6th Grade

One of my classmates just posted our 6th grade photo on Facebook.  I look so happy!  It must have been a Friday...pizza for lunch, followed by the square blob of peanut butter with chocolate on top.  What the heck were those things called?  Pizza and a blob of peanut butter and chocolate still make me happy, but not quite THAT happy.

 

Exhausted Cow

I have never in my life seen a cow laying like this.  I guess I've never seen a cow that's all tired out from trashing a house.  FYI...Apparently, damage done by cows in your house is not covered by your homeowners' policy, so keep your barbed wire in good shape.

Here's the article, from the Dallas Morning News:

Cows make lousy house guests, Arkansas woman learns
02:45 PM CST on Friday, February 26, 2010
By ABIGAIL THATCHER ALLEN / The Dallas Morning News

Four days after cows broke into her home, a woman in Murfreesboro Ark., says she's still in shock.

Latisha Francis came home Monday afternoon to find three cows in her farmhouse.

Needless to say, the homebound bovines cause "total chaos," upending furniture, scattering belongings, and generally making a mess of things.

"It's not something that people would see everyday," Francis said. "At least I hope I never see it again."

The largest of the animals weighed 1,600 pounds.

Pike County sheriff's deputies, assisted by two high school teachers from nearby, helped remove the cows.

"It was a little different," Sheriff Preston Glenn said.

"Life's never dull in our line of work, but that was kind of different."

Francis speculates that her dogs may have spooked the cows into the house.

As she drove up, she said, one of the cows was looking out the front door. That one walked out on its own.

The other two took a bit of coaxing. And her laminate wood floors made it hard for them to walk, Francis said.

One of the animals was resting on a bedroom rug.

A group of men pushed and pulled the cow, and, thanks to the rug, "she just glided right through there," Francis said.

She called her husband at work. She told him not to worry, no one was hurt, "but I've got cows in my house." Her husband came home to assist in the cow removal.

She said she also called the local 4-H coordinator. She wasn't sure why, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Her insurance adjuster told her that the mayhem caused by the cows wouldn't be covered. Seems her homeowner's policy doesn't account for intruding cows.

Meanwhile, she said, the cows are staying where they belong.

Outside.

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News Flash

Adlani fell asleep on the couch tonight, so I woke him up enough to stagger upstairs.  By the time we got up there he seemed to be awake(ish), so I sent him into the bathroom.  Aliya was brushing her teeth and I heard her scream, "Adlani's peeing on the seat!"

So what else is new?  Adlani's aim still needs a lot of work, and then there was the time that he peed in his own face (this post is a classic).  I couldn't imagine why Aliya would be screaming.

Until I entered the bathroom and realized that he never opened the lid at all.  He just stood there and peed right on top of the closed lid.  And the wall, the floor, and his pants.  In his defense, he was asleep at the bowl.  But still.  Seriously, that's gross.   

It's a good thing there's plenty of leftover sangria.
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Partylite

I had a great night with the ladies last night, while we all shopped for candles and enjoyed the sangria and the company.  The Partylite lady (Kathy) didn't finish taking orders until 10:30!  If you missed the party and would like to place an order, here's a link to Kathy's website.  If you're just wishing for some sangria, here's the recipe:

1 bottle of red wine

3 cups orange juice

1/3 cup Triple Sec

1/3 cup Peach Brandy

1/3 cup sugar

fruit

Mix & Drink!

I'll be hosting another Partylite show on November 4th so we can shop for the holidays from the new winter catalog.  Save the date!

Wake Up Call

About a month ago, Ben's dentist told him that he was concerned about some bone loss in his jaw which required 3 teeth to be pulled.  He recommended that Ben visit his doctor to look into the possibility that he has diabetes.  He wasn't exhibiting any other signs but his mom has diabetes, so he made an appointment with the doctor and borrowed a blood sugar monitor from his mom.  We were shocked to find that his blood sugar was all over the place - one time as high as 599 (that's bad).  The doctor confirmed that he does have it, and prescribed medication.  He said Ben was a heart attack waiting to happen.  Yikes!

So we're suddenly feeling our mortality...it had to happen eventually.  But Ben's dedication to managing his blood sugar has been admirable.  He's been doing a lot of reading, has completely changed his diet, and is walking daily.  He monitors his blood sugar and keeps track of it on a spreadsheet.  The good news is that the doctor ran all kinds of tests and it looks like he has normal function in all of his organs that could have been damaged by long-term uncontrolled diabetes.  

The other good news is that Ben's new healthy habits will have an effect on the whole family and could change the way the kids eat and exercise.  And Annie may finally learn to walk on a leash.
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I Need a Vacation from Vacation

I know...I was on vacation last week.  But this week is school vacation and I think the euphoria I felt last week has made this week seem even more, well, UNBEARABLE!!!

Actually, having Grandma Ginny here to entertain the kids has been a HUGE help because I'm supposed to be getting some work done this week.  The kids have been sleeping late, watching too much TV, eating pizza daily, and the highlight of the week - going to swimming lessons every afternoon.

We've had a couple of play dates but that's about it.  Their friends are going to come back to school with stories about the Kids' Club at their resort, the trip to Disneyworld their parents surprised them with, or the fabulous Staycation organized by their creative (and obviously heavily medicated) Mom.  Oh well.

I think Norah was a little disappointed when she woke up Tuesday morning and excitedly asked, "Is today a school day?!"  I told her she wouldn't be going to school all week because of school vacation.  She jumped out of bed and yelled, "WE'RE GOING ON VACATION?!?!?!"  Um, no...but would you like to see the photos from MY vacation??
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Hysteria...The Key to My Sanity

Motherhood is an ongoing learning experience, and one thing I've learned in the last year or so is that the only way I can survive is to see the hilarity in the moments that would otherwise make me lose it.  That's why certain parenting tools are so successful for me, like the BMD (Behavior Modification Device, aka spray bottle), the Vodka Mist (aka Rescue Remedy), and the newest weapon in my arsenal...the fuzzy duster that I use to poke whichever bear is up on their bunk bed screeching and trying to stay out of my reach.  All of my favorite tools crack me up, and therefore, I don't kill anyone.

Bedtime was a little trying tonight.  Adlani was mad at Aliya for calling him a crybaby, so he put her toothbrush in the drain hole of the sink.  If it was Helga's drain hole it would have been fine, but my drain hole has all kinds of black slimy stuff in it.  So I pretended to put Adlani's toothbrush in the drain hole and he freaked.  Then he kept insisting that he wanted to sleep with Ben (aka watch movies all night) since it's not a school night.  When I said "no," he started crying at top volume and wouldn't stop. 

Adlani: "I WANNNAAAA SLEEP WITH DAAAADDDDYYYYYY!!!!  WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" 
Me:  "Well, I wanna sleep with Taye Diggs, but that ain't happenin either.  So get into bed."

He just kept going on and on and everyone else was trying to get to sleep, so I got out the fuzzy duster and started poking him in all the ticklish spots.  He got pissed and started doing karate kicks, which cracked me up because of the sound effects (hi-YAH!).  So I kept giggling and poking, and he kept crying, kicking, and making Miss Piggy noises.  The more I giggled and poked, the madder he got.  Then he told me that he likes Daddy better, I'm not allowed in his room any more, he's not going to snuggle with me any more, etc., etc.  Then the big finish..."SO GET OUT OF HERE YOU HOPELESS FROOT LOOP!" 

I lost it.  I was laughing SO HARD I think I peed a little.  That made him even madder so he yelled, "BEAT IT, YOU HOPELESS FLY!!!!!"  That did it.  I COULD NOT stop laughing, and it was the laugh that you can barely hear due to lack of oxygen...kinda like that cartoon dog except on uppers.  I dissolved into completely hysteria, and we all lived to see another day. 
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Businessman

I've got lots of ideas.  I haven't found the one that's going to make me rich yet, but I think about it a lot.  I really admire people who turn a great idea into a business opportunity, and we met a young businessman in Costa Rica who definitely earned my admiration.

As we were driving from Arenal to Monteverde on the winding dirt roads, we drove through a little town and our attention was occupied by the people representing the country's 4 political parties outside of the polling location.  A nicely-dressed guy walked out into the road when he saw us approaching, and signalled that we were going the wrong way and told us to turn around.  We did, and as we got back to where he was standing in the road, he approached our window and handed Sherry a hand-drawn map photocopied onto an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet.

The map had landmarks like "green house" and "bus stop" on it, and the guy gave us directions in perfect English as he pointed to the map.  There were a lot of lefts and rights, all noted on the map but impossible to remember.  He then pointed out his name and phone number printed in the lower left corner of the map, in case anything happened while we were on the road. 

I knew where this was heading...nothing's free these days, right?  But I was so amazed by his ingenuity, that when he said that the map was for sale, showed us his business license, and said he was a college student, I would have paid him double.  I think we paid around $4 for the map but it was actually helpful because there are absolutely no road signs in Costa Rica and you can easily drive up a road that goes nowhere.

Now I just have to figure out how I'm going to make my first million.  I don't think selling photocopied maps in the 'Ham will get me there.
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Home Sweet Home?

We had to get up at 4:00 a.m. to catch our flight from San Jose to Atlanta, but we made it home by 5:50 p.m. with no weather problems or mechanical difficulties.  Ben and Norah picked us up at the airport, and Adlani and Aliya were anxiously waiting for us at home with Nikki.  Sherry decided to drive home to VT that night - she was still not feeling great so I'm sure she wanted to spend the night in her own bed.

I'm having a little trouble reacclimating.  I spent a whole week without yelling at anyone, repeating myself, or being late.  I never once told Sherry to brush her teeth, and now I'm saying it 60 times per day.  And it makes me even more furious than it did before I left.   

Work is overwhelming but I'm having a hard time getting worked up about it.  I have 148 emails that need to be handled, along with 57 items on my to-do-immediately list.  There are at least100 items on my other to-do list but that list has basically become a list of stuff I need to do before I die because I never get a chance to look at it with all of the stuff that needs to be done immediately.

I could have spent this weekend working through a few items on my list or at least washing the laundry from my trip, but I haven't even unpacked.  Yesterday I organized a bunch of my vacation photos into a book of colors for Norah's preschool class.  Today I set up my new website for fire door inspection, www.firedoorguide.com.  I also went to Zumba both days, so I guess that's something.

While I was away I got an email from work with the URGENT symbol and lots of exclamation points.  I didn't have the needed document with me and didn't have a way to procure it until I got home.  I responded to my co-manager that I was feeling no sense of urgency about the emergency and he emailed back, "Oh no! What have they done to you? You get home right this instant…no more fun for you."

I need to win the lottery so I can fulfill my dream of shedding all of my stuff and my tasks, packing everyone up and riding off into the sunset.  Who cares if they don't brush their teeth?  They're eventually going to fall out anyway, right?

I didn't realize what a great photo I got of this sloth until I looked at the photos on my computer yesterday.  Awesome!

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Bonus Day!!!

Our flight from Atlanta to Boston was cancelled because of the threat of snow, so we were *forced* to spend an extra day in San Jose.  The city is not really someplace you'd want to spend a day of vacation, but we ventured about 45 minutes away to the Cafe Britt coffee tour, and Zoo Ave, which is a rehabilitation and breeding center for animals and birds.

The coffee tour was great.  We learned a lot about how coffee is grown and processed, and the people leading the tour were hilarious.  It was almost like a show, with skits about coffee's history.  I was so glad we had the extra day to fill so we could go to Cafe Britt.  We had lunch there, with super-awesome giant iced mochas.  YUM!!!

The zoo was nice - not too big, but a few good photo ops.  There was only one family there that we saw, so we had the place to ourselves.  We saw the *resplendent qetzal* which is the national bird and very exciting to see in the wild.  Less so in a cage, but at least we saw one.  Sherry had a glimpse of one in Monteverde but I was busy buying a rain poncho for my backpack. 

In addition to today's unexpected activities, we also went to Jacó Beach yesterday which we hadn't planned on doing.  It was REALLY HOT, but we had a nice lunch at the TacoBar and spent a little time on the beach.

I think we've milked every bit of enjoyment out of this vacation and I will miss being on Tico Time.  If I could only figure out how to live like a Costa Rican in the 'Ham.

Pics below.

The drive from Monteverde was a little scary but SO BEAUTIFUL!

The road got better (paved!) but we still had the cows to deal with.

Jacó Beach

Our guides for the coffee tour...

Our awesome mochas frias.

The Zoo

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Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

I take back everything I said about the road to Arenal, because the road to Monteverde was REALLY BAD.  It was miles and miles of dirt road with giant potholes, unexpected trees/boulders left permanently in the road, eroded areas that dropped off into nothingness, and we were again sharing the road with crazy Ticos driving 4x4s, motorcycles, 4-wheelers, plus mules, people walking, cows in the road...INSANE!!!  We were so happy to make it to Santa Elena!!

Yesterday morning we went on a hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with our awesome guide / biologist, Eduardo.  He was extremely knowledgeable about all of the plants, birds, bugs, and animals of the reserve, and we were so lucky to have him all to ourselves.  He was a wealth of information and even told us how to cure Sherry's illness (Suero - electrolytes).

I took 100s of photos yesterday.  Here are just a few:

 

Monteverde

I have so much to write but I'm SO TIRED, so here's a picture for you.  I'll write more tomorrow.

Sloths!!! and Other Stuff

Today we went to Caño Negro, a wildlife preserve on the Rio Frio. We were with a group of about 10 other people, and our guide, Walter, told us all about the crops, politics, and Costa Rica in general as we travelled. He was a wealth of information.

On the way we stopped at a restaurant where the owner had started feeding the iguanas years ago, and apparently they told all their friends because more iguanas came, they all had baby iguanas, and now there are zillions of iguanas. The trees were FULL of them.

We were on the boat for a couple of hours and even though the guides knew where a lot of the animals hung out so it seemed somewhat choreographed, it was still amazing. We saw caymans, iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, howler monkeys, white faced monkeys, TONS of different birds, and my absolute favorite, sloths. When we saw the first sloth, the guide was talking about an albino monkey and I was taking pictures of what I thought he was referring to and it turned out to be a sloth. It moved around quite a bit while we watched, and we eventually saw 4 more (including a mother and baby) in other locations along the river. They are so amazing to see.

On the way back we stopped at a farm after having to change vans because of mechanical difficulties (seems to be a theme for this trip). It's a small farm but we got a sense of how Costa Rican farms are operated. There were 2 really cute puppies, cows and calves, extremely smelly pigs, horses, chickens, rabbits, quail, turkeys, guinea fowl, and a duck sitting on an egg.

After a nap we went to Tabacon, another hot springs resort. We saw Aliya and Adlani's old soccer coach and his wife, plus their friends from Sherborn. We knew they were going to be here but it was still kind of surreal to see someone we knew so far from home. Dinner was great and Sherry started feeling better after a couple of Imperials (local beer), so we were able to really enjoy the hot springs there. The pools at Tabacon are much more natural than the Springs. It was gorgeous! They had to kick us out at closing time.

Tomorrow we're headed to Monteverde, which we've heard is an even crazier drive than the one to La Fortuna. Tomorrow is the presidential election here so we're expecting the unexpected, just in case.
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La Fortuna & the Arenal Volcano

The drive from San Jose to La Fortuna was like no other road I've ever seen. I had been wondering why the estimated travel time seemed so long for such a short distance. I got my answer. THANK GOD we paid extra to get a GPS. It was very helpful in getting us through the city without getting lost, but the real value was once we were driving through the mountainous areas. The GPS showed the hairpin turns that were coming up - Sherry commented that the screen on the GPS looked like intestines. It also announced the speed bumps (two in front of each school), "dangerous bridges," - all one-lane, and on two occasions the "road sinking ahead."

To make things even more exciting, there were absolutely no shoulders and the roads were really narrow. Half the time there was another car or truck in our lane. There were no sidewalks so there were people walking, kids running, and dogs standing in the road. Not to mention the mules, chickens, and even a pig which were hanging out on the side of the road ready to dart out in front of us. Sherry drove all the way and she didn't run over anyone or even a chicken. I helped by pressing my imaginary brake.

We arrived at the Volcano Lodge around 2, and we were headed out for a hike at 3:40 so we settled in and got a half hour nap. The hotel is really beautiful, especially the grounds. There are crazy big flowers growing everywhere, and the reception lady told us that if we walk around early we may see monkeys!

The tour company came to take us on our hike and we were with a family from Denver. Our guide, Noellia, knew all about the volcano and the local birds and animals. While we were looking at the volcano and taking pictures - it erupted!! It sounded like thunder and smoke came out the top and boulders tumbled down the sides. Amazing!  It was like someone added the baking soda to the science fair project just for us.

Tonight we went to dinner at the Springs, a hot springs resort. It is the most gorgeous resort I've ever seen, and it was EMPTY. I don't know why. It's getting great press as being one of the best places to stay. We had a nice dinner and soaked in the pools for a while. Sherry isn't feeling well so she's trying to sleep it off right now so we can head out on our next adventure in the morning.

San Jose

So far, so good.  The weather is spectacular, the hotel is beautiful, we have our rental car and it's pretty new and the guy spoke English really well so we know what we're doing.  We have a GPS which he already set with our next hotel.  We have a cell phone, a map, and 3 1/2 hours of sleep.  This is too easy!  There I go again...we'll probably run over a sloth on the way and get arrested for killing the national mascot. 

We're off to the Arenal Volcano today, followed by a soak in the hot springs so we'll have some pics to post later.  Wish us luck!
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We Are Here!

The plane finally landed at 4 a.m. and we got to the hotel at 5:15 (4:15 CR time).  We saw the local IR office on the way, and since we were in a minivan that stopped at 4 other hotels we got a little tour of downtown San Jose.  That will be our only tour of San Jose.  We drove through Hookerville and saw about 12 prostitutes within a couple of blocks.  Our hotel isn't near downtown and it's very nice.  We each have our own bedroom so I don't have to listen to Sherry snore.  We have to be up in less than 4 hours because our car is being delivered, so nightie-night!
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"Captain, we're out of Colombian coffee!"

Remember that old ad? Yes, I'm dating myself.

I guess I spoke too soon and jinxed us. We left Atlanta at 7 p.m. for a 4-hour flight to San Jose. About an hour out of Atlanta, the captain announced that the plane had a mechanical problem, so we had to go back to Atlanta. Given the extreme turbulence and the mysterious mechanical problem, it was a VERY long hour. The poor Korean guy across the aisle from me doesn't speak much English so when we landed he was shocked to find out that we were back in Atlanta.

After a bumpy landing they gave us food vouchers and got us a new plane, which was much preferred over the original plan to try to fix the problem. On the way out I said to the captain, "Please tell me it was just a clogged toilet," and he said, "It was nothing serious, just something that couldn't be fixed in San Jose." They could have shared that extra bit of information during the flight and saved us a some worry.

We boarded the new plane around 10:30, but a bunch of the runways were closed for maintenance so we had to wait until midnight to take off. We'll be arriving in San Jose at 3:30 a.m. (only 2:30 local time), which is a little late even for me. Then we have to get our bags, go through immigration/customs, and get a cab to the hotel. Our rental car is being dropped off at 9 a.m. so somebody has to be awake to do the paperwork. Then it's about a 3-hour drive and hopefully a nap before our volcano hike.

For all of my friends who know about my fear of flying, I decided to fly without taking my medicine today and I've been fine. I think if I can survive these flights without my meds, I'm doing ok. I did use the Rescue Remedy spray even though Karen said it doesn't work because she used it when she was mad, and she was still mad.  :-)  I think the anger-management spray is the one in the red bottle.
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On Our Way!

It has apparently been a really long time since I've flown.  Or at least a lot has happened to airport procedures since the last time.  Last night there was a brief moment of panic when I couldn't find our tickets among our travel documents.  All I need is a NUMBER?  Who knew?!  Today was my first time attempting to check in at a kiosk, and for the most amazing part - IN-FLIGHT WI-FI!  So cool! 

We're somewhere over the Carolinas right now, on our way to Atlanta.  So far, today has gone without a hitch.  It is so unbelievably easy to travel with another responsible adult.  I didn't have to pack for her, ask her if she brought her toothbrush, tell her to put on her coat 200 times, and she hasn't hit anyone, cried, or kicked the seat in front of her.  We walked out the door on time, left Logan Express on time, and got to the airport early enough to have a leisurely lunch before our flight.  Hopefully the rest of the day will go just as well.  We have 1 1/2 hours in Atlanta and then a 4-hour flight to San Jose.

Pura Vida!
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Costa Rica or Bust!!!

Tomorrow's the big day...Sherry and I are finally heading off to Costa Rica for a week of Mommy-Time.  The preparations have been grueling, with daily lists that were single-spaced and double-columned.  Ben has a 2-page typed list of daily requirements (who needs sneakers for gym, who needs to bring lunch, etc.), and the components for several "projects" - 70+ valentines, sorting instructions for 89 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, and Adlani's undecorated 100th-day-of-school paper bag vest that needs to have 100 of something attached to it.

Ben was home this morning because he had a dentist appointment, so he took a shot at the Morning Mayhem. He did a pretty good job, although he did try to slip Adlani some Pringles in his snack bag, and packed Norah's lunch in her snack bag which would have confused the hell out of her. They would have survived, so I'm jetting off with a clear conscience. The kids are sad that I'll be gone, especially since I'll miss the weekend performance of the play (I'll be back for the school performance), but I think it's important for kids to see that moms should have a life too. I don't want my girls growing up and thinking that they have to stop taking time for themselves once they have a family.


I hope to post some pics from the road, but our basic itinerary is:

Day 1 - Fly into San Jose.
Day 2 - Drive to the (active) Arenal Volcano and HOT SPRINGS - volcano hike and dinner at The Springs that night.
Day 3 - Trip to Caño Negro during the day, dinner at Tabacon hot springs that night. We hope to see Coach Roger and Mrs. Coach Roger there!
Day 4 - Drive to Monteverde, night hike that night.
Day 5 - Monteverde Cloud Forest in the a.m., afternoon open with plenty to choose from.
Day 6 - Morning open, drive back to San Jose.
Day 7 - Fly home.

Adios, amigos!!
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12-Hour Stomach Bug

When your little petri dishes come home with the 12-hour bug that's going around, give them a little extra sympathy and TLC because IT SUCKS!!!  I woke up Saturday morning all ready to go to Zumba and before I was even vertical I got that not-so-fresh feeling and spent the next hour "indisposed."  After the initial purge I was walking around the house yakking into a bowl which Ben found completely disgusting.

Unfortunately, Ben had to drop his car off to be cleaned so I sucked it up and drove the 2 miles to pick him up.  As soon as we got to Scrub-A-Dub, Adlani turned green and needed to borrow my bowl.  Not good. 

Aliya had it two weeks ago and was sick during the night and fine the next day.  Norah had it on Thursday night and was good as new on Friday.  It didn't slow Adlani down until he tried unsuccessfully to eat a donut and even then he was basically going about his regular activities except eating. He explained it to Ben as, "The food in your stomach starts coming up your neck and when you open your mouth to eat something, the food from your stomach falls out."

I was knocked out for a full 12 hours, literally laying in bed with my head under the covers.  I appreciate a good clean-out once in a while, but this one was terrible!  I had stomach pains all day and couldn't face food (could barely even choke water down) until 7 at night.  And then...good as new!  It was so strange how it knocked me out and then it was gone.     

When I finally got out of bed I felt like crawling right back in...or jumping out the window.  I don't know what everyone else did all day but every single piece of everything owned by anyone was on the floor in every room.  Ugh. Where's my vodka spray?

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Los Estudiantes de la Semana!!

Adlani and Aliya BOTH got "Student of the Week" last week, which was SO exciting, especially for Adlani (and apparently for Ben, as you can tell by the group photo). We celebrated with cake and high-5's all around.

Report cards came home the same day, and there were no surprises. Aliya got ALL 4's (consistently demonstrates skill or behavior independently) except two 3/4's, one 3, and 3's in art, music, and gym.

Adlani got mostly 3's (frequently demonstrates skill or behavior), some 2's (progressing toward skill or behavior with teacher support), and he got mostly 4's in English, a couple of 4's in math, and a 4 in art. Considering that most of the evaluations are based on Spanish, which is still new to him, he seems to be right on track. Not to mention the fact that last year at this time he wouldn't even hold a pencil and he just got a 4 in art. Amazing! Both teachers wrote really nice comments and it looks like Adlani has turned a corner.

We'll have to figure out how to handle report card day when Adlani starts to care about them. He is almost a whole year younger than Aliya was when she was in kindergarten so it's not fair to compare them, but it's tough when they both bring report cards home the same day. Throw Norah into the mix and it could get even worse.

For now, all it takes is a little cake.  That usually works for me too.

Hmmm...where are those leftovers?