PROUD MOMMY!

Michael hates to be put on the spot. He is extremely shy (until he gets to know you), and really doesn't like grand lunches at school. He gets so anxious, misbehaves at school and home prior to the show, and cries about having to go on stage. It is something he needs to get over and outgrow, however, he is NO different than his mommy! Unfortunately I gave him this LOVELY quality!

Last week Ms. Sally, Michael's teacher, approached me about the grand lunch and NOT having Michael actually up on stage but being involved in the performance "backstage". I was a little upset after having this discussion with Ms. Sally because I felt that it is something he needs to learn how to do and that as a parent and teacher we had to encourage him to participate. I didn't want him to think that if he didn't want to do something, he could misbehave and not have to do it. For days and days, I thought about my conversation with his teacher. We went through this with the first grand lunch, and Mike spoke with Ms. Sally, telling her that he expected Michael to be on the stage and would discuss his behavior with him. Low and behold, he was on the stage, and the STAR of the show...a little angel. This time, I thought I would give Ms. Sally the benefit of the doubt, respect her decision, and let Michael sit back and do all the props and the program for the show. I felt okay about my decision.

On the day of the show, Michael was determined not to be involved, for the first half of the show he sat on my lab and watched...but....during the last performance, Michael got up and walked up onto the stage and joined his friends, all by himself! I was so proud of him! My brave little man...I know he is going to come out of his shell! He is going to have to if he wants to be a doctor like he says he wants to!

Dress Up!

Day 1 of vacation starts with stripping beds and cleaning comforters, pillow pets, and doggies after 48 hours of sickness. In the process of doing that in walks Mary-Ann dressed like mommy!

T-24hrs = VACATION!!!

This has been my life for the past week. Finals are upon me and I have NO desire and NO motivation to study my endless stack of notecards, my pages and pages of special tests for all the joints and muscles in the body knowing, my little man, is sick with a cough, fever, headache, and sore throat, laying on the couch with his doggy watching television, playing leapster, and reading books. I just want to be with him and make him better!

Surprises...

There is nothing like going to bed after a long stressful day and finding my bed made and this note next to it from the most amazing little boy, my son, Michael!

Tubing Fun!

Winter is such a tough time of year to keep the kids entertained and active! This past weekend was a quiet one for me as far as studying and upcoming exams, so we decided to venture off to King Pine and hit the slopes for some sledding! It was so much fun! Michael and Mary-Ann loved it, especially when they spun us prior to going down the hill. After each run, they both would scream "Again, Again!" Both kids lasted about an hour and a half..which for Mary-Ann is a long time considering her Raynauds disease! Our next adventure will be to the mountain for their "knee high program!" Both Kids have been skiing is 18 months, however, only a hand full of times and neither one of them have had lessons. Let the winter fun and activities begin!

Renegade Playground Challenge Here I come!

It is official, I have signed up for my first ever 5k! I will be participating in the Renegade Playground Challenge at New Hampshire Speedway on June 4! I am so super excited, hopefully my knee will handle this fun adventure. It is a kick off to my dieting and good health! Training has begun...good eating has begun...I refuse to make a fool out of myself!
www.renegadeplayground.com

Nine Lives!

Cats are known to have 9 lives, but I strongly believe that Suzi, has part cat in her and is slowly exhausting all of her nine lives. She has 2 remaining, and is becoming a multi-thousand dollar dog with each live she exhausts.

My dad went in for a THR, and I was left caring for their two dogs as well as mine. 4 springer spaniels, 2 kids, and Mike and I in a small house isn't an easy task. I left for school first thing in the morning took my exam, ran to the hospital to check on things, came back to Moultonboro to let ALL the dogs out, and then went to get my munchkins from the babysitters, all to go back to Concord to see Ahpe!

Upon arriving home, we were NOT greeted by Suzi, a huge concern to me. I searched the house and thought, "my gosh, I left Suzi outside accidentally". When I went back up stairs to search, I heard a scratch at our unfinished master bathroom door. I opened it up and out ran Suzi, crazy as ever. I began our nightly routine, after all it was 7:30. Feed the dogs, got kids dressed and ready for bed, sat down to relax for a few (after all I was up at 4:25 to study), only to hear the kids scream, "yuck, one of the dogs threw up." Not thinking anything at all I picked it up and sat down again, only to have to get up again b/c the dogs wanted to go outside. Walking into the kitchen was a large pile of throw up with candy wrappers of all kinds in it. Instantly everything clicked. Suzi had eaten the Easter baskets filled with candy from last year that I hid on the kids and clearly forgot about! I ran upstairs and sure enough that is what happened. Of course, Mike wasn't home and had ski team, so I texted him letting him know we may have a problem. He encouraged me that she would be fine until he got home and then we would make a decision about taking her to get seen.

At 9:00 I was getting ready to finally put the kids down (later than usual) when I noticed Suzi's hind legs tremoring! It was so scary. I didn't know what to do so I just sat and acted like things were fine. Suzi would jump up and down of the couch, until finally she vomited ALL over the floor, again chocolate covered with TONS and TONS of candy wrappers. There was so much vomit I had no clue how to clean it up! Figuring it out, I called my parents and they told me I had to call the hospital immediately as chocolate was TOXIC to dogs.

At 9:15, my lovely neighbor Pat came to sit with the kids, while I ran Suzi to the Vet Hospital in Meredith. Four hundred dollars later, Suzi was forced to vomit, had IV injections, Charcoal, x-rays, and a VERY strict diet of 2 tablespoons of rice, and lean hamburger 6 times a day for 24-36 hours with close monitoring for toxicity. Signs including, hyperactivity, anxiousness, vomiting, diaherra, and tremors! She has since survived the 24 hour watch! I'm telling you this dog has nine lives.

Suzi's Nine lives:
.1. Eating my pantyhose (during my banking career. HA HA HA).
.2. Eating 9 whole tooth picks that were in Filet Mignon and passing all 9 of them.
.3. A porcupine fight (of course she lost)
.4. getting shot by our neighbor
.5. eating beer grinds from Mikes home brewing.
.6. eating well beyond 16 oz. of chocolate
.7. eating di-con!

May she keep staying strong, but seriously ease up on making our finances suffer! God love this dog!!!