333/365

SHOP 'TILL YOU GET HUNGRY

It was gay mom black friday shopping yesterday with Chrissy, Katherine and Lizzie.  None of us were really looking for anything in particular so it was nice to just casually go through the stores... We all started out a little hangry so food was on our minds.   

I've been to Burgatory a hundred times and have no idea why I never had the Burnt Almond Torte milkshake before today!?! Yum.

332/365

LOVE THE BUD
Even though it's tainted now - this will always be one of my favorite pieces of kid art.

Katherine was an expert kid artist and RoseBud was often her muse. I love how she made me taller than Dave in this one and gave me a long torso...  and how she got the the curly tail and collar even though The Bud looks like a cat... and how she knew that RoseBud was ONE word with a capital B even though she didn't capitalize the R... and the arrows crack me up.

So, so cute.

Happy Birthday, RB.

331/365

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

We made a gratitude tree the other day... We went out and cut some branches and the residents wrote down what they were grateful for on a paper leaf. We sat with those that couldn't write and talked to them and had them tell us... family and friends were the big ones... even gray hair (because it meant they lived long!)  I sat with S who doesn't talk much... sometimes she will start dancing in her wheelchair when we put something peppy on but she usually doesn't say a word.  She looked right at me - eyes wide open and grabbed my hand... she said "I'm grateful for YOU for taking care of me."

Sigh.

M and I were the only ones working today.  I'm glad that I did. We had a treat cart and went around room by room and said hello and talked for a couple minutes... some of those people wouldn't have gotten any visitors on a normal day let alone a holiday. We got a lot of I love you's and thanks for thinking of me's...

...and a lot of blessings.

Go do something for someone that doesn't have anyone or anything.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Grateful: A Love Song to the World.

330/365

HAY THERE
I worked late night tonight - all by myself. We made a scarecrow craft.  It's kind of cute when I go up to one of the floors - some of them will say - our teacher is here! I'm not quite sure if they are kidding or not or if they actually think I'm a teacher 'cause  some of them think I'm their nurse too - so I don't know. I have been having to assemble some of the crafts before we start because they just don't have the ability to do certain things... I was up until 2:30 last night putting the "hair" on the scarecrows for tonight...

329/365

LET'S TALK TURKEY
Did you know that a group of wild turkeys is referred to as a flock and a group of domesticated turkeys is referred to as a rafter? I had to run to the store earlier and saw these guys in the church yard down the street. I turned around to get their picture...

...then had to wait for all of them to cross the street!

Turkey totem here.

328/365

I HAVE A PROBLEM...
I went to Target specifically for popcorn... went in and got it and left.

327/365

HERE WE GO STEELERS...
We have each been taking turns bringing a themed cart around to the residents that don't or can't come out of their rooms... this week was my week so I chose to do a Steeler cart and gave out a treat and mini pennants.

326/365

SIDE OF PANCAKE
Chrissy and I went to Eat N Park last night after we dropped Glo off from her PSU adventure. The whole breakfast/dinner question came into play... My back was hurting so bad from loading the wheelchair that I needed some comfort food so I knew mashed potatoes would be a necessary component (she got hash browns.) We both wanted a waffle and we shared an order of pancakes. Yummy but I don't want this to happen again.

325/365

EXPEDITION PENN STATE
We took Glo to State College today to pick up Katherine. She's been saying that she wanted to go visit and see her stuff that we gave the kids... She thinks her crock pot is there too and she's been teasing that she's going up to take it back.  It's not there (Ted has it) but she insists that the kids have it and it has turned into this big joke.

She's been having a harder time walking so I wasn't sure if this was going to be a good idea still but for days she's been saying how much she wants to go to the Basilica.  She said Ray (she meant Dave) promised her that he would take her to DC and she was so excited.  We told her again and again that that's not where we are going but she just wasn't getting it. We said that will maybe have to wait until we visit Lizzie  - God help us all if that happens.  I think that's a little too far to go with her, unfortunately.

I totally hurt my back in the morning loading a wheelchair (that we never used) in the car and it ended up raining a bit but we went around town, had lunch at the G-Man and took her for ice cream... even though she began asking "are we were there yet?"(non-stop) starting in Blairsville, she had a good time.

324/365

MISSION CONTROL
I've said it time and time again... I wish I could have been the wife of an astronaut.  Being part of mission control would have been good too...

...even in the movies. I sometimes long to be one of those guys with the crew cuts in the short sleeve shirts smoking with the head sets on.

I watched Apollo 13 this morning and Independence Day last night... I went to sleep around 5 am and slept for about 45 minutes. We never even went into bed. I'm back to not sleeping again. If I could focus on something for more than three minutes I would read this book.

323/365

THIS TAKES THE CAKE
I just realized I never got a cake for my birthday. ;-(

322/265

INTO THE LIGHT
Remember Ghost Whisperer and J Love's boobs?!?  That show has been on my mind lately. I'm not sure why - maybe it's because I really want to take a nap on my green couch.  I've been thinking about those friday nights lounging on those couches watching those poor souls try to make peace with their lives so they can cross over into the light.  You know - that doesn't only apply when you are dead.

321/365

LET SLEEPING DOGS (AND BABIES) LIE
I yelled at the Lily Bud last night.  She is so bad when it comes to cleaning her face/folds and trying to brush her or clean her ears.  Like SUPER BAD... she sounds like a gremlin and wiggles all around and came really close to biting me several times.  She hid under the dining room table and I screamed and she finally came out and let me brush her at least.  It's impossible to do it by yourself and she almost cut The Dad's face off with her wolverine claws which were just cut.  I hate when I have to yell at her.  Anyway, you've probably seen these photos by now... the cutest pics of nap time. It's pretty much what me and The Lily Bud look like every night. ;-)

... and if you need a little more cuteness... check this out.

320/365

TREAD LIGHTLY
Did you see the story on the Elk vs Photographer? The video terrified me a little. The poor elk was put down too... apparently people were feeding them and they were getting aggressive and seeking out people/food... I don't know the whole story.  I don't think the photographer was at fault here and I would have liked to have seen his shots... I do think people need to back away and get out of their homes... I don't care what it is... elk, whales, dolphins - whatever...

I still feel bad and get a little creeped out when I think about our little encounter at the Grand Canyon a few years ago... we were just walking by and this big guy was standing there.

There could have been a lot of people falling over the edge if he went crazy... and there were many more too.  We had just missed a bunch of them all together but saw several on our journey around the canyon.

319/365

TICKED OFF
The Dad went on a fishing trip with his friends again.  It seems like every time he goes away for the weekend and I am so excited to have the house to myself - something happens.  I told everyone I wasn't leaving the house all weekend.  So, what happened this morning?  The little pup was sound asleep laying flat out on her back and I look at her and saw a tick. WTF?!?  Her vet was closed so (after I called Carey in a panic) I called the groomer that does her nails and they told me to bring her up. I'm seriously considering installing a tube in the backyard like the one in the Trifexis commercial!

318/365

THEY SEE ME ROLLING...
What is up with this wheelchair cart at Walmart? Glo has been insisting that she has to get makeup so I left the girls in the makeup aisle to go find a wheelchair... it was at the opposite end of the store... I needed a little rest when I got back.

I swear I heard the theme to Chariots of Fire playing when we were shopping. Why was it so damn gigantic?

And the latch was not quite catching so it kept opening!

I think The Glo-worm needs to learn how to drive an electric cart! ;-)

317/365

PUZZLED

The Glo-worm is getting really bad.  She thinks summer is coming. She thinks she needs two pairs of pants because she has two legs. We have had lengthy conversations on how she thinks she has to stay in her room because she's only half dressed because someone is taking her other pair(s) of pants.  She's starting to forget people and places... I sneak in her room in the morning when I get there and she's always on top of the bed sleeping...   She isn't getting that she should be under the covers. It's like we are saying something absurd.  The simplest things are starting to be very difficult.  Here she is from awhile back trying to do a puzzle with Chrissy.  Video here.

316/365

(NOT SO) HAPPY HOUR
My boss is retiring so we took her to dinner to celebrate...I guess I went to my first after work social being a working girl and all!  You know - like the cool kids do - happy hour and all that fun stuff.  Guess what? No big deal.  I mean it was super fun and we had a good time and a great dinner and laughed all night but that didn't make me a better person or instantaneously fulfilled.

Told you so.

I may not have had a normal working life when I should have but I was happy with it.  I never felt like I lost myself or had no identity or raised my kids and now had to find my place.  I had a place and a family and a home and was more fulfilled then a lot of people I know that worked all their lives.  That was enough for me and should have been enough for others.

It's sad when the ones that should have been your biggest supporters just wanted to change you into something they thought you should be.

315/365

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
I had the most horrible dream this morning... The Lily Bud was outside chasing after someone - I'm not sure who.  She wasn't being mean - she was playing and all of a sudden she fell or jumped off a bridge.  It was a little bridge but I was still in a panic over it and I went running and looked over and there was like a 50 ft drop into water... it wasn't flowing water it was like quicksand/still water but when I looked down I knew she was gone. I started screaming and I woke up and couldn't figure out where I was or where she was but IRL she was laying right there in my arms. I almost squeezed her to death when I realized she was ok..

All I could think of all day today was the ride to the emergency vet with RoseBud.

Anyway, here's my obligatory "first snow of the season" photo...

314/365

THIS LITTLE PIGGY... IS TERRIFYING
I find all kinds of things in storage... remember when I unearthed my wedding dress?

That was fun!  Awhile back I had asked if all the baby stuff was still at the house and got the I think so answer... so, much to my surprise, I found a giant box in storage filled with toys and frames and baby clothes and boxes from the hospital from all three pregnancies.  At least I know where it is now.

I actually took it back to The Dad's to properly bin and as I was sorting through everything this little piggy scared the hell out of me - though kind of sums up everything pretty well.  Video here.

313/365

I WANT TO BE A MACHO MAN
Yep. I had no idea what day it was when I got home... I worked yesterday and today and, like I said, we had "Friday" on Saturday so I was, as expected, all confused.  Speaking of confused... I didn't quite get it at first when Glo's friend, A, asked me what the party was about and if they were going to turn into men... I only figured it out when Glo gave me the card she wrote on so she knew where to go.  She thought it was a Macho Party. ;-)

It was really a NACHO party for the Steeler Game.  They were the first two to arrive!

Speaking of MACHO... here's Glo and M from Halloween!

312/365

EVERYBODY'S WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND
Actually I AM working the weekend. ;-) I'm not sure I'm liking not having a regular work schedule/certain days when I work... It kind of screws up the whole week and almost every day I've been off I've had appointments... and then when I work the weekends - it's like I never have a day off at all.  Anyway, we had an impromptu General Tso's "Friday" on Saturday tonight... now we'll all be screwed up for the rest of the week and not know what day it is!

Recipe.

311/365

EVER AFTER
I remember coming back home from Disney after we got engaged... I remember the "Friday night" we had when we got back... I had a blue sweater on with a big embroidered Mickey Mouse on the front...  I showed off my little mickey mouse ring that night...  I can still picture myself on that bench where I sat before we made the trek down to the brick.  They were still building the path at the time and it was blocked off so the brick tent guy had to escort us. I guess there are things you never forget.

Today would have been our 16th wedding anniversary.  I've been looking for the Bride's magazine article that had a little something I wrote about having a fiancee that was really involved in the wedding planning and all of that. I can't find it anywhere.  It must have gotten packed up in some box or bin and God only knows where it is now.  I guess I'll mention this instead...

I came across this story... a Disney themed proposal. Info in the link.

Absolutely adorable.

Let's hope it turns out better than this one...

Check out their wedding video here.  ♥♥♥

310/365

UNDER PRESSURE
12 hours after I got my car back last week it was back in the shop yet again.. I got it back late last night just in time to hold my breath and hope it would get me to my early morning appointment with the oncologist. I didn't judge my timing that well and was a little late but they took me back shortly after I arrived and then all hell broke loose.  My blood pressure was a little too high and they were all flustered about it (especially because my PCP doubled my medication a couple weeks ago) and they wouldn't give me my injection and it turned into one big mess. Four hours after my appointment time and I was still there.  I don't have time for this, people.

309/365

MAY THE 'STACHE BE WITH YOU

You never quite know what you are going to run into when you step in the computer room... The Dad will usually have some sort of get up going on. Tonight was this...

...complete with mustache that we gave out to the residents that didn't have costumes for Halloween.  He stayed like this for most of the night.

Here's a scene from the other night...

He's really liking the stash.

308/365

ROCK THE VOTE
One of the other girls and I handled all the voting issues for work... registration, absentee ballots, etc... We took a small group to vote today... it was a short trip but they were happy to get out and there was a bake sale... I got some really delicious peach jam.

307/365

THEY SAID IT COULDN'T BE DONE...
We finally did it...

The Dad's car is in the garage!

Unfortunately, the game room now looks like this!

306/365

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

305/365

LUCK BE A LADY TONIGHT
I wasn't very lucky but we all had a good time at Nemacolin today for my birthday!

304/365

FIRST OF NOVEMBER
Today was my birthday.  I was off. The girls have been asking me what I wanted to do and I couldn't come up with anything. We didn't really have a plan.  We had breakfast and went to the french bakery and then we kind of just wandered.  I like to wander. We ended up going here and there and everywhere... one of our stops was to Construction Junction...

I do get great joy out of the strangest things! Can you believe I didn't buy one chair?  Not one! Though I wanted every one I saw.

 I was pretty good at resisting temptation... there were some lockers that were calling my name and some doors. All I wanted was this...

Like REALLY wanted it.  It reminded me of Penn State and the library and I sat there on that little baby chair and promised that if I got it I would be so productive and it would be my own little nook to GTD. It had a hole for a cord and a shelf to put things on. Come on - I could have put cute things on that shelf. And - are you ready for this?   It was $5.00.

FIVE DOLLARS!!!!!

And guess what?  Those bitches wouldn't let me get it because they said I didn't have anywhere to put it.

Thanks, guys.

WORST BIRTHDAY EVER.  ;-)