gotten it taken care of 8 years ago huh? The good news is that this time I convinced him to apply even less acid, so it really did hurt less & although it was pretty painful when I walked, I was at least able to walk this time. Hopefully, this is the last time.

And here is where I want to correct this in case any of you have to have this done. Yes, it is painless when he applies this beetlejuice. However, and this is a BIG, WHOMPING HOWEVER,

later that same day, expect it to hurt. First it burns. Then it starts itching. Then the blisterS start. For me, I get a blood blister the size of a pencil eraser & two other regular blisters slightly smaller than dimes. Try walking on THAT. No matter which side of your foot you try to walk on or the heel, you still pull or pinch those blisters. Fun, fun.

So now, the family is healed & back to life as we call normal, walking & eating. Until October 1st, when son#2 goes in to the same OR/dentist.....stay tuned for those details. I'm betting their whoppers compared to son#1.

Ten Things Tuesday

I'm stealing a wonderful idea from my good friend Danna--Ten Things Tuesdays! Here are ten things I'm thankful for today.

1. A cloudy, cool pre-fall day. That means less humidity too which is always nice.

2. For some time to myself this morning before the chaos of the next few days begins. (more to blog on that later)

3. Someone who can watch the baby for me tomorrow. (my mom)

4. My great book club that I saw last night. We had a few people drop out & say our books were "trite". Seems they obviously can't be intellectually stimulated by anything with a happy ending. That's fine, I like us just the way we are!

5. I'm thankful I get to scrapbook this Friday night. Horray for more girl time!

6. Wal-Greens pharmacy--Pharmacist Bob makes my life so much easier.

7. That I got to meet up with family this weekend I don't see often enough & we had a nice, happy, long lunch together.

8. My friend Teresa that is motivating me to get back in shape. She has quite a road ahead of her.

9. My neighbors that are sweet Christian people who look out for us.

10. That we can pay someone else to mow & edge the lawn. I do NOT miss yard work.

VOTE FOR HUBBO!!!!!

Hubbo, listens online to Dennis Miller's radio show. You might remember Dennis Miller from the funnier years of Saturday Night Live. Well, Dennis Miller had a t-shirt contest for listeners to submit ideas. Hubbo submitted three ideas, and they picked all three!!!

However, they decided to take the easy way out & post all the t-shirt ideas they liked online for people to vote on.

Hubbo's designs are, the wagon one, the Radio Rennesance/Michaelangelo of Dennis Miller (gold/yellow) and the Latin text one. You may not get the humor, Hubbo used things Dennis Miller says all the time as the base of the idea so don't worry if you don't get it or think it's funny. JUST VOTE!!!!! And he prefers you vote for the yellow one or wagon one, in that order.:) Page #3 if the link doesn't work.

http://www.dennismillerradio.com/tshirtcontest?action=listImages&ind=2

They say one vote per hour, however Hubbo just voted three times in one hour so go ROCK THE VOTE PLEASE!!!!!!!! Every day until the voting is closed. Please!