Things have taken a definite turn for the worse (not to be pessimistic) with Cara. After running a fever, vomiting and not having an appetite for about 48 hours, we determined that it was time to call her doctor. We got an appointment this afternoon for her to be seen. Our biggest concern being dehydration since the poor baby couldn't keep anything down for more than a couple of hours. A thorough examination led to the conclusion that Cara has a mild ear infection and that the pain and nausea associated with that was probably causing her to vomit. We were given a Rx for amoxicillin and told to offer her fluids around the clock and if she wasn't much improved by the end of the weekend, to bring her back on Monday. We narrowly escaped a positive culture for Strep, thank goodness!
We had also asked the doctor to discuss the ultrasound results from Children's Hospital earlier in the week. We had been praying that the radiologist saw nothing alarming...that it was just genetics. Unfortunately, Lady Luck was not on our side. Instead, the ultrasound found that the three front lobes of Cara's brain are enlarged and causing some concern. Her doctor wants us to take Cara in for a MRI to provide more details and hopefully reveal the reason for the enlargement. At this point in time, her doctor has no idea what this enlargement could mean. She did say, however, that it could very well explain her developmental delays, but that would be the call of a pediatric neurosurgeon, if it came to that. It could be nothing at all or it could be something quite serious. Originally, we were going to take Cara back the Children's Hospital for the MRI but, then, found out that they are 2-3 weeks backlogged. There's no way that I would be able to wait that long wondering what's wrong with my baby, so I put in a call to my mom and asked her to check with the hospital in Montrose. Being a smaller hospital, there's not as much demand or a backlog, so as long as our insurance will cover it, Cara has an appointment there on Thursday morning. We will be packing up and going over on Tuesday, most likely, as long as Cara is feeling much improved from the ear infection. My mom will be able to go to the hospital with me (Ben will be here in Denver, he has to work all week, unfortunately, but he is very supportive of me going to Montrose and getting this done ASAP) and hopefully, we'll get Caitlin's former sitter (or maybe my best friend) to watch her while we go.
Please, continue praying, thinking good thoughts and crossing fingers & toes. I'm trying to to think "what if" or worse case scenario but, I will admit to being scared out of my mind. My little girl has been through so much in her short life and it seems like there's no end in sight.
Thanks everyone & I'll continue to keep you posted.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Birthday Splash!
Since the sprayground has become one of the most popular summer attractions for the girls, it was the natural choice for hosting their joint birthday party. Wednesday, the 18th turned out to be the perfect day for playing in the water. Temperatures crept up near 100 degrees (oh, humanity!)and the water spraying down was lukewarm--not goosebumps cold nor sauna hot. While, for some unknown reason, Cara was not that into splashing around, Caitlin had the time of her life and told everyone she ran into that it was her birthday today. In fact, when we first got there, she just had to go around and show the other little girls her birthday dress (a yellow flower print dress with an overlay that my mom made) and twirl around for them.
After Caitlin had enough fun running and splashing (and was chilled to the core), we headed over the our picnic shelter and began to grill hot dogs. There's something about BBQing outdoors that makes everything taste better...maybe it's the grill marks on the dogs but, the hot dogs were awesome along with the salads and chips.
After everyone was full, it was time to open presents. Of course, this was the part that Caitlin had been waiting for, rather impatiently, days. She was jumping up and down and smiling real big with anticipation while her Grandpa and I brought the presents over from our cars. Her enthusiam showed for each and every present she opened--exclaiming over each one.
Cara joined in the festivities from her stroller giving us big grins when we presented her with present upon present. Big sister helped her unwrap them, of course. While she got some great gifts, Cara was much more fasinated by the ribbons on her packages and the bright paper than the gifts themselves, at least until they were out of the boxes and she could play with them.
Both girls were spoiled pretty darn rotten by their parents and grandparents. One of my favorite gifts was a family membership to the Children's Museum of Denver. I love the fact that we can now go whenever we want, for how long we want without spending $14+ each time. We've already been once and both girls had a jolly good time. We even get the scoop on special members-only events and new exhibits. I cannot wait to get our money's worth out of the membership, especially during the winter.
After opening gifts, Mother Nature decided to grace us with her windy presence, blowing everything (including Cara in her stroller) all over the place. We had to quickly pack up and move the celebration back to our loft.
Once there, we lit the candles upon the Dora the Explorer and Care Bears cakes, sang "Happy Birthday" times two and let the girls dig in. Cara had the most fun with her piece, slurping up every last bite. She was quite a mess and promptly got a bath which filled the bottom of the tub with candy confetti. Caitlin's favorite part of the cake was the icing. I was so tempted to just by the kid a tub of whipped frosting, put a candle on top and call it a done deal!
After cake & ice cream was eaten and enjoyed, my parents retired to their hotel room and the girls wound down (or up) by playing with some of their new toys. The popular favorite was Cara's Bounce & Spin Zebra from Mommy & Daddy. Both girls had fun riding on it.
All in all, it was a great day! The girls really had a blast and were so happy to see their grandparents to boot.
**Oh, I wanted to brag, just a bit. Cara's cake was the $6 WalMart special. I had them write on it for me, for free. Then, after searching around the store without success for some Care Bear figurines, I came back to pick up the cake and asked if I could purchase on of the Care Bears cake top decorations that they had. The bakery manager disappeared and then returned with two sets (4 bears total) and asked me which I wanted. Being the budget conscious person that I am, I asked how much they were and she said, "Go on, take them, they're free!" Both of them, all four bears for free! Score! I think Cara's cake looked good, if I do say so myself. FYI--Caitlin's cake was from Target and I think they have the best marble cake with buttercream frosting ever!
On the "Forefront"
Before I start a post on the girls' birthday party celebration, I wanted to write about something that really had Ben & I (along with our close friends and family) wondering. Our youngest, Cara, went in for an ultrasound of her frontal lobe area of the brain yesterday. Her pediatrician showed some concern because her head circumference has been measuring off the charts for several months now. At first, he was hoping that the rest of her would catch up to her "out of proportion" cranium. When that didn't happen, he wondered if it was genetics. However, been at approximately 105% of average still worried him. He wanted to be sure that she didn't have hydrocephalus, which could account for the reason why Cara is a bit behind in her developmental milestones like crawling, walking, pulling up, etc. So, he wrote up an order for the ultrasound and we drove to downtown Denver yesterday afternoon to the pediatric imagining department of Children's Hospital. We arrived on time, after a nerve-wrecking experience parking in an ancient parking structure (problem to resolved when the hospital moves to the Fitsimmons campus in October). Let me just say that this hospital is the cutest and most kid friendly place I've ever seen. The information desk looks like a hot air balloon and there's a huge fish tank, TV playing Disney channel shows and playhouses in the waiting area. Doesn't seem like a hospital in a lot of ways. Anyway, we checked in at the pediatric imaging department and waited about 15 minutes for our turn. We were escorted to the ultrasound room by Jessica, a really sweet ultrasound technician. She put enough gel on Cara's hair to hold a mohawk for a long time, did the ultrasound while I kept Cara from swatting at her and within 10 minutes, we were out.
We are still waiting for the results from Cara's pediatrician and have an an appointment scheduled for next week. While we seriously doubt that there's anything "wrong" with Cara's cute little brain, we are prepared for the news that she might need some physical therapy to help her learn to crawl and walk. We will do whatever it takes to help her along. Looking back, I think it was meant to be that I became a SAHM because should she need PT a few times a week, I will be free to take her whereas, had I been working, I would've had to take time off. There is a divine plan and reason for everything in life.
So, if I may ask, could you all keep Cara in your thoughts & prayers over the next week or so as we find out the results of the ultrasound and decide on how best to go forward from here. No matter what we find out, nothing will change how much we love our little girl and how she means the world to us!
We are still waiting for the results from Cara's pediatrician and have an an appointment scheduled for next week. While we seriously doubt that there's anything "wrong" with Cara's cute little brain, we are prepared for the news that she might need some physical therapy to help her learn to crawl and walk. We will do whatever it takes to help her along. Looking back, I think it was meant to be that I became a SAHM because should she need PT a few times a week, I will be free to take her whereas, had I been working, I would've had to take time off. There is a divine plan and reason for everything in life.
So, if I may ask, could you all keep Cara in your thoughts & prayers over the next week or so as we find out the results of the ultrasound and decide on how best to go forward from here. No matter what we find out, nothing will change how much we love our little girl and how she means the world to us!
Political Profile
If only it was this easy to figure out where I stood on all the issues surrounding politics and the upcoming 2008 election. I could go on & on about how I would do things differently but now, talk is cheap! As for the results of this profile, doesn't surprise me one bit that I'm more liberal. I really would like to know if it's possible to be a sociology/social work major and be an extreme conservative?
| Your Political Profile: |
 Overall: 35% Conservative, 65% Liberal Social Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Personal Responsibility: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal Fiscal Issues: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal Ethics: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal |
Happy Birthday Caitlin!
(Bad mommy forgot to publish this post on the 24th)
Little Bug--2003
Balancing Act--July 2007
Dear Caitlin,
There's something we want to tell you...
We are so proud of the young lady that you are becoming. Your independent personality is really starting to show through and you are one unique little girl. You are so smart and creative. You continue to amaze us with the things that you know, say and do. Your biggest accomplishments in the last year have been learning to use the potty, riding a "big girl" bike, writing your name, "pumping" a swing, balancing on a balance beam, and learning your ABC's. We are so very proud of you and love you more than you'll ever know. We are looking forward to being a part of your very active and exciting life. Please allow us to come along for the ride but please, don't be in a big hurry to race on ahead. Even if you do, Mommy & Daddy will be there, in the distance, watching out for you. Forge on, Princess Caitie!
Happy 4th Birthday!
Love always,
Mommy & Daddy
Little Bug--2003
Balancing Act--July 2007
Dear Caitlin,
There's something we want to tell you...
We are so proud of the young lady that you are becoming. Your independent personality is really starting to show through and you are one unique little girl. You are so smart and creative. You continue to amaze us with the things that you know, say and do. Your biggest accomplishments in the last year have been learning to use the potty, riding a "big girl" bike, writing your name, "pumping" a swing, balancing on a balance beam, and learning your ABC's. We are so very proud of you and love you more than you'll ever know. We are looking forward to being a part of your very active and exciting life. Please allow us to come along for the ride but please, don't be in a big hurry to race on ahead. Even if you do, Mommy & Daddy will be there, in the distance, watching out for you. Forge on, Princess Caitie!
Happy 4th Birthday!
Love always,
Mommy & Daddy
In 1978
| In 1978 (the year you were born) |
 Jimmy Carter is president of the US US Senate votes to turn over the Panama Canal to Panama on December 31, 1999 Israel and Egypt reach a peace settlement at the Camp David Accords The US and mainland China announce that they will restore full diplomatic relations Members of Jim Jones' People's Temple commit mass suicide in Guyana Pope John Paul II becomes the first non-Italian pope in centuries Ted Bundy is captured in Florida The first computer bulletin board system is created Garfield debuts in newspapers Ashton Kutcher, Kobe Bryant, Usher, Clay Aiken, and Nelly Furtado are born New York Yankees win the World Series Dallas Cowboys win Superbowl XII Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup Saturday Night Fever and Grease are the top grossing films "Night Fever" by the Bee Gees spends the most time at the top of the US charts Diff'rent Strokes and Mork & Mindy premiere |
Saturday, July 21, 2007
New pictures
Hello everyone! I have just uploaded new birthday pictures to my Flickr. Again, they are set so that only family & friends can view them. So, if you don't have a Flickr account, you might want to get one. Trust me, the pictures are worth it. Or, if you'd prefer, you can send me an email and I'll send you a few of my favorite pictures.
I will post later about the girls' birthday and other news.
I will post later about the girls' birthday and other news.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Happy Birthday Cara!
Happy Birthday to our little Peanut, recently renamed Bubba. It's so hard for Mommy & Daddy to believe that twelve months have gone by since the day that you joined our family. You have brought so much love and happiness into our lives. As we look back, we are amazed at how much you've changed and how much you've learned. We have enjoyed watching you blossom from a tiny baby into a bubbly toddler full of personality. It's been quite the journey, sweet girl, one which has only just begun! Many more milestones & memories await us. We will always be by your side.
We love you!
Mommy & Daddy
Then, such of a little peanut--small and, oh so precious!
Now, a sweet little girl with a personality as bouncy as her hair.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Meme Go 'Round
I got tagged by Judy to do this Meme...so here goes. Trying to make this 8 things that you don't know about me.
THE RULES:
List 8 facts/habits about yourself
Post the rules at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed
Tag 8 people and post their names, go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and ask them to read your blog.
1. I once took my car (an '88 Dynasty) up a 4-wheel drive only trail. We're talking over boulders and all of that.
2. It is my secret goal (well, I guess it's not a secret anymore) to own all the Disney movies ever made.
3. I once wanted to be an interior designer and have a whole notebook full of room designs, furniture, etc.
4. I often read books in reverse...meaning that I'll read the last chapter or two and then go back to the beginning. Sometimes, I just can't wait to see how a book ends.
5. I have a bizarre urging to catalog the books, CDs and DVDs in my house.
6. I'd love to get selected for TLC's What Not to Wear. I wouldn't even give Stacy and Clinton too much lip.
7. I once went to summer camp and spent 2 weeks learning how to "de-bean" a horse.
8. I have a long list of places I want to see and things I want to do before I die. Some of them would surprise you.
Umm, as far as tagging people...I don't know 8 people who have blogs who could do this, who haven't already done this.
THE RULES:
List 8 facts/habits about yourself
Post the rules at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed
Tag 8 people and post their names, go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and ask them to read your blog.
1. I once took my car (an '88 Dynasty) up a 4-wheel drive only trail. We're talking over boulders and all of that.
2. It is my secret goal (well, I guess it's not a secret anymore) to own all the Disney movies ever made.
3. I once wanted to be an interior designer and have a whole notebook full of room designs, furniture, etc.
4. I often read books in reverse...meaning that I'll read the last chapter or two and then go back to the beginning. Sometimes, I just can't wait to see how a book ends.
5. I have a bizarre urging to catalog the books, CDs and DVDs in my house.
6. I'd love to get selected for TLC's What Not to Wear. I wouldn't even give Stacy and Clinton too much lip.
7. I once went to summer camp and spent 2 weeks learning how to "de-bean" a horse.
8. I have a long list of places I want to see and things I want to do before I die. Some of them would surprise you.
Umm, as far as tagging people...I don't know 8 people who have blogs who could do this, who haven't already done this.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Randomness Part Deuce
I don't know how but I've managed to find some time recently to do some random web surfing and came upon some cool sites. If you are as bored as I was, check them out.
Seven Wonders--
I voted for my 7 favorites awhile ago and about 3 of them made the final pick. Now, I have to add these 7 to my "Places To See Before I Die" list.
What People Say in NYC--
Laugh so hard that you almost pee in your pants, funny! Good for a pick me up.
Secrets on Postcards--
Human interest...it's amazing what people will say.
Only One Sentence
If you only had one sentence, what would YOU say?
Seven Wonders--
I voted for my 7 favorites awhile ago and about 3 of them made the final pick. Now, I have to add these 7 to my "Places To See Before I Die" list.
What People Say in NYC--
Laugh so hard that you almost pee in your pants, funny! Good for a pick me up.
Secrets on Postcards--
Human interest...it's amazing what people will say.
Only One Sentence
If you only had one sentence, what would YOU say?
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Randomness
Thanks for the boredom busters, Kendra!
60%
--I guess I have a pretty serious addiction to blogging, at least in terms of reading other people's blog because heaven knows I don't post enough on my own!--
$5225.00
--Gee, and I've worked the past few years beacause? I could've just sold my body to science. Hehe!--
--Hmm, I wonder when I used the word "kill" that gave my blog it's rating?--
--I'm still trying to figure out which two I spelled wrong. I pride myself on being a human Webster's Dictionary...guess I'd better not give up my day job!--
60%
Mingle2 - Online Dating
--I guess I have a pretty serious addiction to blogging, at least in terms of reading other people's blog because heaven knows I don't post enough on my own!--
$5225.00
Mingle2 - Free Online Dating
--Gee, and I've worked the past few years beacause? I could've just sold my body to science. Hehe!--
Mingle2 - Online Dating
--Hmm, I wonder when I used the word "kill" that gave my blog it's rating?--
--I'm still trying to figure out which two I spelled wrong. I pride myself on being a human Webster's Dictionary...guess I'd better not give up my day job!--
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Back from the Artic!
Have I mentioned that my husband is brilliant? Remember how I threatened to retreat to the Artic Circle to escape the heat and lack of air conditioning in our apartment? It seems that Ben had had enough of sweltering in the heat and decided to poke around in the closet (he had to break in since the apartment community locks it) that houses our furnace. He took the cover off of the furnace and noticed that there was a little switch. Hit the switch and the next thing we heard was the sweetest sound I've heard in a long time--the air conditioning turning on. Apparently, there must be a ground short somewhere in the apartment because this switch keeps clicking off. Ben positioned the cover just-so hoping to prevent it from switching off again. At least now, we know what happened and how to fix it. Took him all of about 5 minutes to discover what was wrong and to fix it and the maintenance people couldn't find 5 minutes out of their day spent sitting on the curb smoking to relieve a sweating family of 4? All that I can say is, thank God Ben is handy!
Oh, and look what Ben found while he was poking around in the furnace closet...
Nice, huh? And no, that's not ours!
Oh, and look what Ben found while he was poking around in the furnace closet...
Nice, huh? And no, that's not ours!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
The Artic Circle Looks Good
I'm thinking that a vacation sounds good right about now. Not your typical summertime, relax on the beach vacation either, the last thing I want to go is anyplace warm. Denver (and much of Colorado, for that matter)is in the midst of yet another heat wave with the forecast predicting near-record highs in the upper 90's and almost no rain in sight. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, since we have central air. Or I should edit that to say, we did have central air. Our unit (which is probably 15+ years old)decided to quit working--again--Friday morning. Ben called them around 1pm after failed attempts to get it going again, and they said they might send someone out that evening (didn't happen)or "possibly" Monday. Knowing these sum-lords, we'll be lucky if we're cool before the 4th of July. Ben & I are going to draft up a letter telling them that we will be deducting a day's rent for each & every day that we do not have A/C in the month of July. Maybe that will motivate them?
So, that said, I'm about to pack my bags for Antartica and hang out with the penguins. In reality, we may escape to my parents' place where at least they have a swamp cooler. We are getting together with them on the 4th anyway, for a picnic and such in the mountain town of Ouray. It's kind of a family tradition.
So, that said, I'm about to pack my bags for Antartica and hang out with the penguins. In reality, we may escape to my parents' place where at least they have a swamp cooler. We are getting together with them on the 4th anyway, for a picnic and such in the mountain town of Ouray. It's kind of a family tradition.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Flickr changes
Hi everyone! I wanted to let you know that I've recently uploaded some new pictures of the girls out in the wading pool. However, due to an obscene number of views, I have decided to change some of them to be viewed only by family & friends. So, if you want to see them and are not a contact, you may have to create an account and then add me as a contact. If you already have a Yahoo account, you can use that. Sorry to have to do this but I worry about someone, somewhere, using my daughters for child pornography. I've seen it done so many times with innocent partially clothed pictures. When an innocent picture of your daughter in her bathing suit gets 223 hits in two days, something's up! Some of the pictures are still public, for now, but that may change too. When it comes to my girls, I just can't be cautious enough.
Thanks for understanding.
Thanks for understanding.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Hop Aboard the Whirlwind Express
The low-down of our trip to the Great Lake State.
I'm happy to report that we left the house EARLY on Thursday morning, don't ask how that happened. Honestly, I think it had something to do with the fact that we packed up the car the night before and that I was up at 3:45am. When then drove to the park-n-ride by the airport, parked, unloaded, climbed into the shuttle and arrived at DIA at 6 o'clock on the button. We discovered that Curbside Check-in is SOOOO worth it when you're lugging three suitcases, carry on bags and carseats. What's a measily $6? After that, we were down to two carry ons, a diaper bag and a garment bag, umbrella stroller, and two car seats. Little did we know that we could've checked both car seats and saved hauling them thru security and all that. No one at Northwest offered to do this for us. The line for security moved very quickly and we got thru without any problems, thank goodness. They did ask me what was in Cara's sippy cup--water, no liquid explosives--but otherwise, we were in the clear. We got to our gate in plenty of time to go to McDonald's for breakfast ($14 for 3 breakfast Extra Value Meals?!) and watch planes pull in. Having kids pays off at the gate when we are allowed priority boarding with all of the first class people. It took us that long to get everyone situated, including asking for help with Cailtin's car seat. We then settled in for our just shy of 3 hour plane ride. Cara briefly nursed before falling asleep, Ben was out almost immediately (having worked the night before) and Caitlin dozed off shortly after take off. Cara woke up after about a 45 minute nap, so I entertained here with toys and Cheerios while Ben & Caitlin continued to sleep. Pretty uneventful and routine flight in all regards. The only thing that urks me is how the major airlines are charging for food now. On our flight, they were charging $5 for a snack box! Not even real food, just snacks. Thankfully, I had packed snacks for everyone, we just took the free beverages. Anyway, we got into DTW (Northwest World Gateway...WOW!) right on schedule and after figuring out the Tram, got to the luggage claim and met Ben's mom & sister. The girls were greeted with hugs and gifts...Ben and I with just hugs. Once we got outside of the terminal, the humidity and heat hit us! Holy smokes...I sure haven't missed THAT about Michigan! We just don't get the humidity here in Colorado, thank goodness. The rest of Thursday saw us unwinding and prepping for the journey down to Toledo for the wedding. My sister-in-law (thanks F!) treated me to a manicure & pedicure and Caitlin to having her nails painted. What a rare and appreciated treat! I got a french manicure and looked like sophisticated momma.
That evening, I snuck over to my good friend Robyn's house and we hung out, she showed me how to do my make-up (I'm clueless) and played with my hair. I'm sorry to say that she was the only friend that we had time to see and that's only because she lives right down the street from the in-laws (and yes, it's just because we like them too).
Firday, we all got up, showered and packed for our journey to Toledo. Ben & I had the grand idea to try to stop off in Birmingham on our (out of the) way down. Unfortunately, we ran into construction traffic (construction has it's own season in MI) and ended up scratching that idea. Turns out that the people we wanted to see were out of town anyway, though I would've loved to have seen the library. Ben decided to take Evergreen to 7 Mile, don't ask me why, and then 7 Mile to 75. Needless to say, it was THE SLOWEST way to get to 75--lots of stoplights, detours, etc--and took us through some rough neighbors like something right out of Eminem's 8 Mile. After about 1 1/2 hours, we finally got on I-75. Problem was, our directions were from US 23, so we got totally turned around ending up all over the Metro Toledo area including down on the waterfront (very pretty area). By some miracle, we arrived at the rehearsal at 5:02pm, only two minutes late. I think Caitlin was hot & tired because she really did not want to cooperate with the wedding coordinator and had to be sternly talked to ("Catilin, I'm sure there's a wall for you to stand with your nose against around here somewhere...") before she conceeded and cooperated with everyone. The santuary was beautiful, built in 1905, but lacked one essential during midwestern summers, air conditioning. To say it was warm in there would be a gross understatment. Thankfully, we were able to run through the ceremony quickly and then head off to the restaraunt for dinner. We had dinner at the Navy Pier Bistro down on the waterfront. Beautiful location, great food, lots of fun. I had this piece of caramel pecan pie to die for!
We awoke to a beautiful, yet probably the warmest day of the summer thus far, on Saturday morning. Caitlin was up and out with the bridal party to have her hair done around 10am and Ben followed at noon. Cara, my mother in law and I headed to a local Target to pick up some last minute dress essentials before going back to the hotel to change. I am proud to say that I negoiated Toledo's freeways all by myself and got us to the wedding with time to spare. Unfortunately, that was the last piece of good news. Just as we feared, the santuary was very warm again, with only fans to circulate the air. At first, Cara & I were doing well. We sat towards the outer aisle in the back in case we had to make an emergency exit and Cara was as happy as a clam. However, as soon as the actual ceremony started, Cara began to fuss. I noticed that she was drenched in sweat despite my attempts to cool her with a paper fan & a sippy cup with water (word of advice, make sure baby's clothes are made of cotton). We ended up having to vacate the santuary and watch the ceremony from the doors leading to. I couldn't hear what was being said, but the ceremony was beautiful nonetheless. Ben looked handsome standing up as his brother's best man and Caitlin did a wonderful job as flower girl, she looked so grown up. I think that Ben & I shed a tear. My brother in law and his new wife were so blistfully happy and in love, such of a wonderful sight. Susan looked so beautiful and glowing in her gown. It was just a picture-perfect ceremony. Afterwards, we all assembled outside to see the new couple off. Mind you, it was a perfectly clear, sunny day so the sun was just beating down on us. Cara was not happy about being outside and soon started to wail. I brought her back inside and attempted to pacify her with no luck. At one point, I was seriously considering foregoing the reception due to Cara's temperment. I decided to give her one last chance and escaped to the bellows of the church to feed her. Momentary peace came over us while she nursed only to be follwed by convulsions. I am fairly certain that she had heat stroke. Never have I felt so guilty or scared. I rushed her to the sink in the lounge area, strpped her down to her diaper and splashed cool water all over her. After a few minutes, she stopped shaking and promptly fell asleep. After making sure she was indeed sleeping (checking for a pulse and signs of breathing), I moved her upstairs again, by the fans, while the wedding party had more photographs taken.
Afterward, we all headed over to the reception. Again, the food was wonderful and the entertainment was great. It was so cute to see Ben dancing with Caitlin and then his mom. Ben & I got to dance too, which was a rare treat. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The rest of the night, Ben & Caitlin got their groove on while I stayed with Cara. Caitlin had a blast dancing with her Uncle Kofi, Aunt Effie and brand-new Aunt Susan. That little girl danced from the time the music started until Ben carried her off the dance floor around midnight! Cara & I headed out awhile before then as Cara was sleepy. We ended up driving around town and to a Meijer parking lot where Cara had her nightcap and promptly fell asleep. Ben and I, both high on life after the reception, went out in search of food and found a Kroger. Armed with yogurt, salad and chips, we came back to the hotel, sat in the dining room and chatted for awhile. Ahh...life without kids, even if it was 1:30 in the morning!
Sunday found us out in the country around Slyvania, OH at Susan's parents' home. We all had a BBQ followed by a refreshing swim in the pond in front of their house. Ben, Caitlin & I attempted to paddle boat but, Caitlin got scared when the tether for the boat got caught up in the paddles and we coulnd't paddle. Brave Uncle Kofi and Navyman, Jason came to the rescue. Once we were freed, we made one more loop around the pond before heading inside to leave. I almost forgot, we all watched Kofi & Susan open their wedding presens and boy did they get some beautiful things, especially some crystal serving pieces. Kofi was saying that they got so much stuff that they needed a bigger house to put them in!
We headed back to MI and over to Kofi & Susan's place to say goodbye to them and have some wonderful Jet's pizza. They were heading out to Hawaii for two weeks in the morning as we were leaving to come back to Denver.
We arrived at the airport, checked in at Frontier where they promptly asked if we wanted to check our car seats (yes, please!) and then headed to security. Again, we got lucky and went right through, no problems while the family in front of us got searched. After some Starbuck's for breakfast we boarded the plane. I have to say that I love Frontier airlines (not only because they started in Denver either). The employees are very friendly and helpful, the planes are comfortable, they offer free drinks & snacks and the best part---for $5 you can watch TV or movies on these little screens built into the seats. We paid for Caitlin to watch NickJr in-flight and it kept her quiet and happy. Cara slept most of the flight while Ben and I rested up. We got into Denver right on time, and after struggling with getting luggage to the shuttle pick up point, got back to our car and on our way home.
It's good to be home but, we are missing Detroit and our friends and family there. Caitlin really grew attached to her Uncle Kofi, Aunts Susan & Effie as well as her Nana and Grandpa (who she met for the first time at the wedding). She still talks about how she misses them and the fun that she had (especially the limo rides). I wish that we had more time to make the rounds to see family and friends. Hopefully, we'll be able to make a trip out next summer to see everyone.
Well, that's all folks. Everything considered, it was a pretty seamless trip there & back with just enough "adventure" thrown in to make things interesting and memorable!
To Kof & Susan--we can't wait to see the pictures of both the wedding and honeymoon! We hope that you guys had a wonderful time in Hawaii! Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day.
To Aunt F & Nana--thanks for providing the means for us to come to MI and for the hospitality (oh yeah, and for spoiling the girls).
I'm happy to report that we left the house EARLY on Thursday morning, don't ask how that happened. Honestly, I think it had something to do with the fact that we packed up the car the night before and that I was up at 3:45am. When then drove to the park-n-ride by the airport, parked, unloaded, climbed into the shuttle and arrived at DIA at 6 o'clock on the button. We discovered that Curbside Check-in is SOOOO worth it when you're lugging three suitcases, carry on bags and carseats. What's a measily $6? After that, we were down to two carry ons, a diaper bag and a garment bag, umbrella stroller, and two car seats. Little did we know that we could've checked both car seats and saved hauling them thru security and all that. No one at Northwest offered to do this for us. The line for security moved very quickly and we got thru without any problems, thank goodness. They did ask me what was in Cara's sippy cup--water, no liquid explosives--but otherwise, we were in the clear. We got to our gate in plenty of time to go to McDonald's for breakfast ($14 for 3 breakfast Extra Value Meals?!) and watch planes pull in. Having kids pays off at the gate when we are allowed priority boarding with all of the first class people. It took us that long to get everyone situated, including asking for help with Cailtin's car seat. We then settled in for our just shy of 3 hour plane ride. Cara briefly nursed before falling asleep, Ben was out almost immediately (having worked the night before) and Caitlin dozed off shortly after take off. Cara woke up after about a 45 minute nap, so I entertained here with toys and Cheerios while Ben & Caitlin continued to sleep. Pretty uneventful and routine flight in all regards. The only thing that urks me is how the major airlines are charging for food now. On our flight, they were charging $5 for a snack box! Not even real food, just snacks. Thankfully, I had packed snacks for everyone, we just took the free beverages. Anyway, we got into DTW (Northwest World Gateway...WOW!) right on schedule and after figuring out the Tram, got to the luggage claim and met Ben's mom & sister. The girls were greeted with hugs and gifts...Ben and I with just hugs. Once we got outside of the terminal, the humidity and heat hit us! Holy smokes...I sure haven't missed THAT about Michigan! We just don't get the humidity here in Colorado, thank goodness. The rest of Thursday saw us unwinding and prepping for the journey down to Toledo for the wedding. My sister-in-law (thanks F!) treated me to a manicure & pedicure and Caitlin to having her nails painted. What a rare and appreciated treat! I got a french manicure and looked like sophisticated momma.
That evening, I snuck over to my good friend Robyn's house and we hung out, she showed me how to do my make-up (I'm clueless) and played with my hair. I'm sorry to say that she was the only friend that we had time to see and that's only because she lives right down the street from the in-laws (and yes, it's just because we like them too).
Firday, we all got up, showered and packed for our journey to Toledo. Ben & I had the grand idea to try to stop off in Birmingham on our (out of the) way down. Unfortunately, we ran into construction traffic (construction has it's own season in MI) and ended up scratching that idea. Turns out that the people we wanted to see were out of town anyway, though I would've loved to have seen the library. Ben decided to take Evergreen to 7 Mile, don't ask me why, and then 7 Mile to 75. Needless to say, it was THE SLOWEST way to get to 75--lots of stoplights, detours, etc--and took us through some rough neighbors like something right out of Eminem's 8 Mile. After about 1 1/2 hours, we finally got on I-75. Problem was, our directions were from US 23, so we got totally turned around ending up all over the Metro Toledo area including down on the waterfront (very pretty area). By some miracle, we arrived at the rehearsal at 5:02pm, only two minutes late. I think Caitlin was hot & tired because she really did not want to cooperate with the wedding coordinator and had to be sternly talked to ("Catilin, I'm sure there's a wall for you to stand with your nose against around here somewhere...") before she conceeded and cooperated with everyone. The santuary was beautiful, built in 1905, but lacked one essential during midwestern summers, air conditioning. To say it was warm in there would be a gross understatment. Thankfully, we were able to run through the ceremony quickly and then head off to the restaraunt for dinner. We had dinner at the Navy Pier Bistro down on the waterfront. Beautiful location, great food, lots of fun. I had this piece of caramel pecan pie to die for!
We awoke to a beautiful, yet probably the warmest day of the summer thus far, on Saturday morning. Caitlin was up and out with the bridal party to have her hair done around 10am and Ben followed at noon. Cara, my mother in law and I headed to a local Target to pick up some last minute dress essentials before going back to the hotel to change. I am proud to say that I negoiated Toledo's freeways all by myself and got us to the wedding with time to spare. Unfortunately, that was the last piece of good news. Just as we feared, the santuary was very warm again, with only fans to circulate the air. At first, Cara & I were doing well. We sat towards the outer aisle in the back in case we had to make an emergency exit and Cara was as happy as a clam. However, as soon as the actual ceremony started, Cara began to fuss. I noticed that she was drenched in sweat despite my attempts to cool her with a paper fan & a sippy cup with water (word of advice, make sure baby's clothes are made of cotton). We ended up having to vacate the santuary and watch the ceremony from the doors leading to. I couldn't hear what was being said, but the ceremony was beautiful nonetheless. Ben looked handsome standing up as his brother's best man and Caitlin did a wonderful job as flower girl, she looked so grown up. I think that Ben & I shed a tear. My brother in law and his new wife were so blistfully happy and in love, such of a wonderful sight. Susan looked so beautiful and glowing in her gown. It was just a picture-perfect ceremony. Afterwards, we all assembled outside to see the new couple off. Mind you, it was a perfectly clear, sunny day so the sun was just beating down on us. Cara was not happy about being outside and soon started to wail. I brought her back inside and attempted to pacify her with no luck. At one point, I was seriously considering foregoing the reception due to Cara's temperment. I decided to give her one last chance and escaped to the bellows of the church to feed her. Momentary peace came over us while she nursed only to be follwed by convulsions. I am fairly certain that she had heat stroke. Never have I felt so guilty or scared. I rushed her to the sink in the lounge area, strpped her down to her diaper and splashed cool water all over her. After a few minutes, she stopped shaking and promptly fell asleep. After making sure she was indeed sleeping (checking for a pulse and signs of breathing), I moved her upstairs again, by the fans, while the wedding party had more photographs taken.
Afterward, we all headed over to the reception. Again, the food was wonderful and the entertainment was great. It was so cute to see Ben dancing with Caitlin and then his mom. Ben & I got to dance too, which was a rare treat. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. The rest of the night, Ben & Caitlin got their groove on while I stayed with Cara. Caitlin had a blast dancing with her Uncle Kofi, Aunt Effie and brand-new Aunt Susan. That little girl danced from the time the music started until Ben carried her off the dance floor around midnight! Cara & I headed out awhile before then as Cara was sleepy. We ended up driving around town and to a Meijer parking lot where Cara had her nightcap and promptly fell asleep. Ben and I, both high on life after the reception, went out in search of food and found a Kroger. Armed with yogurt, salad and chips, we came back to the hotel, sat in the dining room and chatted for awhile. Ahh...life without kids, even if it was 1:30 in the morning!
Sunday found us out in the country around Slyvania, OH at Susan's parents' home. We all had a BBQ followed by a refreshing swim in the pond in front of their house. Ben, Caitlin & I attempted to paddle boat but, Caitlin got scared when the tether for the boat got caught up in the paddles and we coulnd't paddle. Brave Uncle Kofi and Navyman, Jason came to the rescue. Once we were freed, we made one more loop around the pond before heading inside to leave. I almost forgot, we all watched Kofi & Susan open their wedding presens and boy did they get some beautiful things, especially some crystal serving pieces. Kofi was saying that they got so much stuff that they needed a bigger house to put them in!
We headed back to MI and over to Kofi & Susan's place to say goodbye to them and have some wonderful Jet's pizza. They were heading out to Hawaii for two weeks in the morning as we were leaving to come back to Denver.
We arrived at the airport, checked in at Frontier where they promptly asked if we wanted to check our car seats (yes, please!) and then headed to security. Again, we got lucky and went right through, no problems while the family in front of us got searched. After some Starbuck's for breakfast we boarded the plane. I have to say that I love Frontier airlines (not only because they started in Denver either). The employees are very friendly and helpful, the planes are comfortable, they offer free drinks & snacks and the best part---for $5 you can watch TV or movies on these little screens built into the seats. We paid for Caitlin to watch NickJr in-flight and it kept her quiet and happy. Cara slept most of the flight while Ben and I rested up. We got into Denver right on time, and after struggling with getting luggage to the shuttle pick up point, got back to our car and on our way home.
It's good to be home but, we are missing Detroit and our friends and family there. Caitlin really grew attached to her Uncle Kofi, Aunts Susan & Effie as well as her Nana and Grandpa (who she met for the first time at the wedding). She still talks about how she misses them and the fun that she had (especially the limo rides). I wish that we had more time to make the rounds to see family and friends. Hopefully, we'll be able to make a trip out next summer to see everyone.
Well, that's all folks. Everything considered, it was a pretty seamless trip there & back with just enough "adventure" thrown in to make things interesting and memorable!
To Kof & Susan--we can't wait to see the pictures of both the wedding and honeymoon! We hope that you guys had a wonderful time in Hawaii! Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day.
To Aunt F & Nana--thanks for providing the means for us to come to MI and for the hospitality (oh yeah, and for spoiling the girls).
Monday, June 11, 2007
Going on a jet plane
In case you have been wondering why I've been so quiet lately, here is the reason. I have been running ragged trying to prepare 4 people for a trans-continental flight to Detroit for my brother-in-laws wedding. We've had to patiently (or not patiently) await the arrival of Caitlin's flower girl dress, drive way across town to have it altered, take suits to the dry cleaners, find suitable clothes for the mother of the flower girl and then attempt to pack our family of 4. Let me give you some of the highlights.
--Finding a "formal" dress when you've not been blessed with a model's body has been nearly impossible. I have been to store upon store and resorted to ordering from JCPenney (thanks for the gifts cards Mom & Dad). What a mistake that was. First, did you know that you really can't pay with gift cards on JCP's website? Well, you can't. Especially if you have more than one. You have to pre-pay in the store, wait for them to receive the payment to "release" the order to be shipped, then wait for the order to arrive in the store. To make a very long story short, let's just say that JCP's right hand doesn't know what it's left hand is doing, or saying. They told me the order was shipped one day via the 1-800 number and when I arrive in store to pick it up, I'm told another date, four days later. Umm, hello...I'm on a deadline here! Grr! Thankfully, in my running about today, I found a cute outfit from Catherine's. Granted, it cost me about twice what JCPenney was charging but hey, it's in my hands and it looks good. No guessing if JCP's periwinkle will be more purple than blue.
--Having a dress altered is a royal pain in the arse. Caitlin's dress for the wedding is beautiful. It is kind of an antique ivory almost a sheer with lots of layers, a petticoat, the works. Well, turns out, that in order to take up a hem off the length, one has to take it up from the bodice due to the delicate ruffle on the bottom. The seamstress made it look simple enough even if there were pins every 1/2 inch along the bottom. The dress was promised to be ready to go today. Well, we get in there, Caitlin tries on the dress for the final fitting and what do I immediately notice, despite my naive eyes? That the ruffle along the bottom is not the same length all the way around. OMG, are you serious?! I momentarily panic because in exactly three days, we are to be mid-air. I politely (don't ask me how) point out the problem to the head seamstress who promptly comes over with her pin cushion and begins to make the adjustments. She asks me, again, when I need the dress back by and when I tell her, you can just see the color drain from her face (that makes two of us). "Umm, our plane leave bright & early Thursday morning, so I'll need it by Wednesday". So, we are due back in Lakewood, about 40 minutes away again at 4pm on Wednesday--lovely, with the price of gas being what it is.
--Coordinating and packing for 4 people is a gigantic undertaking. You'd think, enough said, right? Not quite. It's not just doing the laundry, folding clothes and packing them into a suitcase...oh no, it's more complicated than that. Here's a sampling of my internal monologue: "What is (insert family members name here) going to where to the family portrait? To the rehearsal?...Do we have tights and shoes to go with it? What about if there's a pool at the hotel? Better pack a bathing suit. Oh wait, since we're not going to be at the wedding/rehearsal all day, I've got to pack casual clothes for everyone too. And, let's not forget that every one's beauty care products must fit comfortably into a quart size Ziplock bag...how are we going to pack Caitlin's pink hair lotion? Shoot, gotta remember to pack diapers, wipes and Pull-ups". Once that is accomplished (sometime Wednesday). I still have to put together carry-on bags for the girls and Ben & I, figure out how best to carry-on Caitlin's flower girl dress, arrange for off-site airport parking and pick up Ben's suits.
That said, I will be so glad when we finally board the plane on Thursday morning. It will feel good to sit back and try to convince two kids to behave somewhat like humans for three hours. That seems like a piece of cake compared to the past couple of days and the days yet to come. Just writing this post has made me tired. Traveling as a family of four is bound to be an adventure, I'll let you know how it goes. I'll tell you all about the journey and the wedding when we get back.
--Finding a "formal" dress when you've not been blessed with a model's body has been nearly impossible. I have been to store upon store and resorted to ordering from JCPenney (thanks for the gifts cards Mom & Dad). What a mistake that was. First, did you know that you really can't pay with gift cards on JCP's website? Well, you can't. Especially if you have more than one. You have to pre-pay in the store, wait for them to receive the payment to "release" the order to be shipped, then wait for the order to arrive in the store. To make a very long story short, let's just say that JCP's right hand doesn't know what it's left hand is doing, or saying. They told me the order was shipped one day via the 1-800 number and when I arrive in store to pick it up, I'm told another date, four days later. Umm, hello...I'm on a deadline here! Grr! Thankfully, in my running about today, I found a cute outfit from Catherine's. Granted, it cost me about twice what JCPenney was charging but hey, it's in my hands and it looks good. No guessing if JCP's periwinkle will be more purple than blue.
--Having a dress altered is a royal pain in the arse. Caitlin's dress for the wedding is beautiful. It is kind of an antique ivory almost a sheer with lots of layers, a petticoat, the works. Well, turns out, that in order to take up a hem off the length, one has to take it up from the bodice due to the delicate ruffle on the bottom. The seamstress made it look simple enough even if there were pins every 1/2 inch along the bottom. The dress was promised to be ready to go today. Well, we get in there, Caitlin tries on the dress for the final fitting and what do I immediately notice, despite my naive eyes? That the ruffle along the bottom is not the same length all the way around. OMG, are you serious?! I momentarily panic because in exactly three days, we are to be mid-air. I politely (don't ask me how) point out the problem to the head seamstress who promptly comes over with her pin cushion and begins to make the adjustments. She asks me, again, when I need the dress back by and when I tell her, you can just see the color drain from her face (that makes two of us). "Umm, our plane leave bright & early Thursday morning, so I'll need it by Wednesday". So, we are due back in Lakewood, about 40 minutes away again at 4pm on Wednesday--lovely, with the price of gas being what it is.
--Coordinating and packing for 4 people is a gigantic undertaking. You'd think, enough said, right? Not quite. It's not just doing the laundry, folding clothes and packing them into a suitcase...oh no, it's more complicated than that. Here's a sampling of my internal monologue: "What is (insert family members name here) going to where to the family portrait? To the rehearsal?...Do we have tights and shoes to go with it? What about if there's a pool at the hotel? Better pack a bathing suit. Oh wait, since we're not going to be at the wedding/rehearsal all day, I've got to pack casual clothes for everyone too. And, let's not forget that every one's beauty care products must fit comfortably into a quart size Ziplock bag...how are we going to pack Caitlin's pink hair lotion? Shoot, gotta remember to pack diapers, wipes and Pull-ups". Once that is accomplished (sometime Wednesday). I still have to put together carry-on bags for the girls and Ben & I, figure out how best to carry-on Caitlin's flower girl dress, arrange for off-site airport parking and pick up Ben's suits.
That said, I will be so glad when we finally board the plane on Thursday morning. It will feel good to sit back and try to convince two kids to behave somewhat like humans for three hours. That seems like a piece of cake compared to the past couple of days and the days yet to come. Just writing this post has made me tired. Traveling as a family of four is bound to be an adventure, I'll let you know how it goes. I'll tell you all about the journey and the wedding when we get back.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Caitlin's Quips
Out of the mouth of a not-so-little babe---
(after waking up for a nap and being asked to pick up her toys)
Me: Caitlin, please pick up these train tracks and put them in the box.
Caitlin: Mom, I can't, not yet.
Me: Why not?
Caitlin: My brain isn't awake yet.
(after picking out a movie to watch)
Me: What movie are we going to watch?
Caitlin: Muppet Christmas Carol
Me: But it's not Christmastime
Caitlin: I'm a kid, it's always time to watch this movie.
Me: Okay then
Caitlin: This movie is brought to you in part by Pedigree!
Kids do say the darnest things.
(after waking up for a nap and being asked to pick up her toys)
Me: Caitlin, please pick up these train tracks and put them in the box.
Caitlin: Mom, I can't, not yet.
Me: Why not?
Caitlin: My brain isn't awake yet.
(after picking out a movie to watch)
Me: What movie are we going to watch?
Caitlin: Muppet Christmas Carol
Me: But it's not Christmastime
Caitlin: I'm a kid, it's always time to watch this movie.
Me: Okay then
Caitlin: This movie is brought to you in part by Pedigree!
Kids do say the darnest things.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
A little consideration would go a LONG ways!
I've had it, that's it, I'm throwing in the towel, no more Mrs. NiceWoman. From now on, I'll be playing hard ball and rounding the bases in a furry.
To my downstairs neighbors, consider this your warning! We've all just about had it with your loud, obnoxious, gang-banging music blaring at all hours and all decibel levels. In case you haven't noticed...you live on the 2nd floor, so that means that people live both above and below you! It really wouldn't kill you to have an ounce of consideration for those around, especially those with little kids who are trying to sleep, who have jobs that require them to sleep during the day (and night) and, heaven forbid, those who don't want their place to sound like a club gone bad!
Apparently, informing the property manager has no effect on you, so let me just say that we are stepping up the game. The next time that our floor vibrates at an obscene hour, we will be calling the courtesy security patrol and they will be paying you a not so welcomed visit. If that doesn't work, we will be calling the police. I know, I know, they are frequent guests at your place--well, that's great, they shouldn't have any trouble finding you then. Now, please understand, we are not saying that you have to walk around on your tiptoes and whisper. See, we realize that we live in an apartment too and that certain noise is a fact of life. However, you've taken "noise" to a whole new level. Webster's has created a new definition of the term just in your honor.
That said, please, go onto Ebay and buy yourself some consideration!
Oh, and to our chain-smoking, puffing like a train next door neighbor. The city of Aurora called, there's now a new smog zone right over your head and it ain't attractive. They wanted me to tell you that every day is a no-burn day. All joking aside, we would appreciate not inhaling 2nd hand smoke every time we want to open our windows or turn on the A/C. If you want to smoke, do so in your car going 90 down I-25. That way, no one really has to smell it 'cause they're going too fast. Thank you!
--------------
Bottom line, apartment living bites rocks! We've never had this much trouble with our neighbors before. I must be the low-life residents that this place attracts coupled with the fact that the property management does nothing to enforce the "rules" that we're forced to sign as part of the lease. We have affectionatly named this place DelPoopAy (Actually called Del Arte Lofts & Flats) and when our lease is up in August, we plan on high-tailing it out of here. Oh, I hope and I pray!
To my downstairs neighbors, consider this your warning! We've all just about had it with your loud, obnoxious, gang-banging music blaring at all hours and all decibel levels. In case you haven't noticed...you live on the 2nd floor, so that means that people live both above and below you! It really wouldn't kill you to have an ounce of consideration for those around, especially those with little kids who are trying to sleep, who have jobs that require them to sleep during the day (and night) and, heaven forbid, those who don't want their place to sound like a club gone bad!
Apparently, informing the property manager has no effect on you, so let me just say that we are stepping up the game. The next time that our floor vibrates at an obscene hour, we will be calling the courtesy security patrol and they will be paying you a not so welcomed visit. If that doesn't work, we will be calling the police. I know, I know, they are frequent guests at your place--well, that's great, they shouldn't have any trouble finding you then. Now, please understand, we are not saying that you have to walk around on your tiptoes and whisper. See, we realize that we live in an apartment too and that certain noise is a fact of life. However, you've taken "noise" to a whole new level. Webster's has created a new definition of the term just in your honor.
That said, please, go onto Ebay and buy yourself some consideration!
Oh, and to our chain-smoking, puffing like a train next door neighbor. The city of Aurora called, there's now a new smog zone right over your head and it ain't attractive. They wanted me to tell you that every day is a no-burn day. All joking aside, we would appreciate not inhaling 2nd hand smoke every time we want to open our windows or turn on the A/C. If you want to smoke, do so in your car going 90 down I-25. That way, no one really has to smell it 'cause they're going too fast. Thank you!
--------------
Bottom line, apartment living bites rocks! We've never had this much trouble with our neighbors before. I must be the low-life residents that this place attracts coupled with the fact that the property management does nothing to enforce the "rules" that we're forced to sign as part of the lease. We have affectionatly named this place DelPoopAy (Actually called Del Arte Lofts & Flats) and when our lease is up in August, we plan on high-tailing it out of here. Oh, I hope and I pray!
Well-rounded look at me
*** THE EVERYTHING TEST ***
There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.
Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)
PERSONALITY
You are more logical than emotional, more concerned about self than concerned about others, more atheist than religious, more loner than dependent, more lazy than workaholic, more traditional than rebel, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more idealist than cynical, more leader than follower, and more introverted than extroverted.
As for specific personality traits, you are adventurious (100%), intellectual (74%), romantic (71%), greedy (55%).
STEREOTYPES
Young Professional (100%)
Old Geezer (50%)
Punk Rock (47%)
LIFE EXPERIENCE
Sex (19%)
Substances (8%)
Travel (24%)
POLITICS
Your political views would best be described as Liberal, whom
you agree with around 46% of the time.
SOCIOECONOMIC
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Working Class.
You make more than 82% of those who have taken this test,
and 8% less than the U.S. average.
If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG.
By the way, your hottness rank is 45%, hotter than 9% of other test takers.
TAKE THE TEST
http://www.thatsurveysite.net/take.php?id=eay
Powered by ThatSurveySite - http://www.thatsurveysite.net
There are many different types of tests on the internet today. Personality tests, purity tests, stereotype tests, political tests. But now, there is one test to rule them all.
Traditionally, online tests would ask certain questions about your musical tastes or clothing for a stereotype, your experiences for a purity test, or deep questions for a personality test.We're turning that upside down - all the questions affect all the results, and we've got some innovative results too! Enjoy :-)
PERSONALITY
You are more logical than emotional, more concerned about self than concerned about others, more atheist than religious, more loner than dependent, more lazy than workaholic, more traditional than rebel, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more idealist than cynical, more leader than follower, and more introverted than extroverted.
As for specific personality traits, you are adventurious (100%), intellectual (74%), romantic (71%), greedy (55%).
STEREOTYPES
Young Professional (100%)
Old Geezer (50%)
Punk Rock (47%)
LIFE EXPERIENCE
Sex (19%)
Substances (8%)
Travel (24%)
POLITICS
Your political views would best be described as Liberal, whom
you agree with around 46% of the time.
SOCIOECONOMIC
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Working Class.
You make more than 82% of those who have taken this test,
and 8% less than the U.S. average.
If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG.
By the way, your hottness rank is 45%, hotter than 9% of other test takers.
TAKE THE TEST
http://www.thatsurveysite.net/take.php?id=eay
Powered by ThatSurveySite - http://www.thatsurveysite.net
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Rain, tornado watches and hailstorms
Gotta love Colorado weather. In the matter of eight hours, you can see all weather extremes. Yesterday was one such day. Started off cloudy and a bit on the cool side, then the wind picked up to about 35-40 MPH. After that, it started to pour, complete with thunder and lightening. Next thing we know, NickJr is interrupted for a weather bulletin. We were under a tornado watch for several hours. The sky was a really icky color between gray and green though nothing else really happened. It got pretty cold last night though, enough for the girls to put on their winter pajamas and for me to put on my flannel bottoms. Woke up this morning to partly cloudy skies. You can barely tell that there was any severe weather around here yesterday.
Check out this slide show to see some of the extreme weather Colorado saw. Slide 12 shows the tennis ball sized hail that fell from the sky around Elizabeth in Elbert County. Amazing! I have only seen golf ball sized in my time and I remember going out into the front yard of a house that I was at for a birthday party, putting some into a ET glass and coming back inside to add sugar and food coloring to it. Ahh, the memories!
Check out this slide show to see some of the extreme weather Colorado saw. Slide 12 shows the tennis ball sized hail that fell from the sky around Elizabeth in Elbert County. Amazing! I have only seen golf ball sized in my time and I remember going out into the front yard of a house that I was at for a birthday party, putting some into a ET glass and coming back inside to add sugar and food coloring to it. Ahh, the memories!
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