Thirty Day Song Challenge: Day 3

Today I get to choose a song that makes me happy. Finally, an easy one! And I think this one might surprise you a little bit, too. See, I as a little, let's say, musically sheltered as a kid. I grew up listening to whatever my parents liked and not much else until high school. But even then I still liked some of her favorites and supplemented it with the radio. And let's face it. The radio hasn't introduced us all to a whole hell of a lot of great music. There is a lot of crap being played on a ridiculously short loop, my friends!

Anyhoo, excuse the tangent. Today I have chosen ZZ Top's "Legs". Yeah, that's right. I've got legs and I know how to use them! This is a song that brings me back... 1990's, Saturday mornings, running around the house in PJ's and rockin' out with a hairbrush or a broom (Saturday mornings = time to clean the house). Mom used to turn the music up loud and we'd run around the house dancing and cleaning and generally having a good time considering we were doing chores. We usually listened to one the following three bands: ZZ Top, Stevie Ray Vaughn or Huey Lewis and the News. Maybe even a little Bob Seger if my sister was lucky. I always got a kick out of "Legs" though. I would always run over to the couch for the chorus so I could throw my leg up there for a little leggy demonstration... I might have been a little dorky back in the day.

Also, look at these guys?! How can you not get a big ol' grin on your face just looking at their ridiculous outfits/beards!?

The Fat Lady Has Sung

Well, folks... just put a fork in me, cause I am done. It’s over. Project 365 is a major FAIL. I just can’t keep up and it is honestly stressing me out. I’m pretty sure that it is really supposed to be fun, no? But considering I spend 9 hours of my day at work and then another hour between work, daycare, and home, I don’t have a whole lot of picture taking’ opportunities. And being that I already have enough stress in my life, I’ve just decided to throw in the towel.

I’ll still be taking and sharing a ridiculous amount of pictures though, so don’t getcha panties all up in a wad or anything.

Thirty Day Song Challenge: Day 2

So, what’s harder than choosing your favorite song? Oh, right. Choosing your least favorite song! In this case, I decided least favorite just wasn’t a strong enough word choice. It’s much easier if we change it to this: A Song That Makes You Want to Rip Off Your Own Ears! Now, that? That I can do!

I had to go with the remake of “The Time of My Life” by the Black Eyed Peas. I think they decided to call their version “The Time (Dirty Bit)”, but either way it is just. plain. awful. I’ve never been a big fan of the Peas or anything, but I can stomach a few of their songs. They’re just fine for things like exercising or cleaning the house, but this … crap (I can’t even call it a song)… I don’t even know how this one was even allowed to be recorded. I know you agree, right?!

On a side note: Fergie looks like a drag queen and can someone please tell me what the other two members of the band actually do?! Apparently their names are Taboo and Apl-de-ap. I usually just refer to them as the Asian guy and the other black guy!?
 

Thirty Day Song Challenge

I hate to say it, you guys, but I’m kind of a pushover. Actually, I prefer the term “people pleaser”, but either way you choose to put it, I am often easily talked into doing things I don’t really want to do. Like, for instance, this “Thirty Day Song Challenge” my old (seriously, she’s like over the age of 30) friend Crittle asked me to take part in. Actually, she didn’t really ask me. She tagged me and linked to this here blog, probably because she knew I’d feel obligated to participate. That sneaky little wench.

Day One: Your Favorite Song

Oh, God. Shouldn’t they have saved this one for the end, or something? Crittle, they better not all be this hard! You could probably ask me this same question several times through the course of a month and I might give you a different answer. I thought long (overnight) and hard (still have a headache) about this and decided that I should go with “Got You Where I Want You” by The Flys. Wikipedia tells me the song came out in 1998. I remember Katie Holmes being in the music video and I think at some point they were singing on top of the roof of a building. I used to listen to this song on repeat and have even had it as my ringtone in the past, but the funny thing is that I have never heard ANY of their other music.



Hmmm. Looks like they only had two albums and although they announced a comeback (on Myspace no less) in 2008, they haven’t really done much of anything. They may just be a “one-hit wonder”, but I can’t fault them because I just love.this.song.

Countdown

And the countdown has officially begun. Haeden will be a (terrible) 2 year-old in 20 days. My mind has been blown. What can I say about the insanely fast passage of time that I haven't already said before? I'm pretty sure I've already covered that subject more than a few times, so we'll just move on to the fun part... what's new with H:

- His vocabulary has exploded. Finally. He is repeating all sorts of things (re: Mama better watch her mouth from now on!)
- Says Mommy and Daddy now rather than Mama and Dada (I melt)
- Puts his hand up in protest when I try to take his picture. And follows it up with either "TOP it!" or "Uhh UHH!"
- I might have mentioned this before because he's been doing it for a while, but when you make him mad (i.e. tell him no) he cries and then says, "Bad, Mama. Bad!!" I don't even know where he got it from because we don't say bad  the daycare swears they don't either!
- Patrick = Gaga, Daniel = Dana
- Favorite phrases: Oh Man!, What happened?!, Where Mommy/Daddy/Nana/etc. go?!, Run!
- Put his shoes on all by himself the other day. I was impressed!
- LOVES bikes, cars, trucks (cucks), planes (I don't even know how to spell out the way he pronounces this one!), motorcycles (ikickles), jumping and climbing on everyting in sight.

Honestly, we're at the point where he is saying/doing something new every day. When he isn't whining and/or kicking us in the shins, we often find ourselves gushing over how much fun he is at this age. Want proof?!

Holy crap, I love this kid. 

Awk2theWard Wednesday - March 23rd

I’ve been trying to cough up a lung since Saturday, so you would think that the awkward would have been kept to a minimum. Yeah, not so much:

- We’re waiting in line at the post office when this woman comes in and approaches Haeden. He grabs onto my leg for dear life and she continues to try and talk to him. He is having none of it and hides his face from her. Then she turns to me and says, “You better take care of him. He’s my social security!” Umm… ok? What do you even say to that?!

- Nothing gets past an almost 2 year-old. Someone (I’m not naming names) tooted yesterday and Haeden immediately giggles and repeats the sound. I will say, however, that his version was much louder!

- Went to the doctor on Monday. The usual (older) guy was unavailable, so I had to see someone else. Of course he was young and good looking. I thought that since it was either a head cold or strep throat there would be no reason to shave the little forest growing on my legs. I thought wrong.

- This is kind of related. I haven’t said anything to anyone because I’m trying to AVOID the awkward, but I have been in my office for 9 months and people are still calling me Heather and/or Hester. And you know what’s worse? I wear a friggin’ name badge.

- I mentioned above that I've been sick since Saturday. I missed work on Monday and had to leave early yesterday. I'm trying to be a trooper today. Foaming my hands every 10 minutes and keeping my distance from everyone. I still have to answer the phone though. I can't decide if I sound more like a 14 year-old boy going through puberty or Miley Cyrus. hehe

Project 365: Weeks 10 & 11

Late again. You'd think I'd get better at this as time goes on, but it actually seems to be harder. I'm trying to stick with it though!

Sunday, March 6th

I can't even remember what he was eating? Hmmm. A chocolate chip muffin?!

 Monday, March 7th

Tuesday, March 8th

Backyard birdbath. Looks like it needs a little spring cleaning.

Wednesday, March 9th

Overturned outhouse near a local walking trail/fishing park. Classy, right?

 Thursday, March March 10th

Picking up the new paint for his room. Only got one shot before the camera died.

 Friday, March 11th

Couldn't be happier with the paint! This isn't a good shot of it's true color, just the mess we had with all the furniture in the middle of the room.

 Saturday, March 12th

Nap time!

 Week 11
Sunday, March 13th

Haeden's early birthday gift. Sooo cute! And he LOVES it!

 Monday, March 14th

Love that face.

 Tuesday, March 15th

For Lana.

 Wednesday, March 16th

Haeden put the train back together all by himself. It's too cute, no?!

Thursday, March 17th

Celebrating Papa John's 40th with some cake and ice cream!

 Friday, March 18th

The azaleas are officially in bloom.

Saturday, March 19th

H and me after his first "driving lesson"!

She Believed She Could... So She Did

Hi, people! I recently created a little something for a new friend of mine who is undergoing chemo and radiation therapy. I knew that I wanted to make her an inspiring print that she could hang on her wall or prop up on a table somewhere in her home. I'm not a big quote person though, only because I tend to forget them like ten minutes after I've exclaimed how much I love them! Still using the ol' mommy brain excuse for that one. It's a medical phenomena, no?

Anyways, this is what I came up with after spending a few minutes with my friend, Google:



And here's a shot of it framed in my home. Please excuse the quality. Hubby is the photographer in the family, not me. Also, I live in a dungeon. It's dark in here.


And because I think all of us sometimes need this reminder, I want to share the 8x10 print with you, too! Enjoy!
http://www.box.net/shared/b72ocmeuqc

Linked to:

Awk2theWard Wednesday - March 16th

It’s Wednesday again. I’m a little behind on posting at the moment, things have been busier than usual both around the house and at work. However, for some reason this seems to be an easy one for me, so here I am linking up again at http://www.buggieandjellybean.com/!

1. We got new phones over the weekend. I have joined the wonderful world of smart phones! I have taken to calling mine “my precious,” and you know I’m using that creepy Lord of the Rings voice too, and in public no less. I’m excited and I have no shame!

2. Speaking of “my precious,” I keep her out on my desk at work just in case there is some sort of daycare emergency. Well, that’s why I used to keep it out. Now it’s only part of the reason. Have you guys played Words With Friends? I’m addicted. Think there is a support group for this?! Anyway, my administrator totally walked up to me yesterday when I was laying the proverbial smack down on my friend and uh, how do you explain that one to the boss?!

3. One of the reasons I haven’t gotten around to posting is the fact that we repainted H’s room over the weekend and I am still putting some final touches on the little man’s room transformation. I bought some cheap valances from Target the other day and when I got them home I noticed one of them had green marks in several noticeable places. Before taking it back I tried to wash it to see if it would come out. It didn’t, obviously. That would have been too easy. So, I took it back to the store the next morning before work started and had to explain to the woman why it was a little, um, damp. Instructions said not to put it in the dryer!

4. Tennis shoes with my work clothes. Lunch hour = walking time these days. Gotta do it now before it gets too hot outside. 

I used to scoff at the women who did this. Never say never, ladies. However, you should know that when my attempt is a little bit better than that poor woman. Just sayin'! Look at her face! She knows that isn't cute!

Everybody, Jump! Jump!

Dance-jumping. All the cool toddlers are doing it...

Awk2theWard Wednesday

My life is full of the awkward. And since I like to overshare, today I'm linking up with Amy at buggieandjellybean!

1. Exercising the other night to try and lose the dreaded winter weight, I decided to try to jump rope. I heard that burns mad calories. Well, maybe so, but it also caused me to pee my pants a little. Guess my abs aren’t the only thing that needs some “toning”. Ooooch.

2. Dropping my lean cuisine lasagna on the floor at work yesterday. Upside down, too. It was still in the tray and I was trying to remove the plastic cover when I flipped it right off the counter. I used the plate in the picture to scoop it back up. I started to clean it and then decided I should take a picture. My co-workers wonder about me.

3. Saw a woman walk by my desk today with a grey-brown smudge on her forehead and wondered how she got the bruise. This afternoon I took a break and decided to get a little exercise and walk the clinic campus when I saw an older volunteer with a big blackish mark on his forehead. I thought maybe he was a Derm patient and had some stitches or something like that. Two seconds later I saw another person sporting the same look and FINALLY realized that it’s Ash Wednesday!!! Duh! And then, of course, I had the giggles. So, every time I saw another person like that I got the biggest grin on my face and had to stifle my laughter. Real respectful, Hesper!

4. Even more awkward… I just shared that story with my mom and she actually told someone they had something on their forehead! Ha!

Project 365: Week 9

Sunday, February 27th

Entertaining himself on the way back from Ikea.

 Monday, February 28th

Spaghetti O's for dinner!

Tuesday, March 1st

He begged for a bike ride all day long, so out we went in our pajamas!

Wednesday, March 2nd

He lives for the bike rides these days.

Thursday, March 3rd

Keeping him busy while we wait for the doctor. I took one shot and the camera died. More breathing treatments prescribed. Hooray.

 Friday, March 4th

Bought myself flowers at the supermarket. I love to have them in the house and I can't help but smile when I see them. I have learned, however, that unless it is Vday, I'm probably going to have to "surprise" myself with them. ha!

 Saturday, March 5th

Beautiful day at the zoo. It was ridiculously busy though. And the Hubs and I ended up with awful sinus headaches thanks to all the pollen in the air. Still, I'll take it over the cold at this point.

See you next week! 

Fingers Crossed

osseI was diagnosed with migraines at the age of fourteen after experiencing an intense headache immediately following a dizzy spell. Even before that I remember suffering from headaches throughout my childhood. In fact, my family still calls them “headygaches” because I couldn’t even pronounce the word when I first started to complain about them.

By the time I was in my early twenties I was having at least one migraine per week and daily headaches to boot. I have seen so many doctors and been prescribed so many different types of medications that I can’t even remember the names of them all. It’s just kind of a blur at this point. I have even tried vitamin B supplements, biofeedback therapy, acupuncture (short-lived due to pregnancy) and manual adjustments from a chiropractor (ouch! that one landed me in the ER with one of the worst migraines to date).

To sum it all up, I’ve pretty much tried it all. It makes me a little sick to think about all of the money I’ve spent trying to live a life free of headaches. Or, at least, mostly free. Unfortunately, relief never came. The medications may have masked my pain for a few hours, but they certainly did not prevent it from returning. And further, how much internal damage was I doing popping all those pills?!

I can’t tell you how much work/school/life in general that I have missed out on because of the headaches. What makes it worse is the lack of sympathy migraneurs (fancy, right?) often receive from those around them. Luckily, my family and friends have always been incredibly supportive. But I know that they probably get sick of hearing me complain because I get sick of myself! And as far as work goes, I can’t even begin to explain the stress I have gone through with that. Let’s just say that people in the past have not always been very understanding. And I may or may not have had to take a leave of absence during my pregnancy (when the migraines worsened) to protect my job.

Well, all of that just to tell you that I think I may have found my answer. A co-worker suggested insisted that I go to her chiropractor because he “saved” her life. She, too, suffered from migraines for years without any medical relief. Thinking back on my previous experience with the chiropractor that landed me in the ER, I initially resisted. Later she explained that her guy didn’t do manual adjustments for migraines. Instead, he uses the Atlas Orthogonal Technique. Please don’t ask me to explain it. All I know is that it’s a funny looking machine and after they take x-rays of your spine they determine exactly where your alignment is off and then correct it using the machine. It’s extremely quick and painless and you feel like a bobble head when it’s all over. Then they give you a gorgeous necklace to wear for the next two hours:


Yeah, I gave in and decided to give it a shot. I had my adjustment over a week ago and so far, so good. I’ve had a couple of minor headaches and only one that had me popping extra-strength Tylenol. Didn’t even warrant my good prescription-strength pills. I’m feeling pretty positive about this ends up being my cure.
Fingers crossed!

Croup Ba Doop

I don't know why, but whenever I hear the word "croup" I think of that Salt N Pepa song. Yeah, I always sing a little song in my head and it goes something like this: "croup, croup ba-doop, croup ba-doop ba-doop ba-doop!"  Does that make me weird? Wait, don't answer that...

Anyway, Haeden has croup. If you aren't familiar with it, it's this horrible disease where your skin turns green and you get red spots all over. Kinda like this:

Only kidding! It is really just a virus that kids tend to get. They develop inflammation of the upper respiratory system which can cause breathing difficulties and a "barking" cough. Haeden went to bed Monday night just as healthy as ever and then woke up two and a half hours later sounding just awful. He has a tendency to get congested overnight due to his allergies so we didn't worry too much at first even though it is unusual for it to actually effect his (re: our) sleep. However, by 5am the next morning he was a lot worse. After a breathing treatment he wasn't showing any signs of progress and we were getting increasingly worried.

I called a nurse at the hospital we work for and she instructed us to take him in immediately after hearing his wheezy breathing over the phone. I was fine up until she mentioned calling 911. Then my voice broke a little and I had to choke back the tears to share the advice with Hubby. We ended up taking him to the nearest ER because, honestly it would be faster than calling anyone to come out to the house. We were there within 10 minutes.

It must have been he fastest ER visit in history. There were probably about seven kids in the waiting room (there is a separate side for pediatrics), but they took us back within about five minutes of our arrival. The nurse told us it was croup pretty much immediately and after seeing the physician for confirmation they gave him a breathing treatment and an oral medication and sent us on our way. We were in and out within an hour. Oh, and we had the first parking space. Score!

By the time we had left his breathing was already back to normal and you'd never even know he was sick, other than the occasional hacking up of a lung cough. I had to stay home from work, but he went on with his day like normal and proceeded to drive me up the wall before and after nap time. Ahhh, nap time. My preeeecious.

Monkey Boy!

I think my child is part monkey. No, he’s not hairy and he doesn’t throw poop at people when they come to visit (though he does tell it bye-bye when we change his diaper). He just likes to climb a lot. Specifically, furniture.

Yeah, needless to say he is not allowed in this room by himself. Also, are you crushing on the ultra-modern, sleek and sexy wood paneling in this room? Gotta love living in a house built in the 60's!