More randomness

OK, how can this NOT make you happy:



It's just a jar of pickles you might say. Oh wait. Look closer:

What a nice way to be greeted as you pillage through the refrigerator. Especially when you have a 2-year old in full-out melt down. The effect of something just this simple giving you a moment of pleasure is completely lost on her. Oh, well. Her loss.

On to scrapbooking. So last year there was a class that Cathy Zielske taught on Big Picture Scrapbooking called Did You Know. So I took it. Here is my attempt. This was a digitally produced page:

So today I was reading the random blatherings (her description of her posts; not mine!) of Cathy's blog today and she posted an item from her 2peas days. Looks relatively similar to what she taught us in her class. Coincidence, I doubt it. Only she will know. Maybe she'll see my comment on her blog and look. Wouldn't that be cool.

OK. Wii may now resume (bad thing to have bought--too much fun)

Wii will play

Yes, we now have a Wii. If you have not heard about these, here it is:

This is really just a a cool thing. Depending on the game, you get you butt off of the couch and are actually participating in the game. The unit comes with a set of games called Wii Sports (you can see some videos from the Wii Experience here). Oh, my. The boxing can kick your butt. I stayed home with Jackson today, who was feeling a little under the weather, and wii (OK, I'll quit now) played quite a bit. Heather came home and said "How do I turn it on. I want to play tennis." Ten minutes later, she was sweatting. Shortly after, Reid wanted her turn. It was just too cute watching her try to swing the controller to hit the ball.

Heather and Jackson as set to go to Denver Sept. 10. He went to the doctor Friday and the took 6 vials of blood. That is not a blood draw; that's a freakin' donation. He didn't even get cookies and juice after that, man. I personally feel that he got the shaft on that deal.

Work is good. Employees who participate in a particular retirement plan today found out what our stock allotment was. All I'll say is I was suprised and thinking it was very cool!

Well, I guess I'll be off to bed here shortly since I do have to go to work tomorrow (darn it). We're off the Independence, KS to the water park Saturday and then to Wichita next weekend. Jackson wants to go to Kobe Steak House for this birthday. Pawpaw really opened a can or worms with that one. Kobe a japanese restaurant that cooks on the grill right in front of you. He is all over that.

OK, so maybe Kiddie Park is out

OK, so things have been interesting around here. Water. Lots and lots of water. Get this:

May 1 – June 26, 2007 6th wettest period ever in Northeast Oklahoma and at least 33 days of rain since May 1 [normally we have 20 days of rain]. For the same May 1 - June 26 period, we have had 15.2-inches of rain. As a reference, we had 8.89 for the same time frame in 2006.

The picture is just on the outer edge of downtown Bartlesville. Kiddie park is less than 1/4 mile from here. Can we was water-logged? Oh well.

Now back in 1986 there was a flood that was far worse than this, but having never been through one it was interesting. Like taking 2 hours just to drive 5 miles because there was only one road in and out of downtown. Then seeing the coating of mud left on trees and such as the waters receded. Then there was the smell. Oh Lord, the smell. Fortunately it didn't last that long but still. Sacrificing gas mileage to keep the windows up and use the A/C in the car was worth it.

On other notes, Jackson and Reid have begun swimming lessons. Jackson started last night and Reid had to sit with me and watch because her lessons are only Tuesday and Thursday nights; Jacksons are 4 nights a week.

OK, I'm off to get ready for work. Showering may be a good thing.

I need a weekend from the weekend

So, this weekend was busy. Heather's friend Heather A. came down from Arkansas City, KS with her boy Price. Reid loves it when Price is here. They are only 2 1/2 months apart in age so they both play until they cannot stand up.

Saturday we went to the Tulsa Zoo after eating at Red Robin in Owasso. That was really good. My Heather got the Teriyaki Chicked Burger and I got the Burger Parmigiana. Jackson has stated that he wants to eat there every time we are in Owasso. I guess that says something when the kid chooses that over Chick-Fil-A and anywhere that has a playground. We rode the train around the zoo and went in a few exhibits, but it seement to suddenly get really hot and sticky. We left after about 2 hours. Got some cute pics (I'll post some later). So Saturday night we decided to skip Kiddie Park since we were kind of wiped from the zoo and I from also mowin the yard. And it is not like the two little ones were going to notice. So, instead we went to Maggie Moo's (so darn good, too) after our dinner of steak and mashed potatoes.

So Sunday morning, we all got up and went to church. I swear, poor Heather A. Seems like every time she goes with us the Pastor's message is some verison of fire and brimstone. So after a simple lunch at home, we drove over to Claremore to Simply Scrapbooks. Came back home and then Heather and Price headed back to Ark City.

We had a good time but I think we were all zapped. Heather and Price will be back in 3 weeks. We'll get Kiddie Park in then.

So last week sometime Heather bought the kids a Slip-n-slide. But this one has two tracks; one for each kid to race each other on. As you can tell, one slipped, one just played in the water streams. I even got into the act. Fortunately for me (and probably for you also) there are no pictures of the Great White Whale (me) going down the toy also. I was suprised when I was sore two days lated. There were parts of me that were sore that I didn't realize that could be. Oh well, the kids thought it was funny.

It is finally Friday!!!!

Man, this week just seemed to take forever. OK, maybe just Thursday and today did. Here is a little funny for the weekend:

Survivor: Texas

Due to the popularity of the Survivor shows, Texas is planning to do a season series entitled, "Survivor-Texas" The contestants will all start in Dallas, then drive to Waco, Austin, San Antonio, over to Houston and down to Brownsville. They will then proceed up to Del Rio, El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Lubbock and Amarillo. From there they will go on to Abilene, Fort Worth and finally back to Dallas. Each will be driving a pink Volvo with bumper stickers that read: "I'm Gay, I Love the Dixie Chicks, Boycott Beef, I Voted for John Kerry, George Strait Sucks, Hillary in 2008, and I'm here to Confiscate Your Gun". The first one to make it back to Dallas alive wins.

Thanks to Kenny for this one (got it from his blog)

Concerns

What is it that a parent supposed to do when you have a chronically sick child and no matter how much you do or fight to be heard and it just doesn't seem to be enough?

My 7-year-old has allergies to anything that grows beyond anything most doctors have seen and has an infection that we are able to knock down, but not resolve. At this point, we are able to tell doctors what meds we know when and we are not questioned. And yesterday, his allergist that we drive an hour to see looked at the wife and said "I'm out of tricks. We may need to see a pediatric infectious disease specialist even though he is not contageous." That, and he as been on 4 or 5 different antibiotics since Thanksgiving.

All that we do doesn't seem to be enough and, frankly, I feel like I am failing the little guy as a parent because we can't get this cleared.

We may have to be going back to National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver (the place where the international-traveling TB guy is at; they are a great hospital). We'll see what comes. Just a really stressful time right now. We are just trying to be discerning about what to do and praying that His will be done (funds for travel, timing and duration, etc).

Off and running...

OK. So I have practically driven myself nuts (and Heather in the process) of trying to get a blog going and get her to start as well. So she posted on her Xanga site to get me off of her back; I had not. Oops. Bad me.

I've been trying to decide what service to use. I'd really like to use Typepad because there are some things about it that Vox has that I liked (book and music linking with pictures) but didn't like all the ads and limited header options) But I'll save my pennies for that.

So, I was looking at Tara's blog. Damn. Even her picture of a dog is cool.I really want to spend more time in Photoshop and figure out how to do the shading so that it looks, you know, cool.

I guess I try to come up with something far more interesting next time around.

For those that I know who did not see this, The video below is Jackson's baptism. Happened on easter. Very cool. So proud of that bugger.