I am still thankful today, like I try to be on every day including Thanksgiving, and even though it is late I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Here are my random jumbled thoughts...
- I am so glad all my sisters could make it into town for the holiday weekend. Bryan and I have had much fun hanging out with them, their husbands, my parents, and all 5 kids. All of them are so cute...ahhhh....sigh. And I am thankful that for the past week I have had real homecooked meals...and a great Turkey dinner!
-I am thankful for the distraction of Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. It keeps my mind off other pressures. Last night Bryan and I went out to dinner, just the two of us, and "real life" began to sink back in. A week later, the magnitude of the situation I am in with my heart is really starting to hit me. I have no clue how I will face Monday...
-That said, I am thankful for just one more day in our four day weekend, and three more weeks until Bryan and I get two weeks paid vacation!!! I am thankful for how we will hopefully be spending it: packing up our apartment and moving into a new house (!!!) and playing in the snow in Idaho.
-I am thankful that Bryan and I are both almost over our colds, we got some great deals yesterday shopping (nothing too extensive, as most of my shopping is already done...another thing to be thankful for!!)and we have had lots of fun recently playing games and football, decorating for the holidays, wrapping gifts, making gingerbread houses, watching movies, playing with/babysitting kids, getting holiday coffee at Starbucks (decaf for me from now on...and no chocolate/alcohol/soda...Ive officially kicked the habit) and taking lots of pictures.
It still feels like we have a long ways to go with getting stuff done before the holidays, and it will be another busy month with moving, going on a trip and having a potential surgery.
Oh, and because we have re-focused our priorities, we have mutually decided not to go on a cruise next June/July. Anyone know of any othergood cheap vacation destinations?
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
A Good Day and a Day in Hell...
So today was a good day. I was not beseiged by as many questions as I thought, and I have my mother to thank for that as she most likely answered them all last week in my absence. So today we just picked up business as usual after a few welcome back hugs from the kids. It was also nice because I did not have as much work left waiting for me as I thought and I needed zero time for prep this morning, and then I left by 5:15, which for me is good! I got to go visit with family that is beginning to trickle in town for Thanksgiving and eat a good dinner!
Speaking of food, today in Bible we were talking about something totally unrelated to hell, and it always makes me nervous when this topic comes up because all parents address hell on different levels. However, one girl's analysis was quite charming so I thought I would mention it here...and I quote (I wrote it down a second later): "Hell is a place where you don't get to eat. Well, you do get to eat but it is all yucky food to eat for supper. And you get pain all over you and you can't see." Hmmmm, well considering how much food and me get along, I think hell is a place I will try to stay away from...
Speaking of food, today in Bible we were talking about something totally unrelated to hell, and it always makes me nervous when this topic comes up because all parents address hell on different levels. However, one girl's analysis was quite charming so I thought I would mention it here...and I quote (I wrote it down a second later): "Hell is a place where you don't get to eat. Well, you do get to eat but it is all yucky food to eat for supper. And you get pain all over you and you can't see." Hmmmm, well considering how much food and me get along, I think hell is a place I will try to stay away from...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Fear
I think more than my appointment with the cardiologist next week I am scared to go back to school. Like when an old familiar smell like a bag of corn nuts brings a sense of nausea to my stomach, I am afraid I will make myself sick being there. At the very least I will leave with a headache after all the catchup work I need to do and from answering 5 billion questions. The questions and the look of pity from co-workers and parents are what I think I dread the most....the kids wont be so bad though. Once they realize I am okay, I am sure we will quickly move on with our day.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Is Life Fair? Not always- Just watch Mrs. H, for example...
Yesterday morning my kids had a rehearsal for the upcoming musical, which is nice for me because I get an extra 40 minutes off for prep time. When I picked them up, one boy very quickly and pointedly asked me "Mrs. H., is life fair?" It took me a minute to understand what he meant, since I had been out of the room and out of context. So I answered, "Well, no...not always." And the little boy turned around to another boy and said "See- I told you so!" Im guessing it was a dispute over who got a lollipop for good behavior from the music teacher but I never got a chance to ask...
After lunch while I was reading to my first graders I started to get hot, sweaty and my chest started tightening up. It went down to my arms and my fingertips got tingly. I barely had breath to continue reading. After sending them back to their seats to color in their journals, I walked out of the classroom and went to vomit in the bathroom. On the way back I started to pass out and thank God made it back to my phone to call for help down at the office. (My kids were great during all this by the way!)I was so confused and terrified- I really thought I was having a heart attack and was dying. The secretaries in the office were great and helped me out to the hall and one went to the office to call 911 (given my cardiac history). The principal came down to keep the kids in my room while the medics worked on me out in the hall. I am so thankful I work in a Christian school because the whole time teachers were coming out in the hall to pray over me. I would have definately freaked out more, and I was already having a hard time breathing! (I didn't officially start crying until I heard Bryan's voice at the hospital) So after a very fast ride in the ambulance to the ER, and calls were made to my poor husband and parents, and my excellent cardiologist (since I am a "rare" case most of the nurses and doctors had no idea what to do), the decision was made to stop my heart (my rate was up in the 160s and 170s...my upper chamber was working overtime and my lower chamber couldnt keep up) after putting me to sleep and then re-starting it with the paddles. The last thing I remember is my parents and Bryan leaving (they didnt need to watch) and a room full of doctors, nurses and interns and a volunteer boy who was probably no more than 18 who got a very clear shot of my naked chest, and I remember thinking the scene was like a mix of ER and Scrubs (I lost two shirts to a pair of scissors in this whole debacle as well). I woke up 10 minutes later and felt fabulous...as if nothing in the world had happened. After I proved to everyone that I could walk (I had to pass the volunteer boy several times in the hall)and my heart could beat normally, I was released. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was still in shock- everything still felt so surreal and I could not get over how quickly it all happened, or that it happened at all since I thought I was "in the clear" for right now. Most of all I regretted the impact it had on my husband, my parents, my co-workers and my first graders.
Today I have felt nauseated from the drugs and my chest cavity and back feel as though I have been beat up from where they shocked me. I was in the clear to return to work, but both the school and Bryan's boss told us to take the day off and rest at home (we took care of one errand we needed to do and we went to lunch at Red Robin but other than that we stayed on the couch). The next step is an appt a week from Monday and I would really appreciate prayers on that because both my options are bleak. One is medication for the rest of my life with side effects, and the other is a high risk surgery that could lead to a pacemaker. We kindof have to make a decision fast, as I have reached my maximum out of pocket expenses for the year because of my prior surgery, and do not really want any more medical bills piling up (I told Bryan that next time, I think it would be cheaper and classier to get a ride to the hospital in a limo). I am also not really looking forward to going back to work simply for the battery of questions I am sure to recieve for the next three months...anytime that I don't look happy, or look tired, or have a cold, people will wonder if it is because of my heart. And I don't like being doted on. But I do appreciate your prayers and the phone calls! I will as usual keep an update on the little situation as it unfolds...
After lunch while I was reading to my first graders I started to get hot, sweaty and my chest started tightening up. It went down to my arms and my fingertips got tingly. I barely had breath to continue reading. After sending them back to their seats to color in their journals, I walked out of the classroom and went to vomit in the bathroom. On the way back I started to pass out and thank God made it back to my phone to call for help down at the office. (My kids were great during all this by the way!)I was so confused and terrified- I really thought I was having a heart attack and was dying. The secretaries in the office were great and helped me out to the hall and one went to the office to call 911 (given my cardiac history). The principal came down to keep the kids in my room while the medics worked on me out in the hall. I am so thankful I work in a Christian school because the whole time teachers were coming out in the hall to pray over me. I would have definately freaked out more, and I was already having a hard time breathing! (I didn't officially start crying until I heard Bryan's voice at the hospital) So after a very fast ride in the ambulance to the ER, and calls were made to my poor husband and parents, and my excellent cardiologist (since I am a "rare" case most of the nurses and doctors had no idea what to do), the decision was made to stop my heart (my rate was up in the 160s and 170s...my upper chamber was working overtime and my lower chamber couldnt keep up) after putting me to sleep and then re-starting it with the paddles. The last thing I remember is my parents and Bryan leaving (they didnt need to watch) and a room full of doctors, nurses and interns and a volunteer boy who was probably no more than 18 who got a very clear shot of my naked chest, and I remember thinking the scene was like a mix of ER and Scrubs (I lost two shirts to a pair of scissors in this whole debacle as well). I woke up 10 minutes later and felt fabulous...as if nothing in the world had happened. After I proved to everyone that I could walk (I had to pass the volunteer boy several times in the hall)and my heart could beat normally, I was released. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I was still in shock- everything still felt so surreal and I could not get over how quickly it all happened, or that it happened at all since I thought I was "in the clear" for right now. Most of all I regretted the impact it had on my husband, my parents, my co-workers and my first graders.
Today I have felt nauseated from the drugs and my chest cavity and back feel as though I have been beat up from where they shocked me. I was in the clear to return to work, but both the school and Bryan's boss told us to take the day off and rest at home (we took care of one errand we needed to do and we went to lunch at Red Robin but other than that we stayed on the couch). The next step is an appt a week from Monday and I would really appreciate prayers on that because both my options are bleak. One is medication for the rest of my life with side effects, and the other is a high risk surgery that could lead to a pacemaker. We kindof have to make a decision fast, as I have reached my maximum out of pocket expenses for the year because of my prior surgery, and do not really want any more medical bills piling up (I told Bryan that next time, I think it would be cheaper and classier to get a ride to the hospital in a limo). I am also not really looking forward to going back to work simply for the battery of questions I am sure to recieve for the next three months...anytime that I don't look happy, or look tired, or have a cold, people will wonder if it is because of my heart. And I don't like being doted on. But I do appreciate your prayers and the phone calls! I will as usual keep an update on the little situation as it unfolds...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Turns out they ARE cute....
When my sister was visiting a few weeks ago, she asked me "So, what did your kids do today that was cute?". "Nothing...they weren't 'cute' today" I muttered, thinking back to another crazy day likened to that of a day spent at the zoo...meaning chaos. Last night I was talking to another parent from last year, and I finally realized that yes, they are cute. They are no longer active little bodies who I had to constantly get after to settle down in those first weeks of school. While this is a drawback to feeling more comfortable in their classroom, the kids are also starting to expose their own little individual personalities which can be hilarious. Not to say that the year so far has not been filled with funny and equally enjoyable moments...it has turned out to be another great year so far. So here are some gems I have gleaned from interactios with them recently:
As I stepped up to the line at the end of recess with my whistle in my mouth, they started scurrying around in circles, warning each other at the top of their lungs "WATCH OUT- SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!"
Later that day at lunch, my designated table washer was finishing up his lunch and wiping down tables. He said to me "Mrs. H., do you know I work better when I drink?" (Meaning juice, but it still struck me as funny.)
And today we were talking about the 7th commandment in Bible: You shall not committ adultery. Which can be a whole 'nother subject for a blog as I had to carefully skirt around some obvious issues with teaching this to first graders. As a craft, we ended up making rings out of aluminum foil and discussing what wedding rings symbolize. One of the brighter students noticed I have a real ring on to which all their eyes got bigger. "Are you MARRIED?" another girl who reminds me of Ramona Quimby asked. "Yes," I replied, thinking, where have you been? "Well, where IS he?" (asking as if I have been hiding him all this time). "He is at work." "Oh. Well, where are your kids?" "We don't have any." (With a look of puzzlement and concern:) "Oh.Huh."
As I stepped up to the line at the end of recess with my whistle in my mouth, they started scurrying around in circles, warning each other at the top of their lungs "WATCH OUT- SHE'S GONNA BLOW!!!"
Later that day at lunch, my designated table washer was finishing up his lunch and wiping down tables. He said to me "Mrs. H., do you know I work better when I drink?" (Meaning juice, but it still struck me as funny.)
And today we were talking about the 7th commandment in Bible: You shall not committ adultery. Which can be a whole 'nother subject for a blog as I had to carefully skirt around some obvious issues with teaching this to first graders. As a craft, we ended up making rings out of aluminum foil and discussing what wedding rings symbolize. One of the brighter students noticed I have a real ring on to which all their eyes got bigger. "Are you MARRIED?" another girl who reminds me of Ramona Quimby asked. "Yes," I replied, thinking, where have you been? "Well, where IS he?" (asking as if I have been hiding him all this time). "He is at work." "Oh. Well, where are your kids?" "We don't have any." (With a look of puzzlement and concern:) "Oh.Huh."
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
A Heroine of My Own Adventures
I have officially hit a writer's block. Life is status quo to date...we are currently keeping busy on weekends with various family members in town and then crashing after work during the week. However, last night a topic came to me in a sleepy daze, after somewhat awakening to my alarm clock that begins going off an hour before I am to get up. I have been having vivid dreams lately, and the first two were a mix of funny and upsetting, but last night was the icing on the cake, prompting my sub-conscious to encourage my conscious to blog about it.
The first dream was Friday night. After watching Doctor 90210 I had a dream in which my own husband became transgendered. I will spare ya'll the details...
The second dream happened Saturday night in which I flooded the apartment (or wherever we were living...we had a basement) twice while doing laundry and nobody would help me, forcing the laundry to just sit in a pool of dirty water along with all our other belongings. This almost killed me more than my transgendered husband.
Last night I was saving a friend from a psycho killer boyfriend. We started in a college town and I came up with all these crazy and brilliant ways for her to finally escape him. I finally had a chance to use my stalking skills in reverse and outsmart our stalker! Example: There was only one way out of town (the bus) and I knew he would know to check the depot so we were running down streets and borrowing various cars, changing our appearances and our identities along the way. Somewhere along the line there was a shift, and the person being chased became me and it was my psycho boyfriend who followed me into the neighborhood I grew up in. We ended up at a childhood friend's house, whose name and the details of the inner house I did not remember up until last night, though it was my parents who were living there. I ended up driving my car into the neighbor's garage across the street, kicking the neighbor out and holing up in the house while watching him search for me on foot. While this blog does no justice, this was a very intense dream and I woke up with a racing heart. Better than any scary movie I have seen in awhile...
And while all these dreams were so real and disturbing (translation?) the best part was waking up and realizing that they were all just that: a dream. I had to smile with relief and laugh a little bit at Bryan when he woke me up on Saturday morning to say goodbye before heading to work...the dream was too gross to describe!
P.S. I think the last dream maybe followed after watching one of my favorite movies of all time "Kindergarten Cop" and dealing with a similar (though much smaller) scenario like this at school this week.
The first dream was Friday night. After watching Doctor 90210 I had a dream in which my own husband became transgendered. I will spare ya'll the details...
The second dream happened Saturday night in which I flooded the apartment (or wherever we were living...we had a basement) twice while doing laundry and nobody would help me, forcing the laundry to just sit in a pool of dirty water along with all our other belongings. This almost killed me more than my transgendered husband.
Last night I was saving a friend from a psycho killer boyfriend. We started in a college town and I came up with all these crazy and brilliant ways for her to finally escape him. I finally had a chance to use my stalking skills in reverse and outsmart our stalker! Example: There was only one way out of town (the bus) and I knew he would know to check the depot so we were running down streets and borrowing various cars, changing our appearances and our identities along the way. Somewhere along the line there was a shift, and the person being chased became me and it was my psycho boyfriend who followed me into the neighborhood I grew up in. We ended up at a childhood friend's house, whose name and the details of the inner house I did not remember up until last night, though it was my parents who were living there. I ended up driving my car into the neighbor's garage across the street, kicking the neighbor out and holing up in the house while watching him search for me on foot. While this blog does no justice, this was a very intense dream and I woke up with a racing heart. Better than any scary movie I have seen in awhile...
And while all these dreams were so real and disturbing (translation?) the best part was waking up and realizing that they were all just that: a dream. I had to smile with relief and laugh a little bit at Bryan when he woke me up on Saturday morning to say goodbye before heading to work...the dream was too gross to describe!
P.S. I think the last dream maybe followed after watching one of my favorite movies of all time "Kindergarten Cop" and dealing with a similar (though much smaller) scenario like this at school this week.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Yay Gas!
I get a lot of things from my Dad, or have learned a lot of things from my Dad, such as how to be analytical, thoughtful, deliberate, and slow to get to the dinner table (or anywhere...just in general slow moving). Thats enough dogging on Dad, though:-)
I did pick up a trait from him that while useful to me, raises the eyebrows of others (including fellow siblings). Dad always, always records how much he spends on gas,on what day, how much gas is put in, and what the MPG was since the last fill-up. And they are always fill-ups...he never only puts a certain amount of money into it and the tank "gets low" once it is past half. He keeps all this information, plus whatever else maintenance was done on the car, logged in a little book in the drivers side door. He has done this since I can remember...before gas prices were an issue. Apparently it is an old person thing to do because I was told this by my 13 year old charge who I nannied over the summer, whose grandparents do the same thing.
Tonight I brought the book that I myself now keep in my own car to browse through it and see how much gas prices have improved. I found that exactly four months ago to the day, I put in exactly the same amount of gas and spent exactly half tonight as I did on July 11, which was $62...my all time high. It feels so nice to fill up now for only $31. And it feels good to keep that evidence in my driver side door as a reminder next summer when gas prices soar again! Thanks, Dad!
Yay for gas!
I did pick up a trait from him that while useful to me, raises the eyebrows of others (including fellow siblings). Dad always, always records how much he spends on gas,on what day, how much gas is put in, and what the MPG was since the last fill-up. And they are always fill-ups...he never only puts a certain amount of money into it and the tank "gets low" once it is past half. He keeps all this information, plus whatever else maintenance was done on the car, logged in a little book in the drivers side door. He has done this since I can remember...before gas prices were an issue. Apparently it is an old person thing to do because I was told this by my 13 year old charge who I nannied over the summer, whose grandparents do the same thing.
Tonight I brought the book that I myself now keep in my own car to browse through it and see how much gas prices have improved. I found that exactly four months ago to the day, I put in exactly the same amount of gas and spent exactly half tonight as I did on July 11, which was $62...my all time high. It feels so nice to fill up now for only $31. And it feels good to keep that evidence in my driver side door as a reminder next summer when gas prices soar again! Thanks, Dad!
Yay for gas!
Catch it again...
I had to delete the post about Fuzzy in his halloween costume because it was messing with my template. If you want to watch the video again, you can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWLiRgnQ1E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWLiRgnQ1E
Monday, November 10, 2008
Thankful
Not because this is the month of Thanksgiving. It is my New Years 08 resolution to always be thankful no matter what, whenever. My heart is full of things to be thankful for and I consciously try to thank God for all of these things whenever I open my planner and see "Be Thankful" written across the top week after week. (And I open my planner a thousand times a day...)
Something that weighed on me in our first year of marriage was Bryan's health. I wanted him to start taking care of himself better- more specifically, his teeth. Well last week he finally finished all his treatments after much initial battle with him (to which he eventually succumbed via happy pills) and with the insurance company and the provider they gave us. After transferring dentists, we found a couple he really likes and now he only needs to go for cleanings! Also, last week he finally got a new pair of eyeglasses from a guy who used to work at the shop, and who made him a pair for $10 using Bryan's prescription and some free (and sturdy yet flexible)frames he kept from a vendor sample box. Now Bryan doesn't have to see past his scratched lenses and he has a brighter smile (and we did it on the relatively cheap)!
I am also thankful that Bryan recently looked around and found some houses for rent that go for the same price nearly that we pay for our apartment and our garage. And I am thankful that parent teacher conferences are over and they went well. And I am thankful for a day off tomorrow. And I am of course still thankful for the Wii...
But I must be careful. Sometimes when I get too thankful and things are going too well, my green eyed monster of greed comes out and I want more, more, more. When this happens I re-evaluate my job (which I love, though at times I admit I lose patience and another dark side comes out...) and try to figure out if I should find another job that will pay better. Usually these thoughts lurk around me after having conversations with acquaintances (not necessarily friends) who deem it necessary to point out that they get paid well at whatever jobs they have (I think there is a fine line you should walk when deciding with whom to share that information...).
So while I am thankful, I must pray that I use these blessings not to my own advantage, but to share it with others. And I must pray that God continues to lead me down the road he knows is best for my career, our home and our earthly possessions. And I need to learn to stop wanting so much!
Something that weighed on me in our first year of marriage was Bryan's health. I wanted him to start taking care of himself better- more specifically, his teeth. Well last week he finally finished all his treatments after much initial battle with him (to which he eventually succumbed via happy pills) and with the insurance company and the provider they gave us. After transferring dentists, we found a couple he really likes and now he only needs to go for cleanings! Also, last week he finally got a new pair of eyeglasses from a guy who used to work at the shop, and who made him a pair for $10 using Bryan's prescription and some free (and sturdy yet flexible)frames he kept from a vendor sample box. Now Bryan doesn't have to see past his scratched lenses and he has a brighter smile (and we did it on the relatively cheap)!
I am also thankful that Bryan recently looked around and found some houses for rent that go for the same price nearly that we pay for our apartment and our garage. And I am thankful that parent teacher conferences are over and they went well. And I am thankful for a day off tomorrow. And I am of course still thankful for the Wii...
But I must be careful. Sometimes when I get too thankful and things are going too well, my green eyed monster of greed comes out and I want more, more, more. When this happens I re-evaluate my job (which I love, though at times I admit I lose patience and another dark side comes out...) and try to figure out if I should find another job that will pay better. Usually these thoughts lurk around me after having conversations with acquaintances (not necessarily friends) who deem it necessary to point out that they get paid well at whatever jobs they have (I think there is a fine line you should walk when deciding with whom to share that information...).
So while I am thankful, I must pray that I use these blessings not to my own advantage, but to share it with others. And I must pray that God continues to lead me down the road he knows is best for my career, our home and our earthly possessions. And I need to learn to stop wanting so much!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Quest for the Wii Fit
This weekend was not all that eventful, though in some ways it was. Friday night we did see a movie which was pretty funny called Role Models. The rest of the weekend is wrapped up in the following scenarios and dialogue:
[Background]
Two weeks ago I posted about how Bryan and I bought electric toothbrushes that had been on our list to buy for a long time, but their spendy price tag (as compared to .99 cent disposable ones) kept holding us back. Big whoop when we finally got them, right? Well, at the tippy top of our wish list for about a year has been the Wii (for you, mom and dad, this is the newest gaming console in the land of video game systems where everything is wireless and interactive- we can even actively pretend we are bowling...I knew that would get your goose!) So this is how a conversation went last night, while making dinner relatively early (5:30) after a day spent visiting with family at the hospital and doing grocery shopping, which needed to be done since last weekend but we both were sick.
[Mood: Bored and restless]
Michelle: "What else do you want to do tonight?" (keep in mind, it is a Saturday night and we try to pride ourselves on being young and spontaneous- while we still can)
Bryan: "I don't know- what do you want to do?"
(fast forward through this bit)
Bryan: "Lets go to Wunderland." (the Nickel arcade)
Michelle: "We could. Or we could just buy the Wii like we always talk about doing but never do."
Bryan: "Lets do it!"
Michelle: "But who do you think will have one?"
Bryan: "We could make some calls."
Michelle: "No- that will take the fun out of shopping. Lets just go"
(we eat dinner- it is 8:00 by the time we get ready to leave).
We decided on Toys R Us- they had a coupon in the paper where we could get a $10 off gift card with a big purchase (think: Christmas). However, since they are a toy store, we fretted they might close earlier than most lest we miss out on our once in a lifetime impulse buying trip. So we scooted on over there is a somewhat fast fashion only to find that they had a few Wiis in stock and they were open til 10.
[Leaving the store 15 minutes later, purchase in hand:]
Michelle: That was too easy.
Bryan: Yeah, I was looking more for a challenge.
Michelle: We could try now to find the Wii fit!?
Bryan: (Pausing) Are you feeling alright?
Michelle: Yeah, why?
Bryan: This is not usually like you. You freak out when I spend $30 on something for my car!
And so began our quest for the Wii fit, which fascinating enough, is (was) a tough commodity to come by. We stopped at all the usual suspects (Best Buy, Circuit City, Target) before closing time and made friends with a lot of their media specialists and security guards with our all important question: Do YOU have the Wii fit? It became like a scavenger hunt and we feigned desperation though it was really just boredom. In a final act of desperation (read: boredom) we even stopped at KMart (K-ame apart) and my old Blockbuster store. In our search, we learned that Target was the last to have them on November 2nd, though they only lasted on the shelves a day. We also learned some alleged Wii event is happening the end of the month, and this is why shipments to all stores have ceased. We tossed up the possibility of going to Game Crazy at Hollywood Video, but decided that is the first place all the Gamers (nerds) would go to buy it. So we came home with a Wii but no Wii fit despite trying to no avail.
Fast forward through a lazy Sunday spent gaming with our neighbor and later little brother and his buddy and Bryan hears that a Mario Kart rally is going on over the web. We had just got our Wi-Fi internet hooked up, and Bryan just needed to go buy Mario Kart (we had borrowed it from our neighbor earlier today). So since Game Crazy is the closest store, as Bryan heads out the door I say with a smirk on my face:
"Hey- ask them if they have the Wii fit"
ha ha ha ha.
Bryan calls 5 minutes later:
"They have, like, 12 of the Wii fits."
" Are you [crapping] me?"
"No- do you want one?"
"Uh- yeah."
"Okay- see you in a little bit."
And so ends our story of our quest for the Wii fit- the sole purpose (of mine) for getting the Wii. My ticket to a more slender form and a step further away from public speculation and humiliation that is the gym. Of course, Bryan is now playing Mario Kart so I am left to chronicle the event and wait until it is my turn. I have Tuesday off so one of my Bff's is already lined up to come over and do it with me as we pay homage to our Veterans.
Oh, so if you want a Wii fit, you do not need to go online. Just go to Game Crazy, where apparently they have never heard of a such "Wii Fit shortage" and all the nerdy gamers who do go there have no interest in such an apparatus.
[Background]
Two weeks ago I posted about how Bryan and I bought electric toothbrushes that had been on our list to buy for a long time, but their spendy price tag (as compared to .99 cent disposable ones) kept holding us back. Big whoop when we finally got them, right? Well, at the tippy top of our wish list for about a year has been the Wii (for you, mom and dad, this is the newest gaming console in the land of video game systems where everything is wireless and interactive- we can even actively pretend we are bowling...I knew that would get your goose!) So this is how a conversation went last night, while making dinner relatively early (5:30) after a day spent visiting with family at the hospital and doing grocery shopping, which needed to be done since last weekend but we both were sick.
[Mood: Bored and restless]
Michelle: "What else do you want to do tonight?" (keep in mind, it is a Saturday night and we try to pride ourselves on being young and spontaneous- while we still can)
Bryan: "I don't know- what do you want to do?"
(fast forward through this bit)
Bryan: "Lets go to Wunderland." (the Nickel arcade)
Michelle: "We could. Or we could just buy the Wii like we always talk about doing but never do."
Bryan: "Lets do it!"
Michelle: "But who do you think will have one?"
Bryan: "We could make some calls."
Michelle: "No- that will take the fun out of shopping. Lets just go"
(we eat dinner- it is 8:00 by the time we get ready to leave).
We decided on Toys R Us- they had a coupon in the paper where we could get a $10 off gift card with a big purchase (think: Christmas). However, since they are a toy store, we fretted they might close earlier than most lest we miss out on our once in a lifetime impulse buying trip. So we scooted on over there is a somewhat fast fashion only to find that they had a few Wiis in stock and they were open til 10.
[Leaving the store 15 minutes later, purchase in hand:]
Michelle: That was too easy.
Bryan: Yeah, I was looking more for a challenge.
Michelle: We could try now to find the Wii fit!?
Bryan: (Pausing) Are you feeling alright?
Michelle: Yeah, why?
Bryan: This is not usually like you. You freak out when I spend $30 on something for my car!
And so began our quest for the Wii fit, which fascinating enough, is (was) a tough commodity to come by. We stopped at all the usual suspects (Best Buy, Circuit City, Target) before closing time and made friends with a lot of their media specialists and security guards with our all important question: Do YOU have the Wii fit? It became like a scavenger hunt and we feigned desperation though it was really just boredom. In a final act of desperation (read: boredom) we even stopped at KMart (K-ame apart) and my old Blockbuster store. In our search, we learned that Target was the last to have them on November 2nd, though they only lasted on the shelves a day. We also learned some alleged Wii event is happening the end of the month, and this is why shipments to all stores have ceased. We tossed up the possibility of going to Game Crazy at Hollywood Video, but decided that is the first place all the Gamers (nerds) would go to buy it. So we came home with a Wii but no Wii fit despite trying to no avail.
Fast forward through a lazy Sunday spent gaming with our neighbor and later little brother and his buddy and Bryan hears that a Mario Kart rally is going on over the web. We had just got our Wi-Fi internet hooked up, and Bryan just needed to go buy Mario Kart (we had borrowed it from our neighbor earlier today). So since Game Crazy is the closest store, as Bryan heads out the door I say with a smirk on my face:
"Hey- ask them if they have the Wii fit"
ha ha ha ha.
Bryan calls 5 minutes later:
"They have, like, 12 of the Wii fits."
" Are you [crapping] me?"
"No- do you want one?"
"Uh- yeah."
"Okay- see you in a little bit."
And so ends our story of our quest for the Wii fit- the sole purpose (of mine) for getting the Wii. My ticket to a more slender form and a step further away from public speculation and humiliation that is the gym. Of course, Bryan is now playing Mario Kart so I am left to chronicle the event and wait until it is my turn. I have Tuesday off so one of my Bff's is already lined up to come over and do it with me as we pay homage to our Veterans.
Oh, so if you want a Wii fit, you do not need to go online. Just go to Game Crazy, where apparently they have never heard of a such "Wii Fit shortage" and all the nerdy gamers who do go there have no interest in such an apparatus.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Out of Commission...
On Monday night I felt it coming on. But since Bryan had a dental extraction on Monday and was feeling nauseous from the drugs, I thought it was sympathy pain in my own stomach. I also failed to realize that kids were dropping off left and right at school with the flu. When it took me a half hour to force down breakfast on Tuesday morning, I knew it was the flu. So I did what I prided myself on not doing so far as a teacher: I requested a sub and left school exactly one hour after I had arrived. Then last night, I emailed sub plans again for today. It has been nice in a way: I finally had a chance to watch a movie and read a book I had rented two weeks ago from the library. But at the same time, it is hard to imagine ever feeling "normal" again. I cannot stay home again tomorrow, as my sick days are limited. However, I still feel achy and tired, but I imagine the only way to get rid of this is to move around more.
Fuz has been an excellent moral supporter. He has even abandoned his food dish to follow my every move and slept by my side consistently the last two days. He even tried to jump on my lap while I was puking and made loud whining cries as his tail got all big and bushy, like it does when he senses danger. Bryan got me popsicles and soup and soda last night, but tonight when he came home I can tell he is ready for me to be better too. I can understand: nobody likes a sickie. SO I cleaned up, took a shower and now I am exhausted again. But I had to check my email (so much to respond to) and I was glad to find that I have been greatly missed at school, as my work inbox from school was flooded with emails from parents past and present, and cute little anecdotes from kids wishing me to get better. So I have high hopes that tomorrow they will all be happy to see me again, and my little hooligans will behave better than they have been lately...ha ha. Wishful thinking.
As for the flu, as they all seem to go with me, I should be good now for another 2 years...again, wishful thinking...
Fuz has been an excellent moral supporter. He has even abandoned his food dish to follow my every move and slept by my side consistently the last two days. He even tried to jump on my lap while I was puking and made loud whining cries as his tail got all big and bushy, like it does when he senses danger. Bryan got me popsicles and soup and soda last night, but tonight when he came home I can tell he is ready for me to be better too. I can understand: nobody likes a sickie. SO I cleaned up, took a shower and now I am exhausted again. But I had to check my email (so much to respond to) and I was glad to find that I have been greatly missed at school, as my work inbox from school was flooded with emails from parents past and present, and cute little anecdotes from kids wishing me to get better. So I have high hopes that tomorrow they will all be happy to see me again, and my little hooligans will behave better than they have been lately...ha ha. Wishful thinking.
As for the flu, as they all seem to go with me, I should be good now for another 2 years...again, wishful thinking...
Sunday, November 2, 2008
I Love, I Don't Love
A lot has been going on lately...October was by far a very very busy month and November is looking to be that way too. Lots of family on both sides coming in and out of town for various functions, with holidays around the corner, a wedding and a surgery. Somehow in the midst of it, I acquired a reaction to what the doctor calls allergies but I think it is just a really bad cough with flu-like symptoms. And I got first quarter grades done also. I cannot believe first quarter is over already and it is November! So here is an abbreviated version of what has popped into my mind lately in a format that can go together in the interest of time (I need to take a shower and get this achy body to bed).
Last Saturday my friend Melissa got pneumonia and we acquired three kids for an afternoon, which was fun but sad for Melissa. Bryan's first car with a backseat came in handy for the first time! He picked them up and played with them while I finished shopping, then we had dinner, went to the park and I dropped them off in the evening at their Grandma's. Somewhere in the middle of that, Melissa's 5 year old daughter wrote in chalk outside our apt "I love Brin (Bryan) and Mom" Which was cute, though she seemed to forget about me in the mix:-(. I hope she doesn't think Bryan will be joining their family anytime soon...but all three of the kids really do adore Bryan. :-)
And yesterday (Saturday) one of my bff's Gillian got married and it really was a perfect day. I felt fortunate to spend her last moments of "singledom" with her, when we left the rehearsal dinner to get coffee and a movie and I spent the night with her at her apt Friday night. The whole day yesterday, from hair and makeup in the morning to saying goodbye in the evening, made me feel like I just relived our whole wedding day, and I am so happy that it went so well for her and that she is so happy now too! It was so great to revisit past happy memories of Bryan and my wedding day and to experience Gillian's happy memories with her!
So in the spirit of love all around, this is list of
What I love:
1.) Weekends. No tying shoes other than my own, people refer to me as Michelle and not Mrs. H., my time is not dictated by a schedule or lesson plans, and I get to sleep in.
2.) Our new toothbrushes. Silly, I know. But these new electric, dentist quality toothbrushes have been sitting on the shelf at Costco and on my list of things I want to eventually buy for over a year. I feel so fortunate that even though my list seems like it is always expanding, every now and then we can cross things off that we wanted and were able to buy.
3.)An unused drinking glass that sits in our cupboard. We know it is unused because it still has the glass manufacturer's sticker on it. Neither Bryan or I touch that glass because it serves as a symbol of the "newness" of our marriage, as it was a wedding gift to us, everytime we get close to running out of glasses to drink with and spot it waiting at the back of our cupboard. Again, silly, I know. :-)
4.) Gas prices. I do not fill up too often, but the other day I paid $1 less and got two more gallons than I had three weeks prior. That felt great! I can now fill up for under $40. Woo hoo!
5.) Spending time with family.
I do not love:
1.) People who sneak in beside you when you are trying to make a left turn onto a two lane road. They think that they can make a right turn while you are waiting for the oncoming traffic in the far lane to pass by. However, what they fail to understand is you cannot actually see the other oncoming traffic because their stupid car is blocking your line of vision. So now I have learned to hug the corner on the right side even if I am making a left turn... I used to be considerate to others, but consideration should go both ways!
2.) Kids who block the street. When did parents start telling kids not to be afraid of big, heavy cars? I was driving along a busy street (not in a neighborhood) when I was infuriated that I had to slow down for some teenage boys on bikes half their size peddling aimlessly down the road in front of me. Then when you honk at them to let them know you are there, you get yelled at or the finger. This has happened more times than once. Kids think they own the roads before they can even drive...Grrrr...
3.) Doctors and nurses who have no bedside manner and act unprofessional and give you stupid, generic answers for all the concerns that you took time out of your day and paid good money to ask.
4.) Heart palpitations. How do I know which ones to worry about and which ones are normal?
5.) Wrinkles, sun spots and skin tags. Makes me feel like I really am getting older. And like I should really get over myself and start using sunscreen as much as I hate it. Oh well- at least I live in Oregon and for the next 8 months I do not have to worry about seeing the sun...
Well that is about all. For some reason, my blog is not appearing as it should and I am not sure why. If you want to see my blogroll, I found it at the bottom of my recent blog postings!
Have a great week!
Last Saturday my friend Melissa got pneumonia and we acquired three kids for an afternoon, which was fun but sad for Melissa. Bryan's first car with a backseat came in handy for the first time! He picked them up and played with them while I finished shopping, then we had dinner, went to the park and I dropped them off in the evening at their Grandma's. Somewhere in the middle of that, Melissa's 5 year old daughter wrote in chalk outside our apt "I love Brin (Bryan) and Mom" Which was cute, though she seemed to forget about me in the mix:-(. I hope she doesn't think Bryan will be joining their family anytime soon...but all three of the kids really do adore Bryan. :-)
And yesterday (Saturday) one of my bff's Gillian got married and it really was a perfect day. I felt fortunate to spend her last moments of "singledom" with her, when we left the rehearsal dinner to get coffee and a movie and I spent the night with her at her apt Friday night. The whole day yesterday, from hair and makeup in the morning to saying goodbye in the evening, made me feel like I just relived our whole wedding day, and I am so happy that it went so well for her and that she is so happy now too! It was so great to revisit past happy memories of Bryan and my wedding day and to experience Gillian's happy memories with her!
So in the spirit of love all around, this is list of
What I love:
1.) Weekends. No tying shoes other than my own, people refer to me as Michelle and not Mrs. H., my time is not dictated by a schedule or lesson plans, and I get to sleep in.
2.) Our new toothbrushes. Silly, I know. But these new electric, dentist quality toothbrushes have been sitting on the shelf at Costco and on my list of things I want to eventually buy for over a year. I feel so fortunate that even though my list seems like it is always expanding, every now and then we can cross things off that we wanted and were able to buy.
3.)An unused drinking glass that sits in our cupboard. We know it is unused because it still has the glass manufacturer's sticker on it. Neither Bryan or I touch that glass because it serves as a symbol of the "newness" of our marriage, as it was a wedding gift to us, everytime we get close to running out of glasses to drink with and spot it waiting at the back of our cupboard. Again, silly, I know. :-)
4.) Gas prices. I do not fill up too often, but the other day I paid $1 less and got two more gallons than I had three weeks prior. That felt great! I can now fill up for under $40. Woo hoo!
5.) Spending time with family.
I do not love:
1.) People who sneak in beside you when you are trying to make a left turn onto a two lane road. They think that they can make a right turn while you are waiting for the oncoming traffic in the far lane to pass by. However, what they fail to understand is you cannot actually see the other oncoming traffic because their stupid car is blocking your line of vision. So now I have learned to hug the corner on the right side even if I am making a left turn... I used to be considerate to others, but consideration should go both ways!
2.) Kids who block the street. When did parents start telling kids not to be afraid of big, heavy cars? I was driving along a busy street (not in a neighborhood) when I was infuriated that I had to slow down for some teenage boys on bikes half their size peddling aimlessly down the road in front of me. Then when you honk at them to let them know you are there, you get yelled at or the finger. This has happened more times than once. Kids think they own the roads before they can even drive...Grrrr...
3.) Doctors and nurses who have no bedside manner and act unprofessional and give you stupid, generic answers for all the concerns that you took time out of your day and paid good money to ask.
4.) Heart palpitations. How do I know which ones to worry about and which ones are normal?
5.) Wrinkles, sun spots and skin tags. Makes me feel like I really am getting older. And like I should really get over myself and start using sunscreen as much as I hate it. Oh well- at least I live in Oregon and for the next 8 months I do not have to worry about seeing the sun...
Well that is about all. For some reason, my blog is not appearing as it should and I am not sure why. If you want to see my blogroll, I found it at the bottom of my recent blog postings!
Have a great week!
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