Initially, the purpose of this blog was to keep family and distant friends updated on the happenings of our home. Tired of trying to send out photos and stories to everyone I know, I just refer people to here... easy enough.
I also realize that the web is an open forum and that there are many people who read this that do not know me personally, but keep reading b/c after a while it seems like we all have the same issues...
- raising children,
- maintaining a career,
- keeping our heads above water in a changing economy
& managing to stay married and still (deeply) love my husband are all part of everyday life that we can all connect to, right?
What I'd love to know is why it is that negativity and sarcasm bring people to post a comment, but those same people are silent when reading about everyday issues.
Instead of only negative comments about the hermit crabs, why did no one feel the need to share that they, too, had a child with an extra tooth and how their own experience was with that?
Since I lived and wrote about the hermit crab saga - I cannot separate myself from it. Perhaps it could have been worded differently, but this blog is not for perfect writings. I write when I have the time, which is not often and I certainly do not have the time to rewrite and proofread the posts. I can't censor this thing in hopes that it wouldn't offend people that I have no knowledge of reading it.
I enjoy the knowledge that if someone else ever had a kid with 'mulluscum' (sp)they can read my posts from when my child had it and know that they are not alone. (Because, trust me, that was a lonely feeling).
I don't know... The wind is taken out of my sails when people leave sarcastic comments about leaving a 3 years old unattended with sunscreen - like it is fate worse than death.
Anyone with a child knows, that you turn your back and little hands are holding a glass frame off the piano that they had to climb on an end table to get - or the baby has picked up a pencil - or someone leaves a door cracked open and you turn a corner to see a toddler just getting ready to step into the garage.
These things happen. If you can't understand that, I feel for you. But this is my life. If you don't agree with it, don't read about it.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
This is getting stupid now -
(for those that are following this hermit crab tale and are confused... read the multiple comments left under the hermit crab posts. That will fill you in)
How can I make this any clearer?
MY CHILD DID NOT PULL A LIVE CRAB OUT OF ITS SHELL!!
As a matter of fact, my children never even touched the crabs that day. The crabs were discovered ALREADY DEAD when I was cleaning out the cage.
BRYAN is my husband (not my son) who tugged on one of them to try to get it to move b/c they hadn't moved in hours. The children were afraid to touch them, but were upset b/c we were thinking they were dead.
When the crab didn't resist - we knew they were dead. Is there another way to test to see if a hermit crab is dead? If so, you can enlighten me.
To insinuate that my child would TORTURE a live animal is insulting and just proves that you do not know me (or my family) personally.
The crabs deaths was accidental and upsetting to all of us - what part of my post would lead you to believe that they were alive? except that you DID NOT know that Bryan was not my son!!!
You obviously didn't read the post completely or with a full knowledge of our family. Next time ask before you jump to conclusions and start accusing me of being a terrible person.
I DO NOT owe anyone an apology!!!!!!!!
I think you owe me one - or at the very least...
The hermit crab society needs to back off... Kindly leave this blog alone.
How can I make this any clearer?
MY CHILD DID NOT PULL A LIVE CRAB OUT OF ITS SHELL!!
As a matter of fact, my children never even touched the crabs that day. The crabs were discovered ALREADY DEAD when I was cleaning out the cage.
BRYAN is my husband (not my son) who tugged on one of them to try to get it to move b/c they hadn't moved in hours. The children were afraid to touch them, but were upset b/c we were thinking they were dead.
When the crab didn't resist - we knew they were dead. Is there another way to test to see if a hermit crab is dead? If so, you can enlighten me.
To insinuate that my child would TORTURE a live animal is insulting and just proves that you do not know me (or my family) personally.
The crabs deaths was accidental and upsetting to all of us - what part of my post would lead you to believe that they were alive? except that you DID NOT know that Bryan was not my son!!!
You obviously didn't read the post completely or with a full knowledge of our family. Next time ask before you jump to conclusions and start accusing me of being a terrible person.
I DO NOT owe anyone an apology!!!!!!!!
I think you owe me one - or at the very least...
The hermit crab society needs to back off... Kindly leave this blog alone.
Monday, July 27, 2009
My offensive post(s)...
Usually, I don't reply to 'anonymous' messages left for me... my feeling is that if someone has something to say to me, they can identify themselves.
However, since the hermit crab tales created a stir, I will address it.
Obviously, those offended do not know me, b/c if you did, you would know that...
1) I would never refer to myself as a 'wonderful mother'.
2) Telling the story was my way of making light of a bad situation. The discovery of the crabs was upsetting to us all.
I offered to bury them, kids said no and wanted to put them 'in the water' back where they belonged. Canal is separated by thick trees and a fence. Did I know, at the time, that this would be a scene? In hindsight, we should have buried them.
I will say that the reactions were harsh. I mean, did I give my kids a B.B. gun and teach them to shoot puppies? No - I did not. The child who sprayed them is only 3 years old. Were his actions malicious? Come now...
I take full responsibility for the actions of my children. It is impossible to keep an eye on them 24/7 and this happened in a moment when I wasn't standing right there. Does this make me a terrible person? I don't think so.
I understand that children need to be taught how to care for animals and by not ever allowing pets in our home - I am probably doing them an injustice later in life. I can count on one hand the number of times my kids have been close enough to a dog to pet it. They just aren't exposed.
I have long realized that we are just too busy to have ANY pets. Trust me, we are not going to get any more hermit crabs. We don't have any pets, never have, never will.
I didn't seek out the crabs - they both just arrived. It was a brief lesson in keeping a pet that my whole family regrets.
However, since the hermit crab tales created a stir, I will address it.
Obviously, those offended do not know me, b/c if you did, you would know that...
1) I would never refer to myself as a 'wonderful mother'.
2) Telling the story was my way of making light of a bad situation. The discovery of the crabs was upsetting to us all.
I offered to bury them, kids said no and wanted to put them 'in the water' back where they belonged. Canal is separated by thick trees and a fence. Did I know, at the time, that this would be a scene? In hindsight, we should have buried them.
I will say that the reactions were harsh. I mean, did I give my kids a B.B. gun and teach them to shoot puppies? No - I did not. The child who sprayed them is only 3 years old. Were his actions malicious? Come now...
I take full responsibility for the actions of my children. It is impossible to keep an eye on them 24/7 and this happened in a moment when I wasn't standing right there. Does this make me a terrible person? I don't think so.
I understand that children need to be taught how to care for animals and by not ever allowing pets in our home - I am probably doing them an injustice later in life. I can count on one hand the number of times my kids have been close enough to a dog to pet it. They just aren't exposed.
I have long realized that we are just too busy to have ANY pets. Trust me, we are not going to get any more hermit crabs. We don't have any pets, never have, never will.
I didn't seek out the crabs - they both just arrived. It was a brief lesson in keeping a pet that my whole family regrets.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Hermit crabs -update
Hermie and Crabby are both departed!
Those crabs stayed all day in the ceramic bowl... never moved. At dinner time, we noticed that the bigger one had come out of the shell - just a little - and for a second we were like 'yeah... they are alive'.
But then Bryan said it was out because he had pulled it out to see if it resisted - and it didn't.
Definitely dead. Meredith was so mad at Wade; he couldn't have cared less.
We pulled the bigger one out of the shell to see what they look like. Never saw one before. N-A-S-T-Y!!! They are just a half body (crab) and the second half is just a big muscle that holds it inside. Just gross.
We brought them out back to throw them over the fence to the canal behind our home. All four kids and me were out back, with the ceramic bowl, and a big spoon. No one was willing to touch the big one because he was laying there out of the shell.
So we agreed to fling them over the fence.
Meredith wanted to do the little one (Hermie) so she put him on the spoon and weakly flung the spoon. Guess what happened? Of course he didn't make it over the fence, but worse than that...
HE SEPARATED FROM THE SHELL!!!!!!!! HIS BODY WENT LEFT AND THE SHELL WENT RIGHT. YUCK!
So we had to stop everything and go find this thing in the grass! What a mess. After three attemps - Hermie was gone - shell and all.
Crabbie was easier - Olivia just scooped him up and away he went over the trees. We kept his shell - it is nice and the kids are asking for more crabs. I told them maybe after vacation we will get two more.
That bought me three weeks.
Those crabs stayed all day in the ceramic bowl... never moved. At dinner time, we noticed that the bigger one had come out of the shell - just a little - and for a second we were like 'yeah... they are alive'.
But then Bryan said it was out because he had pulled it out to see if it resisted - and it didn't.
Definitely dead. Meredith was so mad at Wade; he couldn't have cared less.
We pulled the bigger one out of the shell to see what they look like. Never saw one before. N-A-S-T-Y!!! They are just a half body (crab) and the second half is just a big muscle that holds it inside. Just gross.
We brought them out back to throw them over the fence to the canal behind our home. All four kids and me were out back, with the ceramic bowl, and a big spoon. No one was willing to touch the big one because he was laying there out of the shell.
So we agreed to fling them over the fence.
Meredith wanted to do the little one (Hermie) so she put him on the spoon and weakly flung the spoon. Guess what happened? Of course he didn't make it over the fence, but worse than that...
HE SEPARATED FROM THE SHELL!!!!!!!! HIS BODY WENT LEFT AND THE SHELL WENT RIGHT. YUCK!
So we had to stop everything and go find this thing in the grass! What a mess. After three attemps - Hermie was gone - shell and all.
Crabbie was easier - Olivia just scooped him up and away he went over the trees. We kept his shell - it is nice and the kids are asking for more crabs. I told them maybe after vacation we will get two more.
That bought me three weeks.
Weight loss
In my quest to drop some poundage - I've managed to lose 12 pounds!!! (almost, anyway)
I've eaten like a pigeon this month... low carbs (no bread, rice, potatos), no snacking, nothing fried, no soda (even diet).
Actually, I haven't had anything to drink except water (and one cup of coffee each morning) for 4 weeks now.
People are noticing, which is nice, and my clothes definitely fit better.
Later today, I'll put up some photos from a going-away party that my co-workers had for me and Cindy last night. I was pleasantly surprised at how even I could see the weight loss)
Still want to lose 10 more (at least)
I've eaten like a pigeon this month... low carbs (no bread, rice, potatos), no snacking, nothing fried, no soda (even diet).
Actually, I haven't had anything to drink except water (and one cup of coffee each morning) for 4 weeks now.
People are noticing, which is nice, and my clothes definitely fit better.
Later today, I'll put up some photos from a going-away party that my co-workers had for me and Cindy last night. I was pleasantly surprised at how even I could see the weight loss)
Still want to lose 10 more (at least)
Meredith's mouth (oral surgery)
Meredith had that extra tooth removed yesterday. She did great.
They gave her Vistaril (makes her sleepy) 45 minutes before. She was acting like she was fine until it kicked in and she started to complain about being 'dizzy' and crawled on my lap.
20 minutes later, it was over. She is left with two dissolvable stitches in the middle of her two front teeth. She doesn't even act like it hurts.
Gave her some Motrin and she was fine.
This morning, she is acting herself (asking to eat and wanting to swim).
So, after a summer of tasks (Olivia's surgery, my mammogram, Meredith's oral surgery, school projects) we have completed the list.
Two weeks we will leave on vacation to New England and spend 12 wonderful days showing our kids other states and meeting family/friends.
This is a great time.
They gave her Vistaril (makes her sleepy) 45 minutes before. She was acting like she was fine until it kicked in and she started to complain about being 'dizzy' and crawled on my lap.
20 minutes later, it was over. She is left with two dissolvable stitches in the middle of her two front teeth. She doesn't even act like it hurts.
Gave her some Motrin and she was fine.
This morning, she is acting herself (asking to eat and wanting to swim).
So, after a summer of tasks (Olivia's surgery, my mammogram, Meredith's oral surgery, school projects) we have completed the list.
Two weeks we will leave on vacation to New England and spend 12 wonderful days showing our kids other states and meeting family/friends.
This is a great time.
Hermit crabs
I think we've managed to kill the two hermit crabs.
The kids were yelling (two days ago) that Wade was spraying them with sunscreen. I brought him inside (punishment) but never went out to see if the crabs were ok.(my bad)
So, yesterday, I didn't see them moving around. Didn't think much of it, b/c they sometimes sleep, but this morning they were still laying on the bottom of the cage.
Took them out... cleaned out the cage... and found a layer of tan sludge all over everything (food, shells and bottom of the cage) Smelled like the beach.
Yes... is it was sunscreen.
As we speak the two crabs are in a ceramic bowl, where I put them to clean out the cage. But the bigger one (Meredith's find from the July 4th weekend in the keys) doesn't move its legs when you touch it. The little one is tucked inside very deep.
I kinda thought that they'd come out of the shells to die, so we are giving them a chance to move.
But they are not... :(
The kids were yelling (two days ago) that Wade was spraying them with sunscreen. I brought him inside (punishment) but never went out to see if the crabs were ok.(my bad)
So, yesterday, I didn't see them moving around. Didn't think much of it, b/c they sometimes sleep, but this morning they were still laying on the bottom of the cage.
Took them out... cleaned out the cage... and found a layer of tan sludge all over everything (food, shells and bottom of the cage) Smelled like the beach.
Yes... is it was sunscreen.
As we speak the two crabs are in a ceramic bowl, where I put them to clean out the cage. But the bigger one (Meredith's find from the July 4th weekend in the keys) doesn't move its legs when you touch it. The little one is tucked inside very deep.
I kinda thought that they'd come out of the shells to die, so we are giving them a chance to move.
But they are not... :(
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
great week, so far!
Well, I just had to come on her to tell you that I am THRILLED with the grades I've gotten in school this week.
Last week, I had to turn in 3 really big projects...
1. 30 minute powerpoint slide show about Urinary Tract obstruction.
2. one oral presentation in the class that I got an 87% on the first paper.
3. Group project (for the same class) that was 15 pages long and took 5 of us 6 weeks to write.
Nervously, I checked in with the FIU website for the posted grades. Finally, last night they all popped up.
1. Powerpoint - I got a 49 out of 50 points!!! Very proud and basically just solidified an A in the class. Awesome. Smooth sailing from her on out.
2. Got a 100% on the oral thing. I was worried b/c I was long on a timed thing and got cut off before I could finish. but the teacher understood that I knew the material and didn't count off for my not finishing!!!!!!!
3. The group thing isn't graded yet, but the teacher emailed me to ask that our group start to think about what nursing journal we would like to submit the paper in for publication!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm thinking that this means she liked the paper, so far!!!!!!!!!!!
Great news all around. Only two weeks left of the summer classes!!!!!!! Can't wait to go on vacation.
Last week, I had to turn in 3 really big projects...
1. 30 minute powerpoint slide show about Urinary Tract obstruction.
2. one oral presentation in the class that I got an 87% on the first paper.
3. Group project (for the same class) that was 15 pages long and took 5 of us 6 weeks to write.
Nervously, I checked in with the FIU website for the posted grades. Finally, last night they all popped up.
1. Powerpoint - I got a 49 out of 50 points!!! Very proud and basically just solidified an A in the class. Awesome. Smooth sailing from her on out.
2. Got a 100% on the oral thing. I was worried b/c I was long on a timed thing and got cut off before I could finish. but the teacher understood that I knew the material and didn't count off for my not finishing!!!!!!!
3. The group thing isn't graded yet, but the teacher emailed me to ask that our group start to think about what nursing journal we would like to submit the paper in for publication!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm thinking that this means she liked the paper, so far!!!!!!!!!!!
Great news all around. Only two weeks left of the summer classes!!!!!!! Can't wait to go on vacation.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
I know I've been neglecting this blog...
I know that I've been completely neglecting this blog, but I knew that the month of July was going to be a real ball-buster and it has proven to be true. This is only a test run for the amount of homework I will have over the next two years. We are staying afloat, but noticing a difference already. (not necessarily for the better)
The photos here are actually from Father's day. We all had dinner with my parents at the restaurant Christine Lee's. It was a nice evening. Kids were fine, believe it or not. Wade is the only one who is an issue and it is only because he has no volume control and he thinks that farting at the table (ANY TABLE) is funny. So if you can get over that, it was uneventful.
Meredith is having that oral surgery this coming Friday. Her front teeth are coming in with an abnormally wide gap. On x-ray, she has a third (extra) tooth right in the middle of the two front teerth. It is preventing her teeth from moving together and the other teeth can't come down. Not only is it extra - it is upside down! It looks like a bottom tooth stuck up in the upper gum... the tip of the tooth is just under her nose. Freaky! She will have much pain, I'm sure, since they may need to remove it through her palate. Cleared our schedule for the evening and the next day.
Hopefully, this will prevent her from needing braces twice. Once now and later at 13. We'll see.
Olivia is doing well. She hasn't had the spotting since the day of the surgery - and they found nothing on the surgery. Funny how she spotted for 8 months, they take a look (find nothing) and the bleeding stops. $8,000 workup with no answer. Insurance will cover most of it, but I'm sure a bill will come up soon for what we owe.
Speaking of owe - We are still getting bills for Wade's trip to the ER over in Ft. Myers. Ambulance trip was $700 (alone). Keep forwarding the bills to the insurance company - pain in the a**.
Meredith's oral surgery will cost $980.00 out of pocket!!! That is after the dental insurance kicked in. Payable before the surgery. OUCH!
We are leaving on Aug. 6th to go to Mass. for 12 days. Staying with friends mostly, but a 3 day hotel and 4 day car rental is $1000. After paying for Meredith's tooth removal - I'm thinking we won't need to eat on the trip, right?
Speaking of eat... I have lost 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks. Completely let go of anything high in fat, high in carbs and have only drank water (after one cup of coffee before 6am each day.) It has been a great challenge, but I was topping the scales and I needed to do something about it.
Smoking crack cocaine helps... LOL!
Weight goal is half way there. If I lost 20 pounds, that would be nice. Clothes would fit better, if not too big.
Probably won't be back for a while, but I'll try.
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