Urodynamic Testing

There is nothing dynamic about it. I get that medical professionals are "used to that sort of thing" or "seen much worse", but the urodynamic testing was about the lowest of lows! If you care about what urodynamic testing is, go ahead and google it, I prefer to forget it! I am mainly writing this blog so that if I ever have it printed and made into a book (for my kids, although I will print you a copy if you must have one), this entry will remind my children of the things I suffer through for them. Birthing a 9 lb 9 oz child vaginally wasn't the end of it, the effects are still alive and well today!

Ten on Tuesday

1. The kids have THREE DAYS OF CAMP left, and I HAVE THREE DAYS OF DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, that does not sound fun!

2. Jackson will MOST DEFINITELY not be getting his hair buzzed now that he has a GIGANTIC KNOT on his head. I can't even bring myself to touch it, when the doctor asked where it was, I made an imaginary circle with my hand rather than touch it again, GROSS!!!! It could be gone or still there, I have no idea, I have not touched it since Sunday!

3. The kids were REALLY good yesterday, like UNBELIEVABLE! Is it a fluke? OR is it getting easier???? Probably a fluke!

4. This weekend we are going to have a little "staycation" right here in Scottsdale! I am super excited because anything that changes up the pace a little makes me happy! It is really thanks to my mom since she won it through one of the local radio stations!

5. I would really, really like a new hairstyle, but I refuse to get my hair cut during the summer because it is CRUNCHY from all the chlorine, AND it is in a ponytail all the time because it is so stinking hot. So, I will wait until the end of September before I cut my mop!

6. Trader Joe's really has the best hummus!

7. Thinks if doctors really wanted you to relax they would serve cocktails!!!

8. Pat was super supportive today, that is always appreciative!

9. Jackson's new camp teacher told me today, "There's just something about him that I love!" ME TOO!

10. Any of you former teachers out there, I am running out of awesome end of the year gifts ideas, so if you care to share, I need to get one for Miss Katie on Thursday, and other than restaurant gift card, my brain is shot, so I would appreciate any suggestions!

P.S. "Staycation" is not approved by spell check, BET IT WILL BE BY THE END OF THE RECESSION!!!!

Mad Props

I have nothing but love for the urgent cares and ER for children in the Northwest Valley. Yesterday I received a card in the mail for the new Phoenix Children's Hospital Urgent Care that opened at 51st Ave and 101, and if you didn't already know, I love PCH and hope to be on the Board there one day. Not sure how I will accomplish that, but it is truly my dream "job"! I don't know if it was fate that landed the card in my hands Saturday morning, but Jackson threw himself backwards on our bed, but instead of landing on the bed, his head landed on the metal bar of the futon frame that is right next to our bed. His head swelled up pretty big in the area that made contact, about the size of a red potato. He wasn't symptomatic (throw up, passed out, etc), but Pat called the PCH Urgent Care listed above. I am not kidding you when I tell you that he SPOKE WITH A DOCTOR there, who proceeded to tell him to take him to the ER because they didn't have the stuff that would be needed at the Urgent Care, so she CALLED AHEAD to Mendy's Place at John C Lincoln Deer Valley, and then proceeded to CALL ME IN THE CAR and let me know that it was all set, and that they KNEW I WAS COMING! HOLY CRAP! I don't know about you, but after sitting in the waiting room for about three hours with my rupturing appendix, this is SERIOUS SERVICE!
Jackson and I walked into Mendy's Place to be greeted with smiles, two wonderful nurses, and A COMPLETELY EMPTY WAITING ROOM. I was filling out Jackson's name on a sheet of paper while he had his blood pressure, temperature, etc taken, and I messed up about 20 times because there was a waiting room to the left and one to the right, and I kept peeking my head around poles and wondering where everyone was. They did say that it was slow, but it was 4:00 PM on a SATURDAY! It's not like the rest of the kids had somewhere else to go, but whatever, I am not going to complain. The rest of the visit went VERY SIMILAR. We were in and out within an hour. It is exactly what I envision an ER visit should look like. I don't go to the ER for fun, and I most CERTAINLY do not have 3 hours to sit and wonder if Jackson has a concussion. About four different people came into to check his eyes, he was well cared for, and I think the $200 co pay was worth the peace of mind I received from medical professionals, even though my BIL (EMT) and dad's girlfriend (nurse) said the same thing. If you haven't read about Shannon's nightmare ER trip, click here or here! She was incredibly jealous of my service time!
We had to wake him up in the middle of the night every few hours to ask him questions and make sure he was still "with us". The first time we woke him up, he out right REFUSED to tell us his name. He was sobbing, about to throw up (which I was sure meant I should take him back to ER pronto), until finally I asked him where he would want to go in the morning if he could pick out a toy, what would he get from Trader Joe's when we go there (orange chicken), and then I was satisfied and let him go back to sleep. The next few times, I didn't even mess with the name question. I asked him where his birthday party was, what toys McDonald's has right now, where Lainey's birthday party was, and other questions involving toys, food and parties!
I am sooooo happy to report that all is well, he has been spoiled to death today: Einstein's Bagels for breakfast, Hot Wheels from Target, Orange Chicken from Trader Joe's, and lots of hugs and kisses. I am sure I completely over reacted by taking him, but I have NEVER felt anything like the knot he had on his head, it completely freaked me out! Very similar sick feeling formed in my stomach as when he hit his front tooth at the doctor's office last year, but this time it was much more serious because I knew his tooth wasn't going to kill him, JUST ME!

Needless to say the Annual Grill-Off was about to start when the whole Jackson episode transpired. We didn't have as many contenders as last year, but it was a whole lot of fun. I was sad to miss some of the preparation festivities, but everyone saved me some of their ribs, and I was able to sample them all before voting. It was a close vote Paul receiving 170 points, my dad receiving 173 points and Pat finishing with 176 points! All of the ribs were AMAZING!!!!!! I am a rib lover, so it was hard for me to choose a favorite. Pat's rib on display were a little burnt because a few of them got burnt during the grilling process. The ones that weren't burnt were amazing, I am sure that people gave him some sympathy votes since he was grilling while Jackson was at the ER! HA!

Toilet Paper

Do you like your toilet paper to come over the top?



OR out from underneath??



I used to think I liked it over the top, now I just like if someone puts it on the holder since we go through toilet paper like water over here!

Do You Think. . .

that if I gave Jackson a buzz cut, he would look like this. . .?



Because if your answer is yes, I will do it tomorrow! :-p

Ten on Tuesday

1. Obama is a "dad", so who cares if he wore "dad" jeans to a baseball game. I would be a little more concerned if he was wearing low rise, boot cut jeans with holes in them.

2. I am struggling with this post this week. Usually I have lots to say, but today I just want to skip it!

3. A few new flavors of Vitamin Water 10 came out, but only select Fry's stores have them. REALLY ANNOYING!

4. I tried to plan my day so that I wouldn't have to take more than one shower today, it is not working out since it is so humid I want to cut my eyeballs out! 110 PLUS humidity, REALLY NOT FAIR! This may be why I just don't want anything to do with anything today!

5. Jackson is going to "summer camp" for 6 days this summer. Today was the first day, and he kept asking me why he had to go, and I told him I have some errands to run. He turns to me and tells me, "I will be really quiet and sit in the car while you go into the places!" ALMOST took him home with me, ALMOST, and then I remembered I have FOUR doctor appointments on the six days he is in school, and it just would not be OK for him to come with since I don't even know what I am getting myself into!

6. I cannot wait to get out of this FREAKING HEAT! It is soooooo stinking hot. . .a big shout out to Donna Nelson for letting us use her house in the upcoming month. I am just excited to let my kids go to a park or do something OUTSIDE!!!!!! They are so sick of being inside.

7. I am obsessed with getting a suburban lately. OBSESSED! I just think of all I could do with the space, and then I just realize it is more to fill up with JUNK!

8. I kind of get a sick feeling in my stomach when I think about buzzing Jackson's hair, so I am sure it will NOT be happening.

9. Tyler has REALLY come out of her shell. People who knew her a year ago and now are AMAZED! I have to say that every single penny I paid for her to go to school this year was COMPLETELY worth it. I thought I believed in preschool before, I am an even bigger BELIEVER now! I never really saw that big of a difference with Jackson, but Tyler, WATCH OUT! BOSS LADY!

10. I want to take a nap, but I am sure with the two cups of coffee, McDonald's Diet Coke, and 3 glasses of iced tea at lunch, there is no way my little peepers are going to close. Isn't going to stop me from trying, but DANG, I need to cut out some caffeine. I was all about it, and then I read in Self magazine about all the benefits of coffee, so now I don't know what to do!

I am considering. . .

buzzing Jackson's hair. I mean he is young, it will grow back. I don't want to, but I want to hear what you all have to say. Vote in the poll on the side!

I will get myself some Papa John's pizza this weekend try it again, maybe I am missing something, or maybe my palette is too sophisticated for that CRAP! HA!

Swim Lessons

Do not even laugh that I "do" Tyler's hair for swim lessons. She does better if it is out of her face. Here is the best way I have found to get the most hair back as humanly possible. . .



Why is it sooooooooooo hard to get a picture of the two of them together?????? Here are some out takes of today's photo shoot before swim lessons, I kid you not, the only way I can get them to do a real smile is to have the make their "grumpy face", and then yell smile really fast, so they are doing their grumpy face in a few of the pictures!







We are off now, just wanted to share before I got home and was too hot to function for the rest of the day! How about their kind of matching swim suits, if you know me, you know I like the "matchy matchy"! I won't ever share a picture, but I have a swimsuit that is the same green too, Pat is the oddball, no lime green for him!

Have a great weekend all! We have big plans to clean our cars out, which apparently is code for something because when I told my mom that, she thought I was lying to her and really had something AWESOME planned and didn't want to tell her!

MOST AMAZING BURGER EVER!!!

Combine shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon and mayo(use as glue to hold cheese and bacon together. Stuffed it in between two thin hamburger patties (I used 75/25 ground beef), seal the edges. Grill on low until cooked through! It is TOO DIE FOR! I got the recipe from new favorite site, Eat Drink Blog, you can link to it over there ---------->

Just search beef dishes, it was soooooooooooooo good!!!

Also, make sure you vote in my Papa John's poll, although it lets you vote multiple times, so I am not sure I am buying the results. Brad is probably being "sneaky" and voting again and again. Even though nothing is on the line, I think it is all in good FUN!! Might have to do one of these polls every week, we will see how this one goes!

Ten on Tuesday-Product Reviews

1. Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets-AMAZING, easy to store, smells yummy, detergent, softener and anti-static all in one!



2. EA Active for the Wii! Holy crap Batman, it is a workout, SERIOUSLY! I never thought I would be desperate for the running part of the workout because I want to stop lunging and squatting!



3. Fresh and Easy Caesar Salad-while I do not like their bakery products, this Caesar salad FAR surpasses the bagged Caesar salad you get in other grocery stores. The Parmesan cheese is shredded, not grated, and the dressing is delightful!



4. Coppertone Kids Continuous Spray SPF 70+. . .the product itself is kind of wet, and it is difficult to get the kids to stand still long enough for it to dry, but the application is soooooooooo stinking easy, it is ALMOST worth it!



5. I was thinking about how much I love my tomato slicer today, and how I wish it were just a little sharper when SLICE, my finger begins to gush blood. Doesn't mean I love it any less because it gives me PERFECTLY even slices, but DANG, I wish sliced fingers weren't so PAINFUL!



6. Patricia Wexler M.D. face products at Bath and Body Works. I tried to buy a less expensive face wash at Target, BLAH! As soon as my schedule allows I will be high tailing it to the store to get some of my favorite face wash. I also have the eye cream and concealer, and just as soon as my budget allows, I think I am going to purchase the entire line. It is truly magic in a bottle.



7. Soft Scrub is an amazing product WHEN COMBINED with 409. I put some soft scrub on my kitchen table, spray some 409 over it, let it sit for awhile, and I kid you not, it take off 99.9% of things I need taken off. My table is about 9 years old, I have two kids, it removes marker, sticky dried up fruit snacks, yogurt, etc. I love it. Pat and I were just talking the other day about how OLD everything is that we own. We are totally stuck in one of those ruts, you have it, so you don't buy a new one because you have one that "works", but I just don't like a lot of it right now!



8. Puff Pastry-I puffy heart puff pastry, not even kidding! I told Pat last night that I could eat POOP on puff pastry and still love it. It is just so fluffy and light! It is my absolute FAVORITE food right now!



9. PSP-can be dropped by a two year old and still survive the crash, I TOTALLY appreciate that! I thought FOR SURE when Tyler dropped the PSP on our tile floor it was DEAD, but nope, TOTALLY still works!



10. Rye bread from Karsh's Bakery is AMAZING! I haven't had it in awhile, but I had some this weekend, there is nothing like it. It is located at 7th St and Missouri! YUM!



How about now if EVERYONE who reads this leaves what their current FAVORITE product is!??? That's right you stalkers, the ones who read and don't leave comments, the ones who read the blog and talk about it with friends, the ones who just can't get enough. If you like it, I am sure I will love it. I need some fun ideas for the summer! I want to know what you cannot live without!

Family

Nothing is more important, except maybe that when I look at this picture I am almost as tan as David (my mom's brother) which is damn near impossible to achieve in real life, so I AM THRILLED! Jackson looks as white as Tyler which is hysterical because he beats me in tan coloring-it is all about the lighting, but I am fine with it, HA!



I love the people in this picture so dang much, do you think that's why it is so easy to get so freaking mad at them??????????? No one frustrates me as much as these people, but I think it's only because I know if I let out my anger and frustration on them, they will still love me in the morning!

LOVE YOU GUYS!

Money "Tree"

What started out as a money "tree" for my grandpa's 80th birthday, quickly changed to a money wreath as I browsed the aisles of Michael's yesterday!! 80 $1 bills later, and I think we have a pretty sweet looking gift!!!! This is from my mom, sister and I, but I think I deserve a little something, something for all my hard work. My mom offered me a bottle of wine-just be sure it has a FUN label!!!

Last night we had a party for my uncle's birthday-LOTS OF PARTIES! Someone brought this fun bottle of wine! How much do I love the label? SO FUN!




I plan on adding it to my dining room table centerpiece later today! I just stick a candle in it, and ABRA-CA-DABRA, a beautiful centerpiece! Stole the idea from a friend, still love it even though it wasn't my own!

10 Years and 2 Kids Ago!

You will have to bear with me because the picture I have is NOT the best of quality because I don't have a printer, scanner or fax machine, LOL!! So, I just took a picture of the picture, but I think it will demonstrate what I am talking about. Lori Nelson came over the other night, and I have this picture in my kitchen (sentimental reasons), but she stops, picks it up and says, "Damn Colleen, did you have a boob job in this picture?" No Lori, that was just 10 years and 2 kids ago, they were so nice and PERKY! I think they also look larger because of my tiny waste! My how the times have changed! It gave us all a really good laugh!

Religion Minor

I was a religion minor in college, that means, I know a little about a LOT of religions. Tell me this, at what point do you STOP hoping for a miracle, do you pray until the last minute, or is there a point at which you accept it as God's will and let it be done!??? At this moment in my life, I am so confused!!!!! What does "terminal" mean? Is it an excuse to get the insurance companies to stop paying? OR are you REALLY supposed to just give up!??? AND, what does a "terminal" patient want!??? I need answers, and I don't know where to get them!

Ten on Tuesday-Ocean Club

On Friday night we went to the Ocean Club at Kierland with Pat's mom, dad, brother and SIL. It was a great time, and this Tuesday, I am listing my ten FAVORITE things about the place!

1. Lemon Drop Martinis-they have dry ice in the bottom so not only does the martini look cool, but they stay really super cold the entire time, AND it comes with a sugar rim!

2. Pretzel Bread, just like a salted soft pretzel, served with butter, YUM!

3. Shrimp off the Seafood Tower-served with mustard and cocktail sauce, DELICIOUS!

4. Warm towels before the entree, I always love that!

5. Chilean Sea Bass (prepared Oreganata, lightly dusted with bread crumbs), never had it, never really heard of it, IT WAS AMAZING. Served with three sauces, one being tartar sauce, and I love tartar sauce, but I always feel like I am not supposed to ask for it because it is an insult to the chef, but they give it to you, and you don't even have to ask for it. The sea bass was seriously a foot long and 2 inches thick, you could DEFINITELY share one!

6. Lobster Mashed Potatoes, really good mashed potatoes topped with a lobster butter sauce, NEED I SAY MORE!???

7. Creamed Corn-almost as good as Rudy's in San Antonio, but not quite, but DAMN GOOD!

8. Creme Brulee-WONDERFUL

9. Warm Butter Cake-SUPERB

10. People watching, you should have seen these OLD, DISGUSTING, GROSSLY RICH MEN picking up these equally disgusting tramp-ish women that should not have been wearing what they were wearing. That place has great live entertainment, but who needs that when you can just watch the Scottsdale SLUTS trying to find their retirement!

IT WAS A GREAT EVENING! Only thing that could have made it better, being able to sit next to Pat so that we could have people watched together! NEXT TIME FOR SURE!

Commitment

For those of you who follow my twitter on the right side of my blog, you may have noticed that I "jumping off" on Thursday afternoon. I figured it wasn't fair to leave my loyal and dedicated readers hanging. So, what is the "anymore" I was referring to when I said, "I just can't take anymore"!??? That would be schooling.

Pat has decided that it would be great for business if he got his real estate license. I have no doubt that it WOULD BE, I don't disagree with that, but I cannot commit to (A) pouring more money into Pat's brain (B) watching the kids while Pat attends the classes: evenings, weekends, etc AND (C) spending even more time with the kids while it is 110 degrees outside!

I told him we could revisit the idea in October, but this mom has done her fair share. I thought law school was bad, so I don't look back on it with fond memories, I realize now that it wasn't law school, but mainly the prep course for the LSAT(test you must take to get into law school) AND the bar exam (test taken after law school). The three years of school itself brought me a few lonely evenings, but his hours were flexible enough that he was usually around when I needed him. THEN, he took the job in Cottonwood, I don't look back positively on anything that happened during that time. He worked six and a half days a week, I had a 21 month old and a newborn all by myself. He left at 4 in the morning, got home at 9, and that is enough to make any person go crazy. It went on WAY TOO LONG! Now, he works close to home, works A LOT, but will usually get to see the kids before they go to bed, and I just don't think I am willing to go back. I just cannot commit!

Summer Fun

With the temperatures scorching and every day looking like a thunderstorm (ALTHOUGH IT NEVER RAINS, seriously!), this momma is searching high and low for things to do! So, while the kids slept on Friday, I turned our dining room table into a fort. They brought their pillows in, buddies, books and toys. I think they had a great time!!





We had a SUPER time on the 4th of July. However, would you believe I didn't take one picture, and DANG my kids looked cute yesterday. Oh well, taking the picture probably would have led to some sort of anxiety attack because they weren't looking the right direction. In the morning, we had a BBQ at my mom's house, we had Italian sausage that Pat boiled in beer before grilling, YUM! Tyler stayed with my mom last night, but Pat, Jackson and I didn't stop partying. We headed over to hang out with Jaclyn and Claire's family. There was TONS of good food, lots of swimming and laughter galore! When we left there, we were able to catch a SPECTACULAR fireworks show at the Moon Valley Country Club. We took a blanket over to the golf course, there were maybe 20 other families there, IT WAS INCREDIBLE! Jackson loved it, exclaiming that each and every one was his very favorite. Needless to say he is a little cranky today because I think 9:45 is the LATEST my child has ever been awake, but we are just lying low and getting ready for all of our parties this week!

P.S. We found my OLD SCHOOL Gameboy during the move, and Jackson is SET on beating Mario this weekend. He is a little ANNOYED that when you shut it off it doesn't save your progress, and I find it HYSTERICAL! I am sure moms of the 80's and 90's would have given ANYTHING for a memory card! As annoying as video games may be to some people, at least you know making your child shut it off isn't deleting all of their progress!