I Need to Go Back to Bed Now.....

Your cosume is a flapper costume!
I totally blame Tiffany for getting me started on these things.....at least it's season-appropriate, right? Maybe spark some ideas???? I actually did consider this one, but alas, you'll all have to wait and see.........

What Should Your Halloween Costume Be?
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At Least He's Spunky!!!

You are Woodstock!


Which Peanuts Character are You?
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I also have to say that I feel this much smarter since I managed to answer the SAT question of the day correctly. Man, I AM a geek. I need to get some sleep!!! ;-)

Narcissistic turkeys????

So I'm holed up in my office today, trying as I have been all week to dig myself out of the pit of backlogged work to do, when suddenly I hear what sounds like somebody pounding on a door. I look out a second-floor window and don't see any cars in our driveway so I decide to ignore it. But it happens again. And again. My first thought is "How in the heck did Jeff lock himself out of the house??!!" But when I go downstairs there's nobody at the front door. Or the back door. Or the garage door. And Jeff's car isn't here. So I decide to walk out the front door to make sure I'm not missing anything and manage to scare two of our turkeys out of our front flowerbed. Then I realize, it's happened again. Our silly turkeys have come back to see that 'other' turkey they saw in the mirror a few weeks ago. The mirror is no longer there, but I think they can see their reflection in our windows. I wonder if they come to check themselves out or if they are coming to make sure that 'other' turkey isn't barging in on their turf. Mystery solved. I kid you not, they came back three more times this afternoon, and Jeff finally got to hear how loud it is when they peck our windows. Someday our alarm system is going to think somebody is breaking in and call the police. Won't they feel silly when two turkeys run off, gobbling hysterically all the way?? I know I did!!

Life seems to be settling down. I'm feeling better every day, have been off the narcotic cough meds for over a week, and I'm sleeping better at night. Hopefully I'll be able to start working out again, because I really think it's a key part of me sleeping all night. It's also one of my de-stressing mechanisms, so I've missed it. I finally have my scrapbooking area set up and hope to actually use it soon, too (another de-stresser). I'm at least going to crops again, so that's a start. Looking forward to an all-Ada-girls-cropfest-in-a-suite-weekend!!!!

Don't have much else to report. As I said, I've hit the office hard for the last four days and have really made some progress. Still have more to go, but at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Take care, all of you!!

At Least She's Safe Now.....

It's been a rough week. The abduction and murder of Caitlin Wooten has really thrown me for a loop. I didn't know her that well; she & her sister had started babysitting for me about six months ago and my girls seemed to love them. Jeff worked with her mom at VV and they seemed like nice people. After attending her funeral on Wednesday, I can honestly say I wish I'd taken the time to know her better. There were several things that happened during the eulogy that really stood out to me. First of all, she apparently was in the habit of reading her bible every night. After her death, her bible was found open to Psalm 37, and it's believed to be the last one she read. The theme of this Psalm is to trust in the Lord and wait patiently for him to act and it vividly contrasts the wicked person with the rightous. That was enough to get the chills started with me. Next, Caitlin kept a notebook in which she jotted down bible verses and her thoughts about them. She had written "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His rightousness and all these things shall be given unto you.". Under this she'd written the words: Remember to ask Mom to ask God "What do I do now?" instead of "Why did this happen?". Wow. Chills galore. This girl was all of sixteen and she got it. Some day I'd hope to come close to where she was on a spiritual plane; it just blew me away. Finally, the eulogy focused on Caitlin's light never being extinguished by the darkness of evil. The day had started out cloudy, and suddenly from my seat in the balcony, sunlight began to shine in through the stained glass windows. In my head popped the thought "She's here." It seemed only right that her spirit was there, among the thousand who gathered to remember her, and that she was OK. Nobody can ever hurt her again. She's safe. Keep her family in your prayers. That plus time and love will help them heal.

On a lighter note, yesterday I was alone in the house and suddenly I hear a noise that sounds like cabinet doors being slammed shut. It scared the heck out of me! I'd been in our downstairs office, and I made a quick sweep of the house. Nothing. I was standing in out entryway wondering if I'd lost my mind when I heard the noise again. I saw one of the wild turkeys that cruises our neighborhood out by our dining room window, so I dropped to my knees and crawled over there to see what he was doing without scaring him away. Apparently he'd come across a mirror we'd taken down that had somehow ended up outside and he'd seen his reflection in it as well as in our window. Not only was he pecking at both (very loudly, I might add) but he'd puffed out all his feathers to show that 'other' turkey who was boss; he was also gobbling at his reflection. I was on the other side of that window, basically at eye level with him, and I was cracking up; if anybody had seen me they probably would have thought I'd gone crazy. I guess somebody up there thought I needed a laugh, and boy, did I get one!!

Lastly, Pavarotti was wonderful. He sat the whole time, but his voice is still mesmerizing. It would have been amazing to see him with the Three Tenors a few years back. The dress was awesome, Jeff loved it, and I can't wait to wear it again!!!

Happy thoughts to all!!!!

My Mute Button is Stuck...

If you're wondering why you haven't heard from me in a while, don't feel bad. Right now nobody can hear me and they haven't been able to since Thursday. That's right; my voice is on vacation and I don't know when it's coming back. Let me tell you: trying to keep a two and four year old in line when your 'shout' doesn't even register above a whisper is tough. They're not threatened by me at all right now. My main prayer over the last two days has been that they won't get hurt at home because the 911 operator would probably think I'm a crank-caller into heavy breathing. Also, I can't answer the phone, so if you're trying to get in touch with me try text-messaging or e-mail. Hopefully I'll be talking again soon; this stinks!!!

Also, I don't know if it's just me, but both of my kids seem to have gone into hyperdrive since starting school, dance and FaithBreak this week. I thought they'd calm down, but somehow they're even more revved up and have been bouncing off the walls. Wednesday night Maggie taught Kendall how to gag herself with her toothbrush and Kendall vomited all over the kitchen floor. Wonderful. I think that was the night my voice gave up. I'm starting to feel like I should be in mime school. Ugh.

Hope all is well with everybody else. Maggie & Kendall loved their first week with Miss Janota, Miss Christy, Miss Kiah & Miss Tiffany. Keep up the good work, guys!!!!

In the Words of Swiper the Fox: Oh Maaaaannn!

OK I was just attempting to do a spell check on this really good rant about this week's events involving Katrina (Chris would have been proud, Dawn) and somehow I lost it. So here's the condensed version:

1. My heart aches for those in the middle of Katrina's devastation.

2. We should all try to help where we can. Contact your church to see if they are expecting any of the estimated 400 refugees that are headed to Ada this weekend.

3. I'm trying not to judge the looters too harshly; I haven't been in their shoes, even if they are stolen.

4. I am freely being very harsh in my judgement of those attempting to profit from this situation through price gouging. Straight to jail; no questions asked.

5. Keep them in your prayers. This isn't going to go away for a long time.

Finally, on a lighter note, I am very thankful for the start of GSPS on Tuesday. Amen to that.

Rambling DAYTIME thoughts.......

First of all, Maggie is doing great. She woke up in recovery asking to play with Grace & Abbie and was climbing the walls yesterday afternoon. Consequently, she went back to Monte Vista today to work off some of that energy. She's definitely become an old pro at this ear surgery thing (we think she just loves the Versed they give her in pre-op) but I hope this was it. Keep your fingers crossed!!!
On the house: tile backsplashes are being finished i.e. grouted today and electrical outlets installed. There are a few other things that should be finished today or tomorrow, and we're supposed to get the remaining insulation on Friday. That means we may be able to have the inspector here Friday afternoon to get the go-ahead for moving stuff into the attic. Wooo hooo!!!! We're almost there, baby!!
I've had a song in my head recently and I just wanted to see the lyrics in print. It's not a new song, but I hadn't heard it in a while and it's taken on more meaning since I've had kids. It's 'I Hope You Dance' by Lee Ann Womack and to me it just encompasses all the things I want for my girls. Here goes:

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out Reconsider
Give the heavens above More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I'm telling you, that song brings tears to my eyes almost every time I hear it. I'd also never totally caught the backgroud lyrics during the chorus. I know it's rare for me to get deep at all, but it DOES occasionally happen!!! My goal is to make sure my girls know I only want the best for them without them hating me for it. I guess we could all use a bit of luck in that department, huh??
Enough for now. Thanks to all of you for thinking about Maggie and me; can't tell you how much it means to me. Hope all of you have a wonderful day. And remember: LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO!!!! YEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAW!!!!!

Ear tubes and asthma......

By the title and the time, you can probably guess it hasn't been the greatest week in the Hood family as far as health goes. As you know, the kid's ears have been an ongoing saga since November 2003, when Maggie ruptured both eardrums after an infection. Last Wednesday we went for yet another check-up (luckily they both like Dr. Vest) and left batting 50%. Kendall looked good and won't have to go back for a year unless she has problems before that. Maggie, on the other hand, had eardrums so retracted they were once again rubbing on the bones in her ear. Not good, as that can erode those bones and permanantly damage her hearing. So it's back for tubes (set #4) later this morning (Tuesday) and we're going with a bigger set so maybe they'll stay in long enough to do their job. They could leave a permanant hole in her eardrum, but that can be patched later. She tends to bounce back really fast from this surgery, but I still hate putting her through it. Again, I thank my lucky stars that it's not something more serious we're dealing with. So, wish us luck!!!
My story began about two weeks ago when I realized I was short of breath for no reason; I felt like I'd just landed in the mountains. So after several days of this I called my doctor, and she thought it was probably asthma but needed to rule out a pulmonary embolism. What??!!! Where did THAT come from?? Turns out I'm at higher risk for developing one because I take the pill, even though I don't smoke. So I trek over to VVRH to check out the lightning-fast CT scanner for a pulomonary scan. It wasn't too bad, and somehow I knew the results would be that I was fine in that area. Turns out I was right, so now I'm being treated for asthma. Apparently I've always had a very mild form of it that usually manifested itself as a constant cough. Singulair took care of that, but apparently there is enough stuff (allergens) in the atmosphere right now that I'm having to add an inhaler and Advair to the list of daily meds. I really thought I was being a total hypochondriac until Ispoke with my Mom, who has been having the exact same symptoms over the past few weeks. So at least we're on the right track to getting back to 'normal', whatever you consider that to be.
The house is almost done!!! All we lack is some tile backsplashes, some electrical outlet covers, a few lights, and insulation and we're ready for inspection, which may occur later this week. Keep your fingers crossed for us!! I'm tired of my closet being spread out all over the floor for the dogs and kids to trek on for fun. Jeff spent Sunday cleaning up the yard in front of the house and it looks great, too. We're almost there!!!!! Yeah team!!!
Other good news: Jeff & I have tickets to see Pavarotti next month, an occasion which called for a new dress. I found one Saturday at the Webb in Norman and I absolutely love it (thanks Jeri!!!). I haven't been this excited about a dress since I was planning my wedding and I can't wait for you guys to see pics of it. Silly to be so excited about an article of clothing, but hey, I AM a girl!!! I'm planning to get my hair done and everything; it's like a grown-up prom!!!!! You all will probably be seeing the dress for several years to come, so I hope you like it!!
Keep us in your prayers and I'll let you know how Mags does this morning!!

Ramblings at 2:00 am.........

No, this really isn't my favorite time to be awake, but looking at my past blogging times, I seem to be developing an unwanted habit. Between Maggie (thunder fears) and Jeff's pager and/or the phone (on-call this weekend), I'm starting to feel like a newborn baby: I haven't slept through the night in a while....oh well, at least I'm potty-trained.
Three more weeks until pre-school starts, and it won't come fast enough for me. I feel bad whining so much about this, as I haven't had both kids home full-time all summer, but I know I'll still feel better once both girls are at GSPS. Maggie's done great at Monte Vista, but for some reason there's less guilt for me involved with GS. I know Kendall is ready to go back; she's getting bored with me and she and her sister are really starting to pick at each other; since they're almost the same size, it's at least a pretty even match-up. I have full confidence in Miss Janota; bless her for being here to whip our two-year-olds into shape!!! We did go to buy school supplies this weekend, and Maggie actually tried to convince me that candy was on the list and she needed it for school. Clever girl. She almost caught me off guard, as she worked it into her constant chatter pretty seamlessly and stated it so matter of factly. Had she not been in the middle of a massive case of the "I want______!!" the entire time we were in Wal Mart, I may have given in. Don't worry, I didn't, which lead to some whining & crying by both kids (Kendall in sympathy for her sister) all the way to the car. And Jeff wonders why I don't jump at the chance to take both kids to Wal Mart on a weekend by myself. Crazy me.
I've been wondering: am I the only one who has the ever-present 'To Do' list running through their heads who actually keeps thinking, "If only I can get X, Y, and Z done, I'll be caught up!!"?? Are we ever really caught up?? I've come to the conclusion that we're not; there's always something else to be done somewhere. It's just a matter of how long and how skillfully we can put it off and turn off that little voice that tells us to get up off our duff and do something. (sigh) I can tell my hubby's increased work load with the extra call is taking a toll on us. He thinks it's only him, but I think he forgets that while he's at the hospital that's just more time for me to handle both kids on my own. Don't get me wrong, I adore my kids, but three females left alone too much are eventually going to drive each other crazy (hence my blog's title) and I never realized how much of the parenting would be left up to me when I married a doctor. Every time we pass the hospital, Maggie waves at it and says "Hi, Daddy!!!" and she's getting used to her questions about why Daddy is disappearing for several hours at a time in the evenings or on weekends being answered with "Somebody's sick and needed his help, honey.". I think she is starting to equate that pager with her Daddy having to leave. I have a feeling this is going to get tougher as they get older and he misses out on events in their lives because he's working. But it's not like I can whine about it; he has a job to do and people need him. It's just not always easy to live with, especially when both of us are sleep-deprived from the calls that come at 2:00 or 3:00 am.
OK enough with the pity party!! I do have some good news. Jeff did manage to avoid the hospital long enough on Sunday that he was able to establish a functioning bathroom upstairs, complete with a non-flooding toilet and hooked-up sink. Yeah team!! No more running Mags down the stairs for middle-of-the-night potty runs!!! Can I get an 'Amen!!"?? He also decided that the floor in his new garage was dry enough (we'd had the concrete stained & sealed last week) for him to park his cars over there, which means...........I get to park in my garage again!!! I was especially thankful yesterday morning when it was raining as we left for church. Can I get another 'Amen'??!! Man I know I'm spoiled, but once you get used to parking in a garage, it's hard to go back, you know??
One other funny thing from this weekend. Mags and Kendall were messing around and suddenly I hear Maggie say "Kendall, you're freakin me out!!". I started cracking up. I'm not sure where she picked that one up, as my constant saying is "You're killing me, kid!" but it was so funny to hear it come out of her mouth. I'm sure it was the first of many.........
We've almost made it, girls. Just hold on a few more weeks. Then we can all run away up to Penn Square to meet Jodi for an afternoon of shopping. Just the adults. No kids allowed!!!

June 24, 2005 #16

June 24, 2005 #16
Originally uploaded by Wonderwoman2005.

I decided you couldn't really see her face in the four-wheeler pic, so here's my bathing beauty up close.....

Maggie and Bryce

Maggie and Bryce
Originally uploaded by Wonderwoman2005.

Bryce really wasn't sure about all this undivided attention from his cousin. Maggie couldn't keep her hands off of him; Kendall couldn't care less......

Kendall on the four-wheeler

Kendall on the four-wheeler
Originally uploaded by Wonderwoman2005.

The little monkey was all over this thing; she doesn't even hold on to me when we ride it. I have to go slow because I'm afraid I'll bounce her off!

Grace and Maggie

Grace and Maggie
Originally uploaded by Wonderwoman2005.

A pic from early July of the two buddies.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

34 Days and Counting!!!!!!

Admit it. The thought of GSPS starting in less than five weeks has you excited!!! Even more excited are those who's kids are in public school; you have only ten days to go!! I keep thinking of that commercial where the kids are standing in the store, arms crossed on their chests, sporting the classic I-can't-believe-I'm-related-to-this-guy look on their faces as their father dances down the aisle as he loads his cart with their school supplies. That is totally me, and we've only just started the whole what-are-we-going-to-do-with-each-other-all-summer game. Hang in there, girls, we've almost survived another one!!!!
I do have to say, though, my baby girl Kendall has started a pretty cool trick. About a week ago I happened to say to her, just out of habit, "It's bedtime. Ready to go night-night??". And that girl looked at me and said "Yeah!!!" and actually took off running to her room and into her bed while I stood in the kitchen with my jaw on the floor. How cool is that???!!! We've been doing it every night since and I'm just trying to enjoy it while I can and am counting my lucky stars she's so easy right now to get to bed. I try to keep it in mind when she's on the floor, kicking at me, in the throes of a fit only a two-year old could possibly throw, that it all balances out in the end.
Maggie is cruising through her summer, and while she seems to be enjoying Monte Vista, I think she's ready for GS and all her buddies there. I always thought I'd have no problem putting her in the four-year old program at Glenwood, and now I can't imagine separating her from her four-year old GS buddies. Do you think it'll be possible to enroll them as a group next year??!! There's just something comforting having her at our church; I have total peace of mind while she's there. I'm trying to savor that while I can, because I know public school is a whole different can of worms. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for it and think they learn a lot from it, I'm just not ready to deal with my four-year-old firstborn to be in it quite yet. We'll deal with that next year.....
The house is coming along, slowly but surely. We basically lack some finishing touches on the addition and should be in there soon. I can't wait to be able to do my morning workout even if Jeff had a bad call night and didn't get any sleep; he won't be able to hear a thing from the new room. I also can't wait to get my scrapbooking area set up. It'll basically be just a table with storage underneath, but I'll be able to have what I'm working on all laid out and have the leisure of being able to sneak in and work on it for a few minutes without having to put everything back up each time I'm there. I might actually be able to make some progress on my albums.......
I think that's all for now. I'm finally getting sleepy again so I'd better go. Hope all of you have a great day!!!!!

Our House, In the Middle of Our Street.........

.....is finally dry and will be finished someday!!! Woooohoooo to no more refrigerator-sized de-humidifiers parked just outside my office!! Our house is actually quiet. Messy, yes, but quiet. Well, as quiet as it can be with two pre-schoolers running around.......
Following the singing debut of our Sunday School class last weekend (rock on Kiah, Lo, Jen & Cheryl!!!!!) I made the 300 mile round trip to see my month-old nephew in Tulsa. Now we've visited my brother and sister-in-law at their house before with the girls, but not since they've become parents themselves. Baby Bryce hasn't seen much in the way of visitors, period, much less the human tornados that I call my precious darling girls. I don't think that poor baby knew what hit him, between Kendall climbing the walls and Maggie being all over him the entire time we were there. I think I just tend to forget the chaos my two kids are capable of causing. To be honest, I think I've learned to tune it out; I have to, I live with it. In short, we were there for about four hours and totally wiped out that whole family. I'd have left sooner, but I tend to think my visiting time has to be at least close to the amount of time I spend in the car to be a worthwhile trip. Add to all that the fact they are typical first-time parents who were biting their nails as my girls crawled all over me while I held Bryce on my lap. I e-mailed my sister-in-law the next day, and it appears they survived. I wonder how soon we'll be asked back?? If ever?? By the way, he's a whopping 10 pounds at a month and his hair has taken on that Will Lawson spiked-on-top baby hair look and it's adorable. Maggie loved to stroke his hair and make Bryce's parents think she was going to poke him in the soft spot. At the very least, they have a lot more respect for what my life is like right now as a parent of two.......
Only a little over a month before GSPS starts!!! Can't wait!!!
Take care of you all and see ya at the pool!!!

And the World Keeps Turning 'Round

OK girls with GSPS kids only: 9 weeks down, 7 to go!!! Yeah team!! We're over half way there!!! On the downward slide!! Woooohoooo!!!

Dawn: I'm severly peeved for you and the whole mystery-person-telling- on-you-to-the-club-manager-behind-your-back incident. If the manager was at all confrontational to you, I'd point out to him that there wouldn't need to be venting blogs regarding the club if the service was at least reasonable. Granted, most of the time it is, but those incidents still ruin the whole picture......I'm going to miss you here!!! Hope you'll still be willing to read & post with us!!

Jeri: I don't know......the varnish fumes start to be kind of fun after a while........Actually they make you sick, so you did the right thing by getting out of there. I can't wait until our house is back in order (if you haven't heard the story, see below). I can't wait to see the final results!!

About our house: Last Wednesday I noticed the upstairs toilet was clogged with what I assumed was a kid-sized wad of toilet paper. Plunging didn't budge it, so I begged Maggie to tell me what was flushed down the potty and her answer began with "Kendall did it ALL by herself!!". After a lot of side-stepping by Maggie she finally stated that Kendall had flushed a doll's shirt. I told Jeff and he said he'd try to snake it out before bed, so I turned in for the night. Maggie got me up at 5:30 am Thursday because she wet the bed, and as I walk into the bathroom there is water all over the floor as the toilet overflows. I throw all the towels I can grab down and head downstairs and as I walk through the living room I step in something wet. Since Jeff hadn't put the dogs up before bed I thought maybe they'd had an accident, then I stepped in some more wet stuff. So I turn on all the lights and there is water dripping down from the ceiling in a circle in the living room, which is located directly below the flooded bathroom. I freak out and get Jeff, stating as calmly as I can that we have a problem. He promptly freaks out with me as he realizes what's going on. We get all the furniture plus the Asian rug moved out of the living room into the kitchen & entryway and throw all remaining towels in a circle on the wood floor. Jeff turns off the water to the toilet and says we have to wait until morning to call the insurance. I try to see the silver lining and point out that we were thinking of remodeling the kitchen & living room anyway.......he fails to see the humor or possibilities with that right then. However, about 10 minutes later he realizes that if we have to tear down the sheetrock he'd be able to wire the ceiling for a projector......Anyhoooo, we try to go back to sleep until 7:00; no such luck for me as Maggie realizes the sun is coming up and decides it's time to get up. Oh goody. So I call Farmers around 8:00 am and contact the claims center and basically begin the waiting game for return calls. Unfortunately they all occur within about a 5 minute time-span during a downpour at the club during swim lessons while I'm trying to corrale two pre-schoolers to dry ground (yes they were already wet from being in the pool but for some reason the thought of getting wet from raindrops was more than they could handle) so suffice it to say, it wasn't my best "mother" moment. I get home and the guy from Servicemaster arrives to start testing the house for water. In short, they've had to pull up some carpet (just installed in late January) and the tile in the bathroom so the fans and de-humidifiers could dry things out. We also have the fan & de-humidifier in the living room, so we can't have a decent conversation in most of the house and can't use the living room for lounging, playing, TV watching, etc. So basically our lives are in a big state of disarray. I just keep reminding myself, it could have been sooooo much worse.

On the good side, Jeff & I just got back from a weekend retreat at the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas while the girls spent some quality time with his parents in OKC. We loved the hotel, the food, the shopping and the time alone!! Last night we got massages at 8:30 pm, then had room service before falling into bed; what a wonderful way to spend an evening!!! We badly needed the couple time and with our house in it's current state, this was the perfect weekend to go. We plan to do it several times a year.......

So now it's back to reality and all it's little messes. But we're glad to be home.........

Start by putting one foot in front of the other.......

So far this Fourth of July has been pretty good. This morning I ran the Fireball Classic 5K with two goals in mind: 1) Beat my time from last year (29:28) 2) Run the whole thing; no walking!! I am very happy to report I achieved both goals!! My time (29:05) was a bit of a bummer because I'd hoped to break 29 minutes and I felt had I done the first lap faster I would have done it. I also ran the whole thing. What a difference from last year!! In 2004 the heat & humidity were killing me; this year it rained the whole time and I actually got chilled enough to put on a jacket after the race. And if anybody talks to my hubby, that wasn't lightning in the sky, just some people taking lots of pictures with a high powered flash!! I figured my chances of getting struck declined with so many other moving targets around me, so I went for it. The best part is that I won my age group this year (30-34; last year I got second) which was a bonus. Am looking forward to the 5K at the ASA meeting in New Orleans in September; that course is totally flat, so I should get a pretty good time if I keep up my running between now and then. My runner's high doesn't come while I'm running; it comes later when I look back at it. Happy Fourth to everybody!! Have fun and be safe!!

Six down, ten to go!!!!!!

Slowly but surely, we're plodding along through the summer. Again, I offer thanks for Maggs getting her spot in Monta Vista for the summer. She's hooked up with a cute little girl and is having a blast with Miss Tammy. She's getting a place to burn off some of that energy she has so we don't drive each other crazy. That and the pool are keeping her fairly busy. Kendall has become a monkey who enjoys rearranging furniture to create her own personal indoor playground. She's only two, but she's a strong little sucker who apparently has inherited her PaPaw's athletic abilities (that or his sheer stubborness). She's climbed on every table, chair, bed, and OUTSIDE of the staircase in what I've termed her "reach for the stars" effort. Chris G. got a taste of her 'subtle' manner of getting your attention at Madi's birthday party; she grabs you by the pant/short leg and drags you to where she wants you to do something. Apparently she figured out Chris was the one to push her in the swing and she wasn't going to let him go without a fight!!
I'm still ticked at Tommy, as those of you at the Martini Bar witnessed last night. I can't help but get worked up over it, because the whole depression/anxiety thing is something I've struggled with and I certainly don't need 'advice' from somebody who believes hormonal imbalances and mood swings don't exist. You already go through enough thinking you're crazy without being told you're involved with a pseudo-science that uses 'dangerous, mind-altering, psychotic drugs' to try and live your life like a normal person. He and Katie are free to go off to their happily-ever-after land of Scientology. He holds no interest for me anymore; she can have him (I know she was really worried about my competition. Ha!).
Monday morning is the Fireball Classic, and I'm planning on doing the 5K again this year. Thanks for flaking out on me, Lo!! Can't imagine how the lake could possibly be more fun than that!! Jeff is convinced I'm out to win the thing (couldn't if I wanted to) while I just want to be able to run the whole thing and beat my time from last year. I just hope I don't self-combust from the heat. I have already decided I have to do it without trying to take any of the water they offer while we're running; tried to drink & run at the same time last year and nearly choked to death. I'm just not that coordinated, so I'll wait until the finish line, thanks!!
And for those of you who didn't know, I got to meet my beautiful new nephew on June 21 when he was about 2 hours old ('bout time, big brother!!). He snuggled on my chest for about 2 hours while I got to nuzzle that wonderful brand-new baby skin on his shoulder, neck and head. Then I got to hand him back for feeding and diapering. Sounds like a great deal to me!! I can see why grandparents love their job!!! Maggie can't wait to meet him; she'll be all over the poor boy, just 'mothering' him as only a four year old girl can do. If anything, I guess it'll toughen the boy up!!
Happy Independence Day!! Have a safe one!!

Hey Tommy-What the @#*%$$#@!!!????

Beginning with the volleyball scene in Top Gun I was in love with Tom Cruise, and I must say that was a love that lasted a long time, even through three marriages (two his, one mine). But then Tommy started to get into Scientology and, while I try to be open to other people's beliefs, a 'religion' dealing with aliens just kind of makes it difficult to take that person seriously. (Apparently part of Scientology teaches that Zenu, an extraterrestrial, brought aliens to earth and exterminated them with hydrogen bombs but their souls stuck to the bodies of humans. Huh?) Tommy says it changed his life, but all I've seen in the past few years is his head swelling as he gets fuller and fuller of himself. The last straw was a recent criticism of Brooke Shields for using Paxil to help treat her post-partum depression. He called her use of the drug 'misguided' and says he's 'disappointed' in her; he also throws in, apparently for good measure, that her career is over. Cruise states that anti-depressants are dangerous and he's helped people come off of them through Scientology. Another quote: "When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that. You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things." From what I've read, Scientologists oppose taking drugs for psychiatric problems.
First of all, unless you've dealt with any kind of depression, you have no idea what you're talking about. About a week after my semi-breakdown in February somebody asked me if I was 'OK' now, as if I'd just gotten over a cold. My first impression was annoyance, but then I realized that she had just never personally had to deal with it and couldn't possibly understand that it is a chronic thing you deal with daily. Second, post-partum depression is something that occurs in women, not men, and there's enough guilt thrown in already without a man adding some more. Third, it is incredibly arrogant and dangerous for an actor to make statements regarding any kind of medical treatment. Weather they realize it or not, they have influence over other people. Somebody who is already struggling with the stigma associated with depression and the guilt over 'giving in' to taking meds could be swayed to stop taking them and quickly find themselves in a bad place. Even worse, somebody may never seek treatment at all for fear of being criticized.
The candid manner in which Brooke Shields discusses her struggle with PPD is something she should be praised for, while Tom Cruise needs a good 'ole butt-kickin. Oh, and by the way, she is currently getting rave reviews for her role in the London theatre production of Chicago.
'Bye, Tommy. Don't let the door hit your inflated ego on the way out.

Aaaaaahhhhhhh.........now THAT feels better!