Birthday Girl

This year Quinlynne turned 4 on August 22. It seems like she should still be my baby. I mean, she'll always be my baby girl, but it just does not seem possible that she is 4. Is this the way I'll feel about each subsequent birthday? Is this the way my mom feels about me??

I was really too poor to have a birthday party this year. I feel like such a terrible mom. I just told myself that I'll make up for it- she'll have a killer Sweet 16. I invited a two friends & their children, and my cousin (who also is my friend) and her sons over to help Quinlynne celebrate. (I only invited people who I'm not totally embarrassed to have over to my mom's house...where my daughter & I live because I'm too broke to afford our own place). I put out a slip-n-slide thing, a sprinkler, & Quinlynne's old cracked pool. The kids had a blast. Here are some pics.

Aunt Connie's cousin, Cathy, sent Quinlynne an adorable birthday tutu (& a cool wallet). Quinlynne loved it.

Quinlynne, Drew & Isaiah on the slip-n-slide. They played in it so long that there was a huge mud puddle at the end.

Quinlynne & the boys in the pool.

Isaiah & Elijah looking so cute, brotherly & loving playing on the tractor.

Deacon & Isaiah deep in conversation on the tractor.

The parking lot for the party.

I will pot more pictures later. Believe me, I have plenty. I am too tired. I have to leave the house at 5:45 in the morning, and I have to get to sleep! Can you believe she's 4???

Party GIrl

Last week in our Nursing Issues & Perspectives class we had to take a personality test. There were 4 categories. D, I, S & C. D's are the direct, on-track, group leader types. S's are the senstive, listener, nice people. C's are tne anal-retentive people, the ones who color code their schedules & plan everything out. I's are the people who like to have fun, who don't want to be bored with details when someone is telling them something to do...just get to the point. Apparently, I am a party girl. Would you ever have thought? Some of the characteristics fit me to a tee. Others...not so much. Like, I am apparently supposed to like working in groups. That is not really the case for me. But, I guess not every minute characteristic of each group fits everyone, huh? I never would have thought I'd fit this category, because my life is SOOOO far from a party! Although I do have some song (it may be a Beastie Boys song) going through my head..."HEEEEEY We want to PAAAARTAAAYYY!!!"

HINT

Here's a hint of what's to come.....

as soon as I finish editing and saving all of the pics!

Here Kitty Kitty

Here Kitty Kitty!!!!

I have had Purty for almost 8 years now. So we can safely say that she has been around longer than Quinlynne. Purty (she has that name because she ain't so purty) very much has her own little personality. Not the most loving kitty in the world. That is probably the reason I am so surprised that she is so patient and forgiving of Quinlynne and the love she shows to Purty. Purty lets Quinlynne pick her up under her front legs and carry her all over. She lets Quinlynne lie on her. She remains still while Quinlynne has her head in a vice grip, petting her. Purty must be polishing her halo for all the patience she shows with Quinlynne. (Purty is an outside kitty, so she still has all of her claws.) Quinlynne has now gained the responsibility of feeding Purty each day. Quinlynne assures me every day that she feeds Purty because she is Purty's Momma. When did Quinlynne become the mother to a cat that she is younger than??

So, as you all know, I am in school again. And- if you don't know anyone who's been in nursing school- let me assure you that nursing school keeps the nursing student EXTREMELY busy. Housework, cooking, anything fun is now a foreign concept. Folding laundry takes time. During that time, all a nursing student can think about is the reading he/she could be doing. As I write this post, I am wracked with guilt because I am not writing a paper. It truly is terrible. So, I decided to teach my newly-turned 4 year-old daughter how to fold some laundry. I asked myself "is it important that the towels & washcloths look perfect, or that they're folded?" I dumped the load of towels onto the sofa & called Miss Thang in to fold. I told her that is how she can help momma with her homework. It worked! I had to get a picture!

In the OR

Today was my 1st day in my OR clinical rotation. In past experiences, any time I have had to be in a sterile field, I always feel very sick & near passing out. So, I just knew it was going to happen to me. The floor I was on today- I observed 3 gynecological surgeries. I was hotter than hades int he room, sweating like crazy. But- I didn't get sick. Getting used to the mask & my glasses fogging up took a while, but I finally got my mask situated so the dang glasses didn't fog over. I got to place 2 foleys (what better patient to practice on than one who is asleep?), and I did them the first try! Tomorrow I don't anticipate any really big surgeries. However, I do anticipate getting in on some rather large surgeries next week.

My instructor came in during the 2nd surgery and asked me how I was doing. I said great! She told me she was sorry she hadn't made it around sooner, but one of my classmates had fainted in surgery. I feel so bad for my classmate, but glad it wasn't me!

Fluids & Electrolytes

Did anyone know that one could listen to two hours of lecture, online, about this? This is after reading 30...or maybe it's 20 pages in the dreaded Lewis textbook. Can you tell I'm mind-numb? Let me assure you though, you do NOT want to have a fluid & electrolyte imbalance. I had already known this, of course, from my time served on the Renal Floor at Hillcrest Medical Center (5 tower). Terrible, horrible things can happen. Part of this I watched occur in my dad during his illness. It's a sad sight. Make sure you drink enough fluid & watch your diet, people!

Blonde joke

I got this joke in an email today. I thought it was rather funny. Sorry to all you blondes....




An old, blind cowboy wanders into an all-girl biker bar by mistake. He finds his way to a bar stool and orders some coffee. After sitting there for a while, he yells to the waitress, "Hey, you wanna hear a blonde joke?"



The bar immediately falls absolutely silent. In a very deep, husky voice, the woman next to him says, "Before you tell that joke, Cowboy, I think it is only fair, given that you are blind, that you should know five things:


1. The bartender is a blonde girl with a baseball bat.

2. The bouncer is a blonde girl.

3. I'm a 6-foot tall, 175-pound blonde woman with a black belt in karate.

4. The woman sitting next to me is blonde and a professional weightlifter.

5. The lady to your right is blonde and a professional wrestler .

Now, think about it seriously, Mister. Do you still wanna tell that joke?"



The blind cowboy thinks for a second, shakes his head, and mutters, "No...not if I'm gonna have to explain it five times."

Arachna-what?

I am NOT a fan of spiders. And THESE:

are what have been showing up in our homes around these parts lately. I have found 3 or 4 of them in our house in the last month. Then, last night, our neighbor brought one over that she had found in her bathroom. How freakin' disgusting and scary are those? Seriously, how am I expected to rest peacefully with these things sharing the Earth with me? (Btw- these are called Wolf Spiders.)

Level 2 starting

Well everyone, this will be me (picture above) until December. I must admit, I'm SOOOO not looking forward to this semester. I'm just going to have to keep my nose down & read, read, read each day. The reading is not very stimulating, either. If you ever need a cure for your imsomnia- just let me know & I'd be happy to run my Medical-Surgical Nursing textbook over to you. Please keep your fingers crossed for me, light a candle, say some prayers, whatever it is you can do- I'd appreciate it. I'm still quite uncertain about my ability to complete this difficult semester, but I'll "give it the ole college try"!

Tulsa Zoo 2009

I finally got the gumption to take Quinlynne to the zoo. To say it was sweltering is like saying the the Grand Canyon is a creek bed. I hadn't told Quinlynne we were going to the zoo. Like I've said before, I try to not tell her plans for things. That way, if I have to cancel them, she's not disappointed. I was disappointed quite a bit when I was a kid & I remember how it felt.

I had planned to make it there at 9:00 when the zoo opens. Yeah, I didn't make that. I had to go get a TB test & run another errand, so it was about 11:00 when we made it there. Quinlynne was so stinkin' excited. She had to take Nicole with us into the zoo. Nicole is her preemie Cabbage Patch. We had the stroller for Nicole, but I told Quinlynne that she could feel free to climb in when she got tired.

We hit the elephants first. Quinlynne thought they were cool. She was amazed they ate "with their noses". We had to talk a bit about that.

We went all over the zoo with Quinlynne trying to tell me where we needed to go. Unfortunately, the Kodiak bear & the Polar bear were both dead. She did love posing in front of the Penguins though.

We made it to the zebras & giraffe and that was as far as Quinlynne could make it. She told me she was hot & she thought we should just go back to the van & cool down & maybe watch a movie. She sat in her stroller, took a drink of her water & told me she thought we really needed to go to Sonic & get a Sprite, because her water was hot- yuck!

Overall, we had a great day.....even though it was disgustingly hot.

Do they wobble to and fro?

I tell you, Friday night Quinlynne was in rare form. Not only was she climbing the walls, she then came out of my bedroom like this.

Please do not judge the size of my undergarments. Just know that it serves a mighty purpose! I wish I would have had a camera the very first second she came down that hallway. Her little face looked so innocent & happy that she had this bra on. It was precious.

Then she let the bra fall to the strap length, and this is where the bra landed. Oh, how I hope for her sake that she never has to wear her bra here. May she always face the world right on.

THEN, Connie had her hold out her shirt and spell attic. A-T-T-I-C. Go ahead, try it yourselves. I'll hold. holding......... Don't you feel so bright??

Spiderman...where are you coming from??

Aren't those the words to the Spiderman song? I can't really remember. I wasn't a HUGE fan. But, apparently my kid is kin to him. (By the way, I hate that expression..."kin to". Is it really that hard to say "related to"? Must we sound so backwoods? Ya reckon?)


I was talking to mom on Thursday night & I looked up, and this is what I found Quinlynne doing.

I was just getting ready to get on to her when she looked up at me and said "Huh! Can you believe I can do this???" I had to try to not laugh. Charles & Connie have always said that it's not IF she'll be climbing the roof, it's just a question of when. Maybe I can get her to hang the Christmas lights this year???

modest bather

Last week I ran Quinlynne's bath water. I went in to do something in the kitchen leaving her with the instructions of "Get naked & get in the bath". I finished doing my food preparations & went to check on my offspring. This, is what I found.

I said "Quinlynne, you're taking a bath. You're supposed to have removed your bather BEFORE getting in." She told me that she just needed to wear it, and she was busy...I should go away. Talk about a modest bather...that's my daughter. Apparently Barbie & My Little Pony are big bathers, as well. She was very proud of her lying down in the water, she felt as though this is a big "swimming" step. Yay, Quinlynne!!!!

My brother's birthday

My brother's birthday was July 26. So, we surprised him & drove up to Kansas. We finished up church with his fam, stayed around while both of them were set apart for their new callings, then went to "the Kansas house". We took three-way, which is the meal my brother likes for his birthday meal (when Olive Garden is not an option), & I made his dirt cake to tak for him. It was a pretty good day for him I think. I know Quinlynne & Abby had fun playing, we loved playing with Cadyn, & it was just good to spend time with family.

Aaron got a few gifts. If this is any indication of the way he's going to dress, I should just go ahead and purchase his polyester leisure suits. Dickie brand, here we come. (Just kidding, Aaron was trying on his figts & felt the need to pose like a dweeb. I love that little boy.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a painful inflammatory condition of the foot caused by excessive wear to the plantar fascia or plantar aponeurosis that supports the arches of the foot or by biomechanical faults that cause abnormal pronation.[1] The pain usually is felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps of the day. It is commonly associated with long periods of weight bearing or sudden changes in weight bearing or activity. Jobs that require a lot of walking on hard surfaces, shoes with little or no arch support, a sudden increase in weight and over activity are also associated with the condition.
Plantar fasciitis was formerly called "dog's heel" in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes known as "flip-flop disease" among US podiatrists. The condition often results in a heel spur on the calcaneus, in which case it is the underlying condition, and not the spur itself, which produces the pain.

This is not the first time I have suffered from plantar fasciitis. But I am here to tell you, this puppy his hurting. I am suffering from the symptoms of plantar fasciitis in my right heel. I hate it and can't wait for it to subside. I look like a serious idiot when trying to walk right now. Dang it!

More SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE

Quinlynne & Abby are somewhat infatuated with playing So You Think You Can Dance. (I can relate, I used to play Charlie's Angels & Love Boat with my cousin, Chrystie.) So, we went to Kansas to help celebrate my brother's birthday. After church, Abby & Quinlynne dressed up and started playing. Here are some cute pics of this.

Yes, Abby is grabbing Quinlynne's rear. I don't know where she got this...shall I talk to my brother & SIL about their influence?

Poor Abby, she thinks she can pick up Quinlynne since she's older. I wonder if she realizes Quinlynne weighs close to what she weighs??

WTH, KOTH?

Last night I was standing on Quinlynne's bed, trying to get her mini blind all the way down. It has problems right now, one side of it is not going down. So, I'm standing up there trying to figure things out. Quinlynne climbs up there too, & and I'm trying to tell her to get down. She tells me she's just watching me. She watches me for a while & says "What the hell's wrong with it?" I didn't really listen to her the first time. But then she repeated it. I turned to her, trying to not laugh, and asked her what she had said. She repeated it. I couldn't help it, I laughed. I asked her where she'd heard that. (I was racing through my mind, thinking I couldn't have said that in front of her.) She tells me she heard it on King of the Hill. Again, I'm trying to not laugh. Hank Hill says this all the time. I tell her that is not a word we say, we can however, say "What the heck." I know I shouldn't have found it funny- but dang it, I laughed.