Good morning everyone... happy Sunday!

Well, another week has passed and we all survived, right?

School, for me, is not going to be SO grueling over the next few weeks b/c we are not in the hospitals yet. That doesn't start until October, so I don't have to drive to Miami more than two days a week. Sweet.

Today, Bryan's family are coming over to celebrate our niece's birthday. She is 13... our house is prime b/c it is easy to house 10+ children when you start with 4. It will be nice to see Bryan's sister... I haven't seen her for a while.

Spent the day alone with the kids yesterday - Bryan had football and then he had to take a football-related test on-line so he wasn't free until about 6pm. I spent the day - deep cleaning and laundry. Brutal.

This is how bad I didn't want to pick up another book for school. Although I must try to sneak in a few pages now.

Thought I'd post this photo - did I already post it? It is ,by far, my most favorite of Bryan and any of our children. That baby loves him SO much - you can see it on her face - and Bryan is just so handsome.

I am a lucky, lucky girl.

Even more photos of Massachusetts

All of these photos are taken in the creek that is on Roger and Lara's property. It is tucked neatly into a small woods area to the right of their house so you can't see it from the house, but you can hear the water running all the time.

If you walk into the woods the water is right there.

Wade didn't want to step into the water at first but we convinced him to get wet. It was lots of fun.

A few more photos

The first photo is Meredith dressed as a Shaker. In case you don't know, the Shaker's were a clan that separated women and men. They could not marry and thus, the only way to keep the cult alive was to convert new members (committed to celibacy) and adopt children (who usually chose to leave during the teenage years). I'm thinking Meredith looks good in this outfit and will send her there when she turns 12.

The two of these photos (the ones of Paige) are what she looks like when she is asking for something... and what she looks like when she doesn't get it right away.
She wanted the camera.

Olivia is holding the Browns' new puppy... a Havanese dog named Brownie. That is right... he is Brownie Brown. Very cute.

Bryan and his little one was just too precious not to include. That was at Howe's caverns in upstate NY. Two hour drive for us, but it was fun.

Vacation photos

It takes very long to download photos to this thing so I may have to do it in stages.

The photos here are of us visiting the Witches Musuem in Salem, MA, which I found disappointing. The kids didn't behave well, so that was part of the mix, for sure.

Also, we visited Paula and Frank, so we got to see my great-aunt Gracie. photo is of Me, Mom, Olivia, Aunt Gracie and Paula (both sitting). It was nice for Bryan to meet them all.

One photo is of my older three with our cousins' boys playing in the backyard.

And I threw on in there of Paige b/c this kid is so darn cute!

Last one is of the Brown kids (Ryan and Elena) with my crew at the Hancock Shaker village. Behind them is just a small part of a big estate. They were a fascinating breed of folks, for their time.

I'll post more photos in another post.

Hermit crab posse---

Ok - so a short google search led me to this website...

http://crabstreetjournal.com/xoops/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&type=&topic_id=1770&forum=6

which is the origin of the whole HERMIT CRAB adventure that went on last month.

It is too bad that only one of them actually had the b*lls to come on this site to say they understood that the whole thing was a misunderstanding.

They are still commenting, to each other, about my lack of caring about these 'throw-away' pets.

Feel free to read their website... it is pretty funny.

Stalking has stopped with me - so I am happy for that. I'll be keeping a close eye on that thread to see when they finally give it a rest.

Back from vacation and back in school

The last few weeks have been busy, with travel and then we came home to only one week before school started (for us all)

Olivia's teacher is Mrs. Scott. (4th grade). I don't know her but Olivia seems happy and came home beaming about how 'cool' her teacher is.

Meredith's teacher is Mrs. Jackson. (2nd grade) Who was Olivia's teacher for 1st grade (confused?). Meredith is happy that she got a teacher she knows and I'm glad that the teacher knows us all. Meredith's reading is improving slowly and with Mrs. Jackson's watchful eye, I'm sure we will be fine.

School for me started with orientation on Friday and Saturday... which were basically lets-get-to-know-each-other sessions... allowing the 36 strangers to mingle.

They ended the two days with a nice cocktail reception. It was nice.

Yesterday, was all day class, basically a review of anesthesia. Schedule for me won't be too bad for the first 6 weeks... only 2 days a week, then I'll pick up another day. Life will SUCK in January with a 5 day week +++ homework, but I'm choosing to not dwell on that all now.

For now - I'm off for two days. Reading and doing homework.

still on vacation

Well, we have survived the first of three phases of our trip to New England. As I write this, from my blackberry, we are driving to pick up our rental and then will head over to eastern Massachusetts.

Lara and Roger have been wonderful, gracious hosts. Their house is both warm and cozy and it has plenty of room for the kids to run free, both inside and out.

Now, we are giving them a four day quiet house and heading to visit Boston and all the cousins Bryan has never met. It is a once a decade trip for our family. I am sure that once school starts for me, there will be no travel and I'll owe lots of money in student loans. So this is it for a while.

Paige's wound is healing nicely. Her right eyebrow is shiny, from the glue, but otherwise looks great. I don't think there will be a noticable scar.

If I can figure out how to post pics from my phone I will do it. Otherwise we'll have to wait until we get home.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

First day of vacation - sitting in ER already

Uneventful trip, kids could not have been better and the flight was smooth. No complaints. Everyone did well.

So, we are here in Lara and Roger's home in Massachusetts. They have a beautiful home with lots of land, lots of rooms and lots of stairs. The kids are having a ball learning the in's and out's of this big, big house.

Our biggest challenge was making sure the kitten doesn't escape from a door left open and keeping Paige away from the stairs. She has been having fun with the puppy and kitten here.

So, after breakfast, we hear Paige crying (which is not alarming b/c there is always someone crying) but when Elena came out to say that Paige had fallen, walking around the coffee table, and hit her head on the table. Concerned but still not alarmed, we all started to get up to see if she was ok.

Then Elena added that she was bleeding... which is not good. Mind you, we are all only abour 20 feet away from this coffee table. Turns out the older kids had thrown the couch pillows on the floor, which made naviagation for a one year old challenging.

Big, split in her right eyebrow. Didn't stop bleeding and it was pretty deep, so off to the ER we had to go. Not the way to start off a vacation but lets hope the next 13 days to go

Again - check out this ad-thingie >>>>>>>>

Please take notice that the ads inside the box are random and the program uses key words from inside to blog.

Until this blog gets off the subject of hermit crabs... I think ads like these will keep popping up.

Kind of funny... and ironic...

Eventually this will change, but for now, I'm enjoying it.

Leaving in 2 hours for the airport.

Enjoying my first (and last) quiet of the day.

Leaving tomorrow!!!!!!!

All packed (almost) and ready to go.

I spent the entire day doing laundry and cleaning. Of course, no kids were here. I was feeling guilty about taking them in the camp and daycare, but when I got home and saw how much laundry and cleaning and packing and sorting there was to do, I was glad to be alone.

It is the only time I'll be alone again for weeks to come.

B-I-G headache... needing some Motrin and lots of it.

Lara and Roger got a new puppy and kitten last month so the kids are really looking forward to that. Can't wait to see their house.

My parents flew up today... made it safe and sound.
Us next...
Rich and Patricia this weekend to NYC (not part of our trip)

Tom and Linda will be up in NH too. Linda make sure you have my cell # or keep your cell on you. We will be in Paula's area from Monday (8/10) to Thurs (8/14), not sure of the days you'll be up there. I think they are planning on doing a picnic on Wednesday at their home... my mom wants to drive to the beach.

Going now to check the weather for New England (of course I've overpacked so it really doesn't matter)

Wish us luck on the plane. We are stocked with coloring books, word puzzles, games, DVD player and movies, cd players and the iPod. Not to mention food and snacks.

Hope for a less crowded flight.

Check out the new ad-thingie>>>>>>

Just added this new add-thingie and I believe the ads are random but come from the google people searching the blog for content and puts in the ad box whatever is being discussed.

So.....

don't you think it is ironic that the whole hermit crab saga picked up enough tabs to have the ad-thingie have hermit crab ads????????

That is hysterical...

I mean, as much as I've been accused (recently) of torturing and teaching torture techniques to the kids when it comes to hermit crabs - that the ads are trying to sell them.

Just wanted to point that out.

I guess once we start mentioning the children and school again, it will start changing the ads to reflect that conversation.

Which is good, b/c I don't need the hermit crab posse coming at me anymore.

I'm sure that their comments were well intentioned but it was directed at me for the wrong reasons, don't ya think?

Anyway, back to the topic at hand....

Finally - summer semester is done!

Hey!

After 13 long weeks of constant homework, the summer semester is done. Last nite was the final class for us in Theory and I completed the Pathophysiology class yesterday too.

Now, it is just packing and leaving for Mass. tomorrow. Can't wait.

The children are so excited about going on a plane they can hardly contain themselves. We don't have to be at the airport until 10am so at least we will have time to eat and clean up.

Ill be in touch ... I hear the dryer buzzing.

The hermit crab saga continues...

**I'm thinking that this blog was forwarded to a hermit crab lover's society club, which would explain all the evil comments. Am I right?**

Today someone left a comment on an earlier post (the original hermit crab one, I think), that reassured me that not everyone in the hermit crab posse is throwing darts at my picture.

It was a long comment, which I will address partly here, but anyone can scroll down to that post and read the comment.

Our hermit crab cage IS INDEED one of those childish looking, circular, mesh lined cages... not Dora the Explorer, but you are on the right page.

I have no idea about salt-water, fresh-water... anything that you mentioned.

Again, here is the story...

Hubby and kids stayed overnight at a beachhouse in the Florida keys for the July 4th weekend. (I couldn't go... too much homework and the baby is too little for boating, so we stayed behind) When they pulled up in the driveway the next day, middle daughter was holding a plastic cup, covered with a rubberband and papertowel, with a hermit crab inside.

She announced she had brought home a pet. I wasn't thrilled but what could I say? Would anyone look in the eyes of a child and take the 'pet' to a pet store? That would be heartless. So, the next day, a friend was at a pet store and called to say she'd pick up a cage for it.

A starter-kit cage comes with:
1. cage (cute, round, mesh)
2. sponge (that is supposed to be wet always)
3. food
4. extra shells
5. sand covering for the bottom of the cage

and here's the best part...

6. A FREE HERMIT CRAB! So, then we had two.

Children were thrilled and really did assist with cleaning out cage, feeding, changing water, etc. everyday. I thought we were doing a pretty good job.

My own lack of how-to-care-for-a-hermit-crab knowledge contributed to their deaths only because I would have never imagined that sunscreen could be used as a weapon.

We live in Fort Lauderdale. My kids use sunscreen everyday and they have never sprayed it on each other. My son's fingers are just now getting strong enough that he can press the button without assistance; I think he discovered that on that fateful day.

I'm glad that the names 'Hermie' and 'Crabby' caught your eye as us being novice crabbers... they were given to them by the child that found the original one.


Here is the end of what Octavia(?) said...

"...For other Hermit crabbers out there, I understand your rage at this but, guys, theirs tons of people out there who do worst stuff then this to crabs. So please, whats done is done. We can just hope that when mother of 4 kids buys more, she understands better care, thats all. No offense to the commentors or the poster intended"


Yes... please - listen to her - she is a wise woman.

Moving on....

Since I'm here...

My official last day of work was this past Thursday. Knowing that it was coming for 9 months didn't make it any easier. I cried like a baby - started crying when the first batch of nurses left at 2pm and came over to hug me goodbye and give well wishes. I didn't really regain my composure for the rest of the three hours I had left to work.

I actually had to tell my patients about it being my last day b/c I'm sure they were wondering why whenever someone would walk towards me, arms extended, I would stop, hug, and cry. I was a train-wreck and by the end of my shift... I had the patients and their families explaining it to new arrivals who where looking at the nurses like we had three heads.

My 19 years at Memorial were filled with great memories, good friends, fantastic food and wonderful experiences. I've grown as a person, wife, mother, friend and nurse all under the watchful eye of the hospital. It has been a real pleasure to have grown up within those walls.

When I started there I was only 20! So young, right?

So, now it is on to bigger and better. I do have the feeling like I'm running head first into a forest on fire, and yet, I am amazing calm and ready.

Thankful that I've had the past two semesters to get back into the speed of being a student, too. I will manage to pull off A's in these summer courses but it wasn't pretty. I had to claw my way there.

This fall I have 6 classes (four for anesthesia, one general nursing, and the clinical days at the hospital are the sixth). The four anesthesia are all on the same days, in the same classroom! Yes, we have to sit in our seats (8-10, 10-12, 1-3 and 3-5) isn't that just crazy? My aging back hurts just thinking about it.

Gotta do what we gotta do.

Taking the kids away for a while will be a welcomed break. We are really looking forward to seeing Roger and Lara. Can't wait.

Dragging this on.....

I can't believe that I'm actually answering this but...

This was posted as a comment today....

"who keeps hermit crabs in a glass bowl? thats low"

I don't know who would keep a couple of hermit crabs in a glass bowl, but guess what?

I didn't!!

The crabs were placeD in a 'ceramic' bowl during the cleaning of the cage. Is there a more appropriate place to keep two hermit crabs while their house gets a good washing? I'd be curious to hear one.

Tried a box - they can climb the walls.

Besides - how long does it take to clean a cage? 5 minutes? Bowl is sitting right next to me in the kitchen, too.

Usually they'd crawl all around trying to find a way to grasp the sides. But that morning, they didn't move.

When they NEVER moved - we knew they were dead.

People.... we need to move on.