Kittie Pics on Tropical Day!

I don't have an update on the sick kitten still in the "hospital" but I do have a cute picture of the healthy kitten here at home. His eyes are almost completely open and his ears are beginning to twitch. He's sweet, as is his Mom. I still hold out hope for his brother.




I've also included pictures of Katie this morning before going to school. Can you tell what the dressup theme is for today? Yep, it's Tropical Day. So, Katie wore her new dress covered with colorful tropical flowers and took in our entire collection of leis to share with her classmates.

Sad News

Just got an update on the two sick kittens and we lost the calico yesterday. Her brother is still needing to be tube-fed since he won't suck, so he's not ready to come home today.

The momma is doing fine. She's energetic and no longer has symptoms of the infection. The kitten here with her seems to be doing fine. I don't see him nurse very much though. He searches for a teat and sometimes gives up if he can't find one. I try to show him where one is but even when I do, he still won't latch. Crazy! It's like he's saying, (with the attitude of a toddler), "I wanna do it myself!" I have seen him find one and nurse for a minute or so, then quits. I worry there isn't enough milk there anymore. I mentioned that to Missy at the shelter and she suggested I express milk now and then to keep it in production. Yikes! She wants me to milk a cat! Reminds me of that movie Meet the Parents. Okay well, I guess I need to go upstairs and give it a shot. They need their antibiotics too. I definitely don't like doing that. If I could do it gracefully like the vet does, it would be different. But I can't seem to. Oh well, here I go.

Another Kittie Update

Well, this morning I woke up to the momma cat's meows. That was a first. She's usually very quiet. I think it was 5:45am. I got up to check on her and she had made quite a mess of her space. She didn't quite hit the litter box last night and overdid it trying to cover it up. There was litter all over. The towel she was sleeping on was no longer neatly folded, but it was all crumpled in a pile, as if she had been digging in it. The kitten was in the middle of it all, sleeping. The momma was sitting up, looking sad. She's got to be upset about losing her babies, don't you think? I keep telling her it's only for a couple of days, but she just looks at me, wondering what in the world I'm saying. I didn't call about the two sick kittens today. I am planning to call tomorrow morning (Wed) to see if they are well enough to come home.

TShirt Design for Gay Dads

So, this is one of the things I've been working on recently ~ a design for 2-Dad Families which is now available as a product line in my shop on CafePress.com. Click the above image to take a look and pass along to anyone you feel might be interested!

Sick Kitten Update

I called the shelter today and described the situation to her. She said bring them in right away. Turned out they all have respiratory infections. The calico and one of her brothers were not fighting it well at all on their own. Both are dehydrated and very sick. They kept those two and put them in an incubator. They'll be fed for the next couple of days by putting a long tube down their throats and simply inserting milk directly into the stomach. They don't even have energy enough to nurse or suck on a bottle right now. It's amazing to me how quickly they went downhill! It was only yesterday they began exhibiting symptoms.

So, I brought home the momma and one of the boys who isn't dehydrated and is doing okay nursing. It'll be his job to keep momma's milk flowing so when we pick up his siblings in a couple of days, they'll have something to eat. I have antibiotics for both momma and baby. Oh, and the kitten we brought home is starting to open his eyes!

Momma and baby are all settled back in their kitty cat playpen/cage thingy I'm keeping them in. Momma growled a bit as she looked around searching for her two lost babies. Poor thing. That must be confusing. She'll welcome them home in a couple of days, won't she? Or will she not remember they are hers and reject them? I guess we'll know soon enough!

Calico's Got the Crud

Over the weekend it was brought to my attention that the momma cat was bleeding through her nostrils. So I called the shelter and they weren't worried as long as her appetite is normal, which it is. Probably just a burst capillary in her nasal tissue caused by sneezing from her cold. All day yesterday I didn't see anymore blood and this morning too. Her cold symptoms are also diminishing. I think she's fine.

However, two of the babies aren't doing so well. I began to worry about them yesterday evening. Especially the calico. She's lethargic, seems to have lost her voice, coughs and sneezes, her body feels cool, and I rarely see her nursing. I was really worried we would have a dead kitten this morning.

I was awakened early this morning by migraine pain. Yuck. So, I got up to take imitrex and went in to check the kitties. The calico was lying apart from the group, very still. I was certain we'd lost her. But no, she responded to my touch and when I picked her up she managed to get a few squeaky meows out. I put her next to momma's belly and held the other two back while she nursed.

It's the funniest thing about nursing kittens. Instead of looking for their own teat, they simply go toward the kitten who is already latched on and try to steal theirs. I didn't want anyone stealing the calico's teat, so I stood guard for a few minutes while she nursed.

I know there are already too many kittens up for adoption, and one or two less would not be such a bad thing overall, but I find it incredibly upsetting to think we might lose one or two of these kittens.

Have you seen this?

Watch as hundreds of candlelit lamps fill the sky during a Thai tradition.

Happy Birthday Suzie!

Join me in wishing Suzie a wonderful & happy 44th birthday!

Enjoy your day... I will get there as soon as I can to help celebrate!
May 1, 2008

5 Days Old

I'm pretty sure the momma came to us with a head cold, but in the last couple of days since putting a humidifier next to her, she is sounding less congested. Poor thing. She's such a good momma, even though she probably doesn't feel great. She purrs and knits all the time, when we're with her, so maybe she's not as miserable as I imagine I would be in her position. Anyway, she's much better now. For about the first 24 hours or so, she didn't eat, drink or use the litter box at all. She is finally now doing all those things, resulting in a noticeable increase in energy. Even so, she won't spend more than a minute or two away from her babies.

Happy 48th Birthday Regina!

Katie and I are thinking of you,
Hoping you're having a terrific day!

We love you!

Click here to email a birthday greeting to Regina.

Kittie Update

Well, looks like we have two boys and one girl. The two boys are the white and orange ones while the girl is the calico. They are thriving. I have to admit I couldn't stand it anymore and today I let Katie hold a couple of the kittens. It didn't seem to bother the momma, as long as the kitten wasn't crying.

Katie really is gentle and loving toward them and the momma too. I'm impressed. In fact, I learned over the weekend how much she really does listen to me. Our neighbor's son, Tyler is three years old and came over on Saturday to play with Katie. They just adore each other and play together very well. Katie wanted to show Tyler her kitties so I escorted them up to the forbidden, locked room upstairs where the kittens are kept. That is, the sitting room off the master with the child-proof thingy on the door handle. Anyway, Tyler, being a boy, was not quite as gentle (don't worry, nobody got hurt!) and I heard Katie repeat to him, all of the things I've been saying to her! She very calmly and kindly explained to him the proper way to behave around such tiny, little animals. I thought I would cry. She sounded so mature.

We're a Foster Family Again!

I hesitated, big-time, when I got the call yesterday to foster this momma cat and her three babies, but I hate to NOT help if I can. So, I asked her to let me think about it for a few minutes and call her back. I got off the phone and weighed my options about how I could take care of the new kittie family for about the next 10 weeks while keeping them separated from our own kitties, Hudson and Mater - who were, by the way, two of our foster kitties LAST year! No, we're not keeping anymore! Anyway, I called her back pretty quickly and said I thought I could swing it. She said the momma had just given birth that day (yesterday Aug 25) and she was anxious to get her out of the hustle and bustle of her pet store. Of course everyone wanted to see the new babies and kids wanted to hold them, etc... Too much for a new momma.

Since getting them home, Katie has been BEGGING to hold the babies, but I just can't let her yet. If I do just once, she'll see that as a free pass to do it all the time. Even I haven't held them, well, except for when I moved them out of the kennel they came in so I could wash the bloody towels. It's just not a good idea yet to hold them.

The momma is sweetest of sweet. She purrs the moment either of us walks into the room. She's precious. So far, I've seen only one little bottom and it is a boy. I'm assuming the calico is a girl (isn't that the rule?) and the other one is a mystery for now. I asked Katie what she would like to name the girl and boy. She thought for a moment and said quietly, "Um, Jack and Avery?" Well, of course she would say that! Too funny.

Caitlin's Shop on CafePress - benefitting MS research

Click the Wobbly Walkers logo to visit Caitlin's shop.

Support NMSS with your purchase!

$5 of each purchase will go directly to NMSS.

We will find a cure ...

Caitlin, David and Bridget Wobbly Shopkeepers

Just Opened a Shop on www.CafePress.com!

I learned about CafePress.com from my cousin Caitlin and as I looked around, I became more and more convinced that it could be a good outlet for me to sell some things. In particular, products featuring my Two-Mom Family design. I've modified the design and added color, as you can see. CafePress allows you to apply your own design to any of products they have in stock, like tshirts, caps, tote bags, coffe mugs, buttons, etc. So, when you get a minute, check out my new shop on CafePress! Click here to go directly to my shop, or click the image above. Enjoy!

Katie's Flower Drawings

Feels like I'm getting a migraine, but want to post these pictures anyway. (Click on the image to see an enlargement.) Katie loves drawing and reading and playing school. Last night she was sitting on the couch in the family room reading one of her books to her "class" and I walked past her, only to get scolded nicely, "Mom, you just stepped on my friends!" They were invisible to me, but not to her! So, I apologized and made sure they were all okay!

Alright, that's it for now. I need to take an immitrex and lie down.

Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!

There are so few people who reach the 50 year anniverary milestone and its hard to believe that this year marks 52 years together for the two of you! Congratulations!

April 21, 2008

Playing in the Snow

We're getting SNOW!

Unbelievable! It's supposed to be springtime, isn't it?! Even so, we're getting snow this evening. It's unlike any other snow shower I've ever seen though because it's not coming down in flakes, but very tiny balls of snowflakes. At first we thought it was hail, but it's not icey, it's snowy.

Jack and Avery Video

These babies just get cuter and sweeter every time I see them!

Katie's Picnic Breakfast with Her Kitties

The Wrath of Katie

I forgot to talk about this the day it happened. On Sunday morning I was dressing Katie (I know, I know, SHE should dress herself at her age, but it's just FASTER if I do it! Leave me alone!) She was watching TV (I know, I know, TV should not be used a babysitter, but it gave me time to get things done with minimal interruption. Leave me alone!) I picked out a t-shirt and lightweight pants for her to wear and I dressed her while she was watching the TV over my shoulder, not really paying me any attention, or the clothes I was putting on her. So I finished with her, went back upstairs to get myself dressed and about 10 minutes later I hear her thrashing around downstairs, crying and screaming like the very worst, most horrible thing had just happened. I ran downstairs and found her crying the biggest tears ever, her body face down, draped over one of our footstools and when she saw me, she stood up, folded her arms over her chest and told me I was the worst Mom she ever met. "Bad Mom", she screamed at me, more than once, I might add. I hadn't yet figured out what was happening and finally she clued me in. "I HATE these pants Mom! I want tights. How many times do I have to tell you that?" I promptly told her she could wear whatever (the hell - I didn't say this, but wanted to) she wanted and told her to just go up to her room, pick out her own outfit and CHANGE her own (damn - I didn't say this, but wanted to) clothes (and stop screaming at me! - didn't say this either) if she didn't like what I picked out for her! She continued to scold me as she stomped as loudly as possible up the stairs. It didn't end until she had gotten those horrible pants off her body and was in the process of picking out a dress and tights. At that point, everything was good and I was back in her good graces. Geez!

Ice Princess, Gym Bucks, Ironing!

That's what my day consists of so far. Oh, that and finally talking to Bonnie on the phone, after playing phone tag. And, while I was on the phone, I glanced outside and noticed it was hailing! Tiny little white balls of ice, falling hard, bouncing all over the new plants I transplanted on Saturday! It was 70 degrees and sunny on Saturday, but today, just 48 hours later, it seems like I must have been dreaming or hallucinating, or maybe just living in Seattle. I don't mind though, really.

Anyway, last night Katie and I went to the mall. We went into Gymboree, armed with $50 worth of "Gym Bucks". If you have kids, you probably already know about these coupons. You earn them when you buy stuff and then you redeem them later during about a 10 period when the store says you can. If the Gym Buck is worth $25, you have to buy $50 worth of stuff. So basically, you're getting %50 off. I like that a lot. So, I picked out $100 worth of clothing for Katie and paid only $50. I like that a lot! And, you can pick things that are already marked down, if you like. I like that even better! So, that's what I did. The only problem is that we picked out things that need to be ironed. I haven't ironed in ages, until now! And, it's not even for me! I'm ironing for my 4-year-old! Crazy. Note to self: Never again buy a shirt with ruffles all over it that isn't wrinkle-free. But, geez, it's soooo cute! Maybe if I hang it to dry next time I won't have to iron it.

I mention Ice Princess because it is what I'm watching on TV while I iron. It's a cute movie I recorded on Disney Channel (yep, I'm watching a kid's movie). Joan Cusack is in it and I love her. Kim Catrell (from Sex in the City) is also in it and it's nice to see her in a role where she's not using her annoying high society accent (I don't know how else to describe how she talks in Sex in the City, but it always irritated me.) I am actually enjoying watching Kim in this movie.

Okay, that's it for now. Sorry I've been absent. I promise to post more often.

What a difference a sunny day makes!

It was a long week but it is amazing what two sunny, warm days can do for you! I took the time to exercise, relax, read and watch some fun movies... and a little of the things that you need to do like grocery shop, dishes and laundry. Its funny how you need to take time to regenerate by just doing nothing or just doing the little things needed to get by.

It also helps when all the week's stress settles down -- things at work are trying to get back to normal, Edy is home and healing, Mom is dealing better with Dad, and Suzie is healing and getting better each day. And, then there is Katie, my little bug. She is so full of life that even when she is mad at me it makes me smile! ;)

Enjoy your weekend!

Happy Birthday Betty!

~ click the image to watch eCard animation ~

It's Not a Good Idea to Eat a Mouse

That's what Katie said to me in the car this evening on the way home from her school. I agreed with her and then questioned her about what might have prompted that sort of a comment. She never did provide much of an explanation that made any sense.

Hmmm, well I had hoped I would be able to write something interesting today, but I just don't have it in me. Sorry. Maybe tomorrow.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask For Help

A member of my new work family ended his life last night. Shock and disbelieve are the only two words that come to mind to describe the day. He seemed on top of the world and no one saw it coming.

Hug your loved ones. Tell them how much they mean to you. Remember that your loved ones want you to ask for help if you need it.

We were not put on this earth to do everything on our own. We are a community of lives that survive together, not alone.

Love to all.

Did I Open Pandora's Box?

Today was a big day for Katie... on our way home from visiting with friends Katie announced to me that she had drank too much "diet coke soda" and needed to go potty right now. Well, of course, we had just gotten on the freeway with no "potty" in sight and I figured we could get home as it was only 15 to 20 minutes away. As we past the only real opportunity to go potty she began crying saying that she needs to go right now!

I remembered back to those long car rides with Mom & Dad when we announced we had to go. Dad would stop the car and Mom would open the car doors so we could go "in privacy." So, I pulled off on an exit and quickly ran around to her car door. When she realized that I wanted her to go outside she cried out in horror... "Where is the bathroom? I need to go potty! No, not outside!" I told her she had to go outside and pulled down her tights, and held her up so she could go. While crying and telling me that she can't go in the dirt... she started to go. Tears of pain and fear turned to the joy of "going outside in the dirt!" She thought it was so funny (not to mention that she now felt good) that she couldn't wait to go home and tell Mom that she went potty in the dirt. On the drive home she hypothesized about other funny places to go potty! I hope I didn't open Pandora's box... I hope she realizes that the bathroom is the best place to go potty!

First Post-Op Visit With My Doctor

Today was my first visit to see the doctor after surgery. It was an uncomfortable visit, though not necessarily painful. She used an endoscope to take a look around my sinuses and she also used a tiny suction tube to remove mucus and dried blood that could potentially get in the way of proper healing. Overall, she was pleased with how things looked and said I should heal just fine.

I asked for more pain medicine since I've almost finished what she gave me last week. I figure why not? Why be in pain when I don't have to be? But I know, it's gonna be a sad day when I run out and she won't refill again. I guess I should start weaning off of them now. ~sigh~ It's amazing how quickly it becomes a habit to take something like that, especially when it works well. Now I'm at the point in recovery when I need to pay better attention to whether or not I really need another dose.

My Sister

Bonnie turned 36 this year on March 22. For her birthday I had a pair of earrings made for her (I got a pair too). The stone is a teardrop shaped black star sapphire. It came from a necklace our Grandpa Finger bought in Thailand for our Grandma when he was in the military in Vietnam. Grandma gave it to me several years ago and I'd actually forgotten about it until recently when I came across it as I was cleaning up, getting ready to put the house on the market. The necklace wasn't something I'd ever wear and the jeweler said it really didn't have much value outside the sentimental value, so that's when I decided to have earrings made out of it. I'm also going to have a pair made for Katie.

Worst Day So Far

I woke up to a pounding headache. Just as bad, if not worse than anything I felt prior to surgery. My whole face throbbed. So, I quickly took a pain pill and made some breakfast. The pain medicine didn't even begin to put a dent in it. I knew I was in trouble. So, I retired to the recliner and just laid there praying the pain would subside. It wasn't long until I began to feel nauseous, too. I never did throw up, but it sure felt like I would numerous times. Regina made me my favorite soup for lunch, but I just couldn't eat it afterall. It sounded good, but my stomach said otherwise. I went back to the recliner and even though the pain persisted, I managed to doze on and off for a couple of hours. Both kitties slept with me, curled up on my lap. Finally around 3pm I called my doctor to see if feeling so bad at this point in recovery was normal or not. They said, unfortunately yes, it happens. But if I don't feel better tomorrow, I should go in to the office to be seen by the doctor. So anyway, I ended up taking an imitrex (migraine medicine) at about 4pm and fell asleep again. At about 6pm I felt pretty good, considering. And now it's bed time and I don't feel so bad. I'm a little worried about how I'm gonna feel in the morning though. Hopefully the worst is over.

Got a Nice Treat Today!

Thank you, Mel and Courtney for the yummy basket of fruit and cheese from Harry and David. The timing of its arrival was perfect. I was hungry after not eating much all day due to a horrible headache that had finally begun to subside, so I immediately devoured one of the apples and a good portion of the Dill Havarti. It really hit the spot. Thank you for being so thoughtful.

More SNOW today!

Well, we didn't wake up to snow this morning, but we might tomorrow! It keeps alternating between rain and snow, starting and stopping, heavy and light. Right now we have only a dusting on the ground, but Katie is hopeful there will be a lot more when she wakes up tomorrow. Actually though, it would be nice if we don't get any snow tonight since Regina is scheduled to take her Jeep to Bellevue early in the morning for an oil change at the dealership.

Today was a fun day. Regina took Katie to pre-school and then she and I went to Bellevue Square. We walked, talked, shopped, ate lunch out and had a relaxing day together. We ended up later in the afternoon going to the Coach outlet store in North Bend to see if they had any purses Regina liked. I'm happy to report that she found one she liked AND the prices were excellent! She got a $300 purse for only $129! Woo hoo!

Before picking up Katie from pre-school, we decided to drop in and visit with Mel, her Mom and the babies. We hung out with them for a little while and got our "baby-fix" for the day.

Now we're home, ready to settle in for the evening. I felt today about like I felt yesterday. Not bad, but as soon as the pain medicine wore off, I could feel pain in my sinuses. It was good to get out and walk, which is actually something the doctor suggested would help with the healing process.

Day 2 Post Op

Last night I was able to breathe through my nose so I got several hours of uninterrupted sleep (in my bed, not the recliner)! Hooray! However, I woke up with a headache this morning. Even so, it wasn't as painful as most headaches I woke up with before the surgery. A warm saline rinse and pain medicine helped immensely.

It snowed overnight, again. Katie was overjoyed once again to find newly fallen snow when she woke up. She and Regina spent a lot of the morning outside playing in it. They also went to one of our neighborhood parks where Katie said she almost touched the sky in the swings.

While they were outside, I made a batch of whole wheat buttermilk biscuits. For lunch we packed up the biscuits along with the leftover beef stew Regina whipped up last night and we made our way over to Courtney and Mel's to share it with them. Once again, we had a relaxing afternoon hanging out with them, while we ate, visited and held babies. Even though I didn't feel all that great, being with friends and cuddling with a sleeping baby somehow made me forget.

The First 24 Hours After Surgery

Okay, I recently took a pain pill and I feel it kicking in. So, if what I'm about to write isn't completely coherent, that's why.

Let's see, surgery day was yesterday and I couldn't believe the horrible timing of it all when I learned that Regina woke up with a very bad migraine. This was not a good day for her to be sick.

I, on the other hand, woke up feeling surprisingly good. I felt mentally prepared and was relieved that the day had finally come.

I don't know many details about what she accomplished during the surgery, but she'll give me a full report on Friday when I see her for a follow-up. She did tell Regina that the left side of my sinuses are not constructed normally. She couldn't tell if I was just born that way or if the surgeon who fixed my deviated septum years ago did it, but either way, it made her job harder. Therefore, it took a about 30 minutes longer than she anticipated. I was in the operating room for about 2 hours.

When I woke up in recovery, I was pleasantly surprised that I felt NO pain! I fully expected to wake up to the throbbing pain in my face that I'd come to know so well. I was also thrilled when I realized I wasn't nauseous from the general anesthesia AND I could actually breathe through my nose. None of the packing obstructed air passage in my nose! What a wonderful bonus. I had been told I'd have to breathe through my mouth for a while, which I find to be quite miserable.

Well, it wasn't long after waking up that reality settled in and I began to feel significant pain in my sinuses. Fortunately, the nurses took good care of me and throughout recovery they gave me several doses of pain medicine in my IV. And right before leaving, I got a pain pill for the road.

Meanwhile, poor Regina had a full-blown migraine and was sitting there watching them give me all the pain medicine I could possibly need, wishing she too could have a couple doses. She really didn't look good and by the time she met me in recovery, she had already thrown up at least once. People probably looked at the two of us and wondered, "Now, which of you two just had surgery?" I felt so terrible for her having to hang out there for so many hours when she felt so awful. I was actually worried she wouldn't be able to drive us home. We could have taken a cab, I suppose. She was able to drive, though, and we arrived home safely.

Anyway, back to me. Since I wasn't nauseous, I was able to eat and drink everything they gave me. I was actually quite hungry and especially thirsty. By about 2:45pm they were happy with my progress and let us go home. Because Regina felt so awful, we stopped by Katie's pre-school and picked her up early. Regina didn't think she'd be able to go back out later and pick her up when we normally do. That turned out to be a good decision since she didn't start feeling better until after dinnertime.

Last night I was able to successfully manage my pain with the medicines prescribed to me, although I was no longer able to breathe through my nose. Ugh. I was bleeding (which is normal) and it eventually obstructed air passage. I was so disappointed because that made sleeping last night quite miserable. I started out in bed, propped up on a pile of pillows, but that didn't last long. I just wasn't able to get comfortable enough to actually fall asleep, not to mention the extreme dry mouth that kept me awake because I was constantly taking sips of water. I eventually moved from the bed to a recliner where I still had the dry mouth issue to contend with, but for some reason I was able to sleep for a little bit. I might have gotten 1 solid hour of sleep while the rest was just a series of episodes where I dozed off until the dry mouth irritation woke me up. Not a fun night.

Early this morning I did a saline rinse which cleaned out the nasal passages and eventually allowed me to breathe through my nose again! I took advantage of it and napped for a bit later in the morning. I wanted to do the saline rinse so badly before bed last night, but I was given instructions not to. I was also fighting the urge to blow my nose, since I could feel drainage accumulating. But, it's no-go on the nose-blow for a little while. I taped gauze just below my nostrils to catch anything that drained all the way out. Today, the bleeding has stopped and I'm no longer wearing my gauze mustache.

So fortunately, right this moment I feel pretty good. Actually a whole lot better than I expected I would. Regina is also feeling good now. That's a relief. Now I feel like I can relax knowing she's at full capacity to take care of things while I recover.

Katie in the Snow!

Regina snapped this shot of Katie sitting on the snowball she just made. I stayed inside to nap!

Snowy Spring Morning

Katie is so excited this morning because while she slept, it snowed! What a magical thing it is for a kid! Even though it's not much at all. Barely enough to make a few snowballs or to swish out a snow angel or two, but doesn't seem to matter. We'll all go out later, I imagine. Katie will see to it.

Yikes, Surgery Tomorrow!

Today was good. Regina worked from home. I heard her on the phone most of the time when I was here. I spent the afternoon at Mel and Courtney's holding one baby or the other. Courtney is back at work now so Mel's going solo with the twins during the weekdays. I want to go over and help out as much as she'll have me, so I hung out this afternoon and did what I could. I got to give Jack a bottle today! That was the first opportunity for me, since Mel is primarily nursing both of them. Also, it's been 4 years since I've changed the clothes of a newborn, but I got the chance to see if it would come back to me when I changed each of them into a new outfit. I was telling Mel that when Katie was newborn, I used to pay special attention to her fingers and thumbs as I was pushing the sleeve down over her hands and arm. I worried that one of her fingers would get caught in the sleeve and pushed in the wrong direction. I'm happy to report that it never did happen when I was dressing Katie and it didn't happen today with Avery and Jack. It's just one of those million little things you worry about that will probably never, ever happen, but still, it stuck in my head.

I also refused to have an area run in Katie's room because one time I imagined that I was carrying little, newborn Katie and I tripped on the edge of the rug, and fell and dropped her, etc... It never happened, nor did it even come close to happening, but once I had that image in my head, I just couldn't have an area rug in her room!

Okay, so I'm getting mentally prepared for my long awaited sinus surgery tomorrow morning at 9:15. We have to be there at 7:45 which means poor Katie will be dropped off at her pre-school at about 7am! She's never been there that early before!

Because this is outpatient surgery, we should be home early to mid afternoon. Perhaps even earlier. It's hard to say for sure. I'm sure Regina will post an update as soon as she can.

And, if you're interested in browsing, here's my ENT's web site: Dr. Lisa Mulligan

Corporate Logo Quiz

Check this out, it's fun:

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The Most Obnoxious Pain Pounding Without Mercy

Regina got home last night around 10pm from her business trip to NYC. This morning she woke up with a headache and eventually ended up taking an Imitrex, which worked. She had a productive day working from home today.

I also woke up with a headache today. I knew I would because every time I changed position during the night, I could feel the most obnoxious pain pounding without mercy between my eyes and just below my eyes, behind the cheeks. After taking numerous medicines upon waking, I finally felt pretty good around 1-2pm. I fear the same thing will happen tomorrow, but am hopeful it won't. Just one more day until sinus surgery. I am soooo looking forward to the relief it's supposed to bring. Not immediately, I know, but once I am healed.

We ate dinner tonight at Los Cabos in North Bend near the outlet mall. We recently discovered it and have yet to order something we don't like. I'm happy as long as they offer shredded beef burritos, which they do. After dinner we headed out to visit with Mel, Courtney and the babies. They are all doing well.

Moist Bran Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter or margarine,softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1-1/3 cups and 1 tablespoon whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips or raisins

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses; mix well. Combine the dry ingredients. Combine eggs and buttermilk; add to creamed mixture alternately with dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yields 12 muffins.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 3/26/2008

Too much chocolate... Is that even possible?

Apparently so. I baked a couple of bran muffins today and tested one before trying it out on Katie. I didn't mind it, but it was, well, bran and it tasted like bran. I thought for sure Katie wouldn't eat it, so a little while ago I baked a couple more and put mini chocolate chips in them. I didn't really know how many to put into just two muffins, but apparently I put too many! Katie said she liked the muffins, but she didn't eat much because they had too much chocolate in them! Well, I have to admit I agreed with her. I couldn't stand more than a couple of bites! Okay, lesson learned. I'll probably try it again tomorrow morning, but with fewer chips.

Katie and Goofy

The Easter Bunny brought Katie this Goofy toy because she's been doing such a good job on the potty. As you can see, she's keeping up with her vow to wear tights everyday forever and ever! The poses she comes up with when I get the camera out crack me up sometimes. All I ask her to do is give me a nice smile, not too big, and this is how she translates that request!

Regina flew to NYC today for work and will return Tuesday evening late. She'll stay here and work from home on Wednesday and Thursday since it would be silly to drive back to Portland for those two days only to drive back up here on Thursday evening for my sinus surgery on Friday. I have to be at the hospital first thing on Friday, 7:45am, I think. Regina is taking next week off to be here for me since I won't be feeling so great. I'm getting nervous about how awful I will feel right afterward. I'm imagining it will be just one big horrible sinus headache. I just hope the pain medication works well, or knocks me out so I sleep through it.

Today I'm beginning the process of organizing things so Regina can easily find whatever she needs while I'm out of it next week. In particular, I need to have the pantry stocked and the refrigerator purged of expired food. I found several containers of yogurt that expired back in November!

Katie is outgrowing her clothes and many of the things in her dresser no longer fit. I need to get those out of there so Regina won't have to worry about remembering which fit and which don't.

Also today I want to try this recipe I have for bran muffins. I'm hoping Katie will like them for breakfast. I'm looking for ways to get her to do poopies in the morning before going to school so we reduce the risk of her having messes waiting for us when we pick her up in the afternoon. She had a great potty weekend, mostly though because we were diligent about making sure she sat on the potty several times throughout the day. At school however, they aren't always able to remind her with the same regularity that we do. So, if I can get her to go in the morning before school, we have less chances for messes in the undies!

Easter 2008

Okay, all I need is a few minutes to myself so I can get this post done, but it's not sounding good. I just overheard Regina downstairs talking about some sort of mess Katie just made, something's ruined and Mommy's not going to be happy. Hmm, I think I'll stay up here for a while...

Anyway, Easter this year started off not so great. Both Regina and I woke up with headaches, although she seemed to be handling hers much better than I was. It took me about an hour or more to feel like participating. Meanwhile, Katie found her Easter basket left by the Easter bunny and she was thrilled with her treats. Chocolate for breakfast this morning!

Of course, it was raining today, as predicted, so we did an egg hunt inside the house. I took a little bit of video, but doubt it will be very good due to poor lighting inside. Oh well. Maybe next year.

This afternoon, Katie attended a birthday party for one of her classmates. It was held at My Gym in Bellevue and was a great way for the kids to work out all the "crazies" from all the Easter candy! She had a great time.

Okay well, sounds like I should go downstairs and see what the mess is all about. Ugh.

Happy Birthday Bonnie!

Phish Food Fridays

Lately we've begun a fun family tradition where the three of us share a pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food on Friday after dinner. We don't even need bowls - just three spoons! Yum! Have you tried it?

Gardener for a Day

Oh dear God! What was I thinking? Planting and transplanting shrubs is hard work! Now I know why I don't do it very often, if at all. Okay fine, I've never done it before, I admit it. It's always been Regina who has done this type of work around the house, not me. I don't even offer to help her! Even so, I had this grand idea that today I could do it.

I went to a nursery in Issaquah this morning and bought three shrubs that should do well in the soggier locations in our yard, to replace the shrubs (Skip Laurels) originally planted there not doing well because they need well-drained soil. The folks at the nursery gave me several recommendations and I picked one. They also gave me instructions on how to plant them.

You know what though, I didn't even think about what I was going to do with the dying bushes, once I dug them up. We don't pay for the trash company to take away yard waste, so I ended up transplanting them on the side of the house (where potential buyers won't immediately see them...) but I think the soil there is well-drained. What have I got to lose? If they die, they were dying anyway. It'll be a miracle if they actually make it. But, you never know. I did notice some new growth on them, so maybe there is hope.

But, oh my God! Something else I didn't take into account was that digging up the Skip Laurels would be such back-breaking activity! Beneath the quarter inch of mulch, the ground is totally saturated, wet clay, I discovered. I swear, it weighed a ton. But really, I wouldn't be surprised if what I dug up weighed 100 lbs or more. I thought I would never get them out of the ground, let alone moved to another location in the yard. A wheelbarrow would have been helpful, but all I had at my disposal was a moving dolly. In the end I was able to do it, but boy was it heavy.

So now, I have two new shrubs in place of two of the dying shrubs. I have one more to do, but that'll have to wait. After I was done with those two, I collapsed on the back steps and spent some time admiring my work (like I always do after I've completed something) and it was almost as if I actually expected the new plants to start growing and sprout leaves right in front of me. When I realized I wasn't going to get that kind of instant gratification (duh), I cleaned up and came inside.

Mel, I am definitely calling you when I do this again, since I'm not done! If you weren't having company arrive today, I think I would have summoned you over here today! Next time though, for sure.

But, the best part of the day for me was lunch with Mel, Courtney and the babies at Red Robin. Thank you so much for inviting me! I would drop anything I'm doing in an instant to be with you guys.

Tights, skirts and dresses, forever!

Katie wants to wear tights every day, she tells me. So yesterday on the way home from Mel and Courtney's, I stopped at the North Bend outlet mall and looked for tights and skirts or dresses. I found four pair of tights at the Children's Place along with several skirts there and at Gymboree. She was so excited and of course had to wear one of the new outfits today to school.

This morning after dropping Katie off at school I went over to Ritz Camera and placed an order for a couple of photo enlargements. I arrived about 10 minutes before they opened, so ventured into REI next door to kill some time. On the clearance rack I found such an adorable sweater, the last one, in MY size, regularly priced at $48, marked down to EIGHT bucks! Well, I can't pass that up. Woo hoo! What a RUSH!

Visited with Mel, Courtney and Babies Today

Snapped these shots on my way home from visiting with Mel, Courtney and the babies. It's so beautiful here. ~ Sigh ~ I can't believe we have to move!

Anyway, Mel, Courtney and both babies are doing well. I could tell the babies have grown since I last saw them a week ago. And Mel's belly is almost gone after only two weeks. Good grief! MY belly isn't gone yet and it's been over 4 years! I guess I can no longer blame it on the pregnancy, can I?

Chicken Ham Casserole (this is the one Katie loved)

1 package (6 ozs.) long grain and wild rice mix
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup cubed, cooked ham
1 can (10 3/4 ozs.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (12 ozs.) evaporated milk
1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded Colby cheese
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook rice mix according to package directions. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish. Top with chicken and ham. In a bowl, combine the soup, milk, Colby cheese and pepper; pour over chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Visiting the Oregon Zoo in Portland

Here's a short video of our trip to the zoo in Portland over the weekend.



Music by Machete Avenue - Instrumental

Back from Portland

Katie and I are home. Got here yesterday evening and brought the kitties with us. Katie is so pleased to have them here, as am I. It was lonely without them.

They seem to recognize the place as their home and have been at ease since we got here. Today they followed me around a lot and therefore got a lot of my attention.

Last night I found Katie on the couch in the family room, watching TV, with Hudson in her lap. She was about as happy as she could be.




This afternoon I found them napping in the rocker in Katie's bedroom. I'd never seen them nap there before, so I guess they're exploring.

Yesterday we did end up going to the zoo in Portland and hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning I'll post a short video of that.



Here is a picture of Katie having a good time in the petting zoo. She and I spent a good amount of time in there, which she enjoyed so much she didn't want to leave. She loves animals, that's for sure.

Oh, and I am shocked to report that this evening, for the first time in Katie's 4 years of life, I heard her say, and I quote, "Mom, thanks for making such a great dinner tonight. I loved it and want to eat it every day, forever! I'm so glad I tried it." Well, I thought I would NEVER hear her say anything even remotely close to that! She is such a picky eater and usually refuses to try new things, which makes meal planning frustrating and well, quite frankly, boring. But, I went out on a limb tonight and made something new and I'm still in shock over her response. I'll post the recipe later. It's a very easy-to-make casserole.

A Friend Asked For Advice As A Gift

She wanted to share her friend's life experience with her daughter as she turns 18. Here is my response.

Life Beyond Seventeen

You already know...

... right from wrong. Just remember to take time to think before you act especially if everyone else is doing it.
... that you make mistakes. Just remember that it is part of learning and that the only mistake you can make is not correcting one.
... there are numerous paths that you can take on any journey. Just remember to find your own.
... how to communicate with others. Just remember to think about the other person's position before you speak.
... that people are different. Just remember to have an open heart to those differences.
... trying is the best way to learn. Just remember that it is okay to fail as you usually learn more from your failures.
... when you are right. Just remember that sometimes it is better to get the results that you want instead of trying to be right.
... that your expectations may not match other's expectations. Just remember that you need to tell others what your expectations are or they will not know that they haven't met them.
... that life will challenge you. Just remember that you are stronger than you think.
... pure joy. Just remember back to when you were younger and how the simplest things gave you joy.
... that you will succeed. Just remember that success is defined differently for everyone and that you only have to achieve your own definition of success.
... you are special. Just remember that when someone else is telling you differently.
... that your life is about to change. Just remember to embrace change as life is full of changes - some planned and some not.
... how to live. Just remember to do it!

Regina

Horton Hears a Who!

We just got back from the 6:45 showing and it was a hit for four-year-olds and forty-somethings alike. Unlike the last two movies we took Katie to, we actually got to see it through to the end! It's quite an entertaining movie which had us all laughing out loud on numerous occasions. Sometimes though, I have to admit I found myself laughing when I might not have, but I was so tickled by the kid behind us, I couldn't resist.

Regina and I are in our jammies and Katie is procrastinating. She's finding any number of reasons why it isn't time for her to get ready for bed. Well, okay. It's the weekend.

Tomorrow we're thinking about going to the zoo before Katie and I head back to Seattle. It's supposed to be a rain-free, sunny day. Unlike today which was mostly cloudy with frequent rain showers. Instead of doing something outdoors, we found a really great outlet mall and did a little shopping. We all enjoyed ourselves today.

Katie and I are in Portland for the Weekend

We just arrived about 30 minutes ago after making pretty good time driving. We didn't stop at all and hit only a couple of slowdowns in Portland, which allowed us to get here in about 3 1/2 hours. Not bad.

Regina's not home from work yet, but as soon as she gets here we're off to eat at Macaroni Grill which is right across the street. It's even within walking distance. I always get the same thing - Pasta Milano without the sundried tomatoes. It is soooo good. Katie likes going there mostly because they cover the table with a huge sheet of white paper and she can draw on the whole thing if she wants to.

Nothing much planned for the weekend. Playing it by ear, I guess.

Black and Decker Power Scrubber

I love this product! I use it all the time now to clean bathtubs and showers. Especially now that the house is on the market and I have to keep it clean and ready to show. I ordered mine online at target.com, but I don't see it available there right now. It is on Amazon.com though, and other web sites, I'm sure.

Click the image to read more about it.

That's SO offensive!

This morning, Katie announced to me that she had to go to the bathroom very, very badly. So, I moved into action so as to get her on the potty quickly. (We've been having trouble with messes lately.) I took the stuffed toy mermaid out of her hands and put her down next to the toilet so Katie's hands would be free to hold herself up on the seat. After Katie got situated on the toilet, she looked at me with disgust and said, "Momma, that was SO offensive!" I said, "What did you say? Offensive?" Well, my goodness! I'd never heard her say offensive before! Apparently she thought I was rough with her mermaid and so I had to apologize.

Dinnertime turned into quite a production!

Katie and the Easter Bunny

Umm, could you please get a little CLOSER?

Last night I was fixing dinner and when I turned around, noticed Katie in the family room sitting up on the built-in shelving unit, just inches away from the TV. Hadn't seen her do that before, so had to snap a picture - of course. What is it about TVs that cause kids to want to get as close as possible to it?

Yesterday afternoon was fun and relaxing as I visited with Mel and Courtney while holding their babies for a couple of hours. Mel's parents came over later in the afternoon so I enjoyed their company too for a little bit before having to leave to pick up Katie from pre-school.

I continue to have head and sinus pain, but thanks to the Prednisone my ENT prescribed it's not quite as intense as it was this time last week. If I can get involved in something to distract me, I can forget about the pain for a little while anyway.

Our Little Artist

Katie really loves to draw now and I am always amazed by what she creates. Planes, ships, flowers, people, shapes, transformers, machines... are all her favorites! And the stories that go with the pictures are just as creative.

She really loves singing, drawing and dancing. I wonder every day what she will become and I can't wait to see it.

Spinach Casserole

3 eggs
2 tbsp flour
10 ounces chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
Butter or margarine
4 oz. cottage cheese
6 oz. shredded swiss cheese
1 small onion chopped (about 1/4 - 1/2 cup)
4 large mushrooms chopped (about 3/4 cup)
garlic salt to taste (just a couple of shakes)
ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs and flour until smooth. If using fresh spinach, saute in olive oil with the onion and mushrooms for 3-5 minutes. If using frozen spinach, cook in water and drain, while you saute the onions and mushrooms in olive oil. Add all ingredients to egg mixture and stir. Coat the inside surface of a 10x10 pan with butter. Pour mixture in and bake 30 minutes. Let set after baking for about 10 minutes. Serves 4.

Note: May be made a day ahead and cooked at serving time. Broccoli may be substituted for spinach.

Awww, he's so sweet!

Look who came up to the back door this morning! Katie was delighted. He appeared to be friendly and cared for, so she and I went out on the back patio and spent a few minutes with him. When he realized we weren't going to feed him, he decided to move along.

Regina drove back to Portland this afternoon, but not before we visited Mel, Courtney, Stef and the babies. We ate lunch with them, held babies and just hung out. Being over there is like a time warp, I have to say. Time passes so quickly when we're there, for some reason. Regina left at about 2pm, while Katie and I hung out for a couple more hours without even realizing it. When we arrived at home, I got confirmation that Regina had made it safely to her comfy apartment down there and was in the process of getting ready for the upcoming work week.

The daylight is getting longer, which allowed us to go over to one of the neighborhood parks and play with kids who were also out. Katie just adores our next door neighbor, Tyler, who is a year younger than she is. She was so excited to find him at the park with his parents. So, they played for a while.

Now we're back inside and Katie needs a bath. Time to begin the bedtime routine. I'm tired.

Video of Jack and Avery - March 7, 2008

Dinner at Courtney and Mel's

Regina drove up here this afternoon to spend the weekend with Katie and me. As soon as she got here we picked up Katie from school and headed over to Mel and Courtney's for dinner. Regina and Katie had yet to meet Avery and Jack and I, of course, was anxious to see them again. Stef (Mel's sister) was there too, which was a treat since we don't often get to see her!

(Courtney took these pictures. Nice job!)

Bamboo Sheets

I recently bought a set of bed sheets made out of bamboo fibers and they are my new favorite sheets. Visit this link to check it out for yourself:

http://www.luxuryhousingtrends.com/archives/2006/07/bamboo_sheets.php

I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond. (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=111451)

Meatballs in Spaghetti Sauce

1 egg, beaten
3/8 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup tomato juice or spaghetti sauce
2 tbsp parsley
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt or garlic salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
olive oil for the frying pan

Combine all ingredients except the meat. Add ground beef. Divide meat mixture into about 32 balls and fry in a little bit of oil until cooked through, turning periodically.

Simmer meatballs in your favorite spaghetti sauce for at least a couple of hours prior to serving.

Katie Got a Package Today!

Grandma Kathleen (my Mom) sent her a box of Easter goodies and a t-shirt from Disney World that made Katie shriek with joy!

I Feel SO Much Better Today!

It's not completely gone, but most of the pain that has taken residence behind my forehead, eyes and cheeks for weeks now, is pretty dull this morning. Wow! I had called my ENT yesterday and basically begged for some relief. She recommended Mucinex and a prescription for Prednisone. It's been less than 24 hours and I feel pretty darn good this morning! Unbelievable!

Last night before going to bed, I snapped this picture of Katie in her bed, which lately has been an air mattress (kid size) on the floor in my room. She currently is going through that "I'm scared of my room" phase and our solution was to bring her in our room until it passes. That's Daisy and Pluto she's sleeping with, her current faves.

What a Great Day!

Even though my head hurt again today, it didn't matter because I got to hold Courtney and Mel's newborns Jack and Avery as much as I wanted! It doesn't get much better than that, does it?



Here are a couple of pictures of Katie this morning before she left for school. Wednesday is dance class day, so she always insists on wearing a dress, and this particular dress is the most twirly one she has. Therefore, it is her favorite for dance class.

So, now it's the end of the day. A little while ago she was in the bathtub and I always tell her that splashing is off limits if the shower curtain is open. But, if I close the shower curtain, she can splash all she wants. Well, she loves that and goes absolutely CRAZY bonkers. She splashes, sings and yells at the top of her lungs, having a wonderful time. So, why is it that I have this overwhelming urge to run in there and demand she stop splashing? I admit I peek in there to make sure water isn't getting out onto the floor, and I do remind her periodically to stay on her bottom. No standing and jumping, etc. But, I really have a hard time being within earshot of the splashing! I guess I'm just conditioned to expect a huge, wet mess when I hear that kind of noise coming from a bathtub and I can't shake it even though I know I've closed the curtains and have given her permission.

Well, you'll be happy to know there was no water mess. It was a successful splashing session. After her bath, I helped her into her jammies and she wandered over to her nightstand. She opened the drawer where we keep all of her costume jewelry. She took out several necklaces, bracelets and rings and put them all on at the same time. Then she stopped and thought for a second before saying to me, "Oh no, this is too much. Too much jewelry will make me sick." I wondered why she would say that and realized she probably came to this conclusion because of the other recent discussions we've had about how too much of something, like candy for instance, will make you sick. Well, (sorry Gina), I chuckled and assured her that too much jewelry can't possibly make you sick and that a girl can NEVER have too much jewelry! (cha-ching) That's the (very important) exception to the rule, I say.

Onion Chopping Made Easy!

I love this gadget for chopping onions quickly. Visit this link to check it out:

http://www.progressiveintl.com/proddetail.asp?ID=GOC-300&Cat=Gadgets&PerPage=1&Page=4&PageNum=2

Mexican Bean Salad

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon (1 1/2 teaspoons) ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 dash hot pepper sauce

1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables and mix well. Chill thoroughly and serve cold.

My Face Hurts

Today the pain just lingers behind my forehead, eyes, and cheeks. Nothing is giving me relief, except the 60-minute nap I just took. Makes me wish I could just go into a coma now and wake up about 8 weeks after surgery when it's healed. My sinus surgery isn't until March 28. I should go try breathing in steam and see if that helps. Okay well, hope I have something more cheerful to write about next time.

The Twins are Here!

Our friends Mel and Courtney had their twins early in the morning on March 2.

Jack William Cunniff was born at 03:35 AM, weighing in at a healthy 6 lbs 8 oz and 18 1/2 inches long.

Avery Dale Cunniff was born at 04:01 AM, weighing 6 lbs 3 oz and 18 1/4 inches long.

Today I went to visit them in the hospital and took some video, which I have uploaded for your viewing pleasure!



Music by Nicolette Larson - Starlight, Starbright

Two City Lifestyle

It is hard to believe that we have been running between Portland and Seattle for three months now. December flew by and with all the newness of the job, surroundings and "two-city lifestyle" it didn't even seem to be much effort. They came down one weekend; I went up one weekend. January went even faster as it was full of house staging activities, and Katie's Sunday party schedule. I sure thought we mastered the two-city lifestyle!

Then February hit. The travel wasn't too bad but now the house was on the market and Katie was more in tune with what Sunday really meant -- part of the family was driving back to a different home. I also think it is harder on Suzie and Katie now that the cats are with me (and harder on the cats, too, as they love the attention they get from the two cat lovers in the family).

It is now March and we struggle with how to keep doing this. Katie has such a great school teacher and is really doing well there. Everything is so much easier in Seattle as we know how to find or get anything we need. I keep learning new areas in Portland, but we are not really sure where we will end up. I have a hard time even thinking about putting Katie in school here only to move her once we find out what part of town we will really settle into for good. So, for now, we live for the weekends.

We got spoiled as our last three moves have been easy -- 1st day listed, 32nd day listed and 5th day listed. We just hit the 21 day mark -- with little activity. We know that the market is about 90 to 180 days but you don't really think your house will be the one that is on the market the longest. There are so many families in our neighborhood that have been transferred outside of Washington so I am sure that doesn't help either -- so many signs, so little activity.

It is 2:20 and they have been gone for about 30 minutes. I must say... it is easier for me to be the one driving. Sunday afternoons and evening are the hardest for me after they leave. Once I get into the week I spend extra hours at work and the days blend together until Friday. I guess it is time to get ready for the week in Portland...

Getting Ready to Look at Houses

Katie is completely, totally wound up! Regina says we should let her go so she gets it out of her system before we spend the day in the car and walking through houses. Okay, that makes sense. I just feel sorry for the cats who get chased around and the neighbor below us who hears everything, I imagine.

Like I said, she's running around like crazy and next thing we knew her clothes were off! She's been streaking through the apartment for the last 20 minutes. Finally she rested to eat a little breakfast. That lasted only a few minutes though.

Leaping with Joy!

Hmm, seems like Grandpa Curt's Mom was born on this day, Feb 29. Someone correct me if I'm wrong... In the mean time, Happy Birthday Great Grandma!

Here's a shot of Katie modeling her new outfit she's wearing to school today. She loves it because of the hearts but also because when she spins around, the shirt is big enough to "swing" like a ballerina's skirt.

Katie and I are driving to Portland today. I'll pick her up around 12:30pm from school and we'll head out from there. Tomorrow we have an appointment with a realtor who is going to show us around neighborhoods to see what we like and he has about 10 homes for us to walk through. We're not anywhere close to selling this house, but it is possible we could get a builder to accept a contigent offer if we found something we love. However, we're not planning on looking at houses every weekend between and now and whenever we sell. We're just looking this weekend to get an idea of what's out there and which neighborhoods we might like to call home.

Now it is my turn...

With Suzie's upcoming surgery the tables are now turned. Other than when Katie was born, I have always been the one in the hospital - NOT Suzie! It is never fun to have surgery but I am not sure which is easier - the one having it or the one worrying about how the other one will do! I guess time will tell... the surgery is in March!

Broccoli Salad

1 bunch uncooked broccoli florets
1/2 red onion thinly sliced
7 strips bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup peanuts
3/4 cup Helman's mayonaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tb white vinegar

To make the dressing, mix the bacon, peanuts, mayonaise, sugar and vinegar together. Add dressing to the broccoli and onions and stir until the vegetables are coated.

Banana Blueberry Muffins

2 ripe, medium bananas
6 tb margarine or butter
6 tb brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
1 cup frozen blueberries, rinsed and drained

1. Puree bananas in blender (1 cup)
2. Beat margarine and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in bananas and egg.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon peel in medium bowl. Blend into margarine mixture just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
4. Line 8 large muffin cups with paper liners. Spoon batter evenlying into cups.
5. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. (22 minutes works best for me)

Most of the time I omit the grated lemon peel and sometimes I leave out the blueberries. I've also made them with mini chocolate chips instead of blueberries - Katie definitely approved of that variation.

ENT Visit

After taking several shots of us this morning using the tripod and sefl-timer, this was the best we got and then it was time to get her to school and I had a doctor's appointment. Of course, I didn't allow any extra time to get there because there is never any trouble getting from here to Issaquah this time of day (9am). However, today there was about a 2 mile backup on the Issaquah-Fall City Road! I called the doctor to warn them I'd be late and was told if I was too late, we'd have to reschedule. Argh! I don't blame them, though. As soon as I could turn off that road, I did and by some miracle was able to drop Katie off at school and get to my appointment only 2 minutes late!

My appointment was with an ENT to talk about this chronic sinusitis I've been dealing with since the end of November. A CT scan of my sinuses showed numerous blockages due to swelling, packed mucus, or polyps. Hard to tell exactly. Bottom line is that even the mother of all antibiotics can't fix it. Surgery is the solution, but it's up to me. Well, that's a no-brainer for me. Sign me up! I need relief! So, that's what I'm working on now. The logistics of all that. Hopefully I can get that over and done with soon. I'm so tired of feeling this way.

Driving Back to Portland

The drive is actually pretty easy when there is no traffic but it gets harder and harder to leave Katie behind... mostly because she doesn't want me to leave. It is interesting when they come down here we spend all of our time as family time - which I love. When I go home, we tend to spend Regina and Katie time and Suzie and Katie time. I know why it happens - we each get some alone time to get things done but it is fun to just be together -- like on vacation.

It has been so nice with sunny skies I hope we are hitting an early spring as it makes the days and especially the drives back and forth between Seattle and Portland much easier.

Let's hope for no more rain!

Childhood Photos

Oh boy, look at these! The blonde is me, if you didn't already guess and the other little girl is my cousin Chrisi. We spent lots of time together and were the best of friends growing up together. Chrisi's Mom was going through some old pictures, came across these and thought I might like to have them. They arrived in the mail yesterday. Yes, most definitely! I'm thrilled to have these!!

First House Showing Today

FINALLY! Someone came by today at 2:30 to see the house! Our realtor will call their realtor tomorrow to see if they are still interested.

Last night I listed several items on craigslist, for free, that I need to get rid of. A couple of weeks ago I listed some of the same items, but tried to sell them. AMAZING how my inbox was so full when I'm giving them away and I got very few responses when trying to sell the very same item! I understand, of course. But, still.

Regina's gook in her chest seems to be getting better. Her voice is beginning to return, but today she has a terrible migraine. After the showing, she went straight upstairs to bed and we haven't heard from her since. Well, I might have heard her throw up, actually. I'm fully expecting her to come down here and ask us to take her to the ER.

Yesterday Regina and I went to see the movie Juno. We both thought it was cute. Several times we actually laughed out loud.

What a beautiful day it was today! Katie and I spent some time outside this afternoon in the cool sunshine. She rode her bike and scooter around the neighborhood. Also spent some time on the playgrounds in our neighborhood.

I've been working out at Curves. It's been about a month now and today I weighed in and took measurements to see if I'm making any measurable progress. Besides feeling way stronger, I've lost a couple of inches in my waist and abdomen. And, my body fat percentage has gone down a couple of notches! Oh, and I weighed in a couple of pounds lighter. I was actually surprised because I've not been eating very well. One of these days I'm gonna start focusing on it though. Maybe even Monday. I should start trying, at least.

The Bible - A Children's Book?

Out of all the books we have for Katie, this picture book bible is definitely my least favorite. I mean, none of her other books talk about murder, floods that destroy the entire population minus a chosen few, betrayal, harsh punishments, etc. It was given to us with the very best of intentions and even though I don't enjoy it at all, Katie often requests that we read it to her. She picked it out this morning and asked me to read several pages. I suppose I could just put it away, but it's gonna come up eventually, anyway.

Regina's Home Early for the Weekend!

Regina has caught something nasty which has caused her to lose her voice and she's coughing up green gook. So she drove home to Seattle this afternoon to see our doctor at 4pm. She now has antibiotics in case it is bacterial. I didn't tell Katie that Regina was coming home today, because I didn't want her to be disappointed if Regina changed her mind for some reason, so Katie was completely surprised when Regina joined me in picking her up from school today. Regina got quite a wonderful greeting!

Wet or Dry?

Lately the first thing I ask Katie in the morning is, "Are you wet or dry?" Most mornings she is wet, but some days she is dry. Eventually we'll get there. Well, today she announced that she was very wet. I asked her to go sit on the potty and take her pull-up off. She stopped, turned toward me and with her hands on her hips, informed me, "I don't have a pull-up on!" And then I remembered that I forgot to put one on her last night! So of course, her bedding was all wet and she was damp and stinky! So, into the shower she went, before either of us was even fully awake.

Chicken Lasagna

9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Mix together soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, onion and garlic. Spread small amount of mixture on bottom of 13x9x2 pan. Add chopped chicken to soup mixture. Place three noodles down. Add layer of chicken mixture. Top with cheddar cheese. Repeat layers until finished. Cover with aluminum foil.

Back in 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes. Remove foil last 10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes for easier cutting. This can be made ahead of time. May take 10 minutes longer to cook though.

President's Day Weekend in Portland

Here's a 3-minute summary of our weekend in Portland with Regina:



Music by Sheryl Crow - Love is Free

Moving to a New Apartment

Over the weekend Katie and I went to Portland to help Regina move her things to a new apartment that will allow the kitties. Here is a 4-minute video of the weekend: