The DDA Trouble Free Zone Part 5

[rosiejo]

Over here its not being released till May. Is it out over there already??

But I might have to get this book, it looks neat.

Becky

hmm I just checked amazon and it says usually dispatched in 3-6 weeks... the epcot book says not yet published. I wonder if they're getting it from the states...and since you haven't had it released yet... I've stuck them all in my wish list... which is getting very long!

 

[rosiejo]

What is the airspeed of an un-laden swallow?

African or European?

The average cruising airspeed velocity of an unladen European Swallow is roughly 11 meters per second, or 24 miles an hour.

Now spill







































google is my friend: http://www.style.org/unladenswallow/

I can't believe I actually found that


ETA: Yeah so I read on and saw that it was a monty python reference... Doh! But I still think you should spill as I did answer the question

 

[rosiejo]

You'd better be talkin about a dog - or Kevin lost some weight...

 

[rosiejo]

I know what it is...I've avoided it on purpose (no offense Clare!). Not my kind of humor...I don't care for the Airplane or Naked Gun movies either.

Amy

That's ok - no offence taken - it's not my kind of humour either (oh and yes we do spell humour with two "u"s )

 

[Steamboat Marti]

Marti - I was going to post the packs on Tuesday, would you rather get them from Kate instead? It's no worry to me I can always twist DH's arm to eat them

Of course I still want them! Send them and I'm hoping to get some from Cincy as well! Let's take bets as to which ones I get first!

 

[rosiejo]

You should change your avatar to that cute Easter pic you got today!

Amy

I read all of Denise's posts and then when I read this I looked and sure enough she'd changed her avatar and I hadn't even noticed!

 

[Steamboat Marti]

Going BACK to bed - chest hurts and woke me up. But I need some sleep!

I'd say I need some beauty sleep, but that just gives them too much ammunition

 

[rosiejo]

Nope, not bad! But some people have stereotypes of what people who have tattoos look like.

Amy

D'ya mean like this?

 

[rosiejo]

You are all so lucky -

here is the world premiere of Vicki's new signature!!

cool

 

[rosiejo]

Of course I still want them! Send them and I'm hoping to get some from Cincy as well! Let's take bets as to which ones I get first!

I'll send 'em out on Tuesday

Now I'm sure it must be some ungodly hour where you are... just before 5am? Hope you're not feeling to icky - but you should go get some sleep!

 

[Eeyorecln]

Oh you all are putting me to shame!!!! If I can get my windows cleaned, inside and out, this spring, I will be happy.

Speaking of being emotionally attached to things.....what do you all do with the items/projects/papers that your kids bring home from school? I have done a binder with everything for Nicholas' first 2 years of preschool, but in Kindergarten I have collected so much more stuff. It is probably stacked a foot and a half high. I love having his writing samples, pictures he's colored, etc. throughout the year and I thought it would be something nice to look back on. I just need to figure out what I can eliminate and what is a must keep.

We either scan them in befored recycling, my kids could draw 5 pictures a day when on school breaks. Or we take a picture of them holding the project/drawing up. Like Kristin, 4 kids produce a lot of stuff.
Now, I do have a problem with the toys. I think we're turning the house into toyland. I can't seem to part with their toys. We have grandparents buying for 4 and it builds quick, we have a toyroom as well as the dining room converted into a play area. Little People town, Hot Wheels town and half the Imaginext village. Besides legos, etc. My mom bought them a ball pit, a climbing wall, and a tent/tunnel set. My DH wanted to cancel Christmas before she found anything else big to buy. So if anyone has suggestions

 

[Eeyorecln]

I was gonna say scan everything or take digital photos of it and keep digital copies. Store it all on cd or dvd. Print out what you want to keep and make a scrapbook out of it. Or print the favorites out on the t-shirt transfer paper and make quilt squares and make a quilt or make pillows, t-shirt or something similar.

You could also print out favorites and frame them or make place mats and laminate them. You could take favorites and make a wall calendar for family members for next year.

With the originals you could have him write a letter on the back and give to your relatives. Such as thank you notes or just notes to keep in contact with family members.


I'm sure I could think of other things, but this is all I got for now.

I should do this as I still have stuff from when I was in elementary school. But to put that into perspective, when we cleaned out my Grandmother's house we found writing samples from when she was in elementary school she is 86.


Becky

Love the idea of sending them to relatives to enjoy. and the placemat idea.

 

[Eeyorecln]

Hi. I feel pretty silly lamenting about this, with the more serious problems we all face, but I figured you might be wondering where I've been all day, so here goes:

We lost one of our cats today. We noticed Mickey was acting a bit odd on Saturday, but it was easy to assume he was at odds with Lucy, the other cat. (Lucy is the alpha cat and she typically puts him in his place.) Yesterday, we noticed he was walking funny, so I made him a vet appointment today for when Kevin got home from work, so someone could stay home with Alyssa. Well, when Alyssa and I got back from getting her pictures taken this morning, Mickey couldn't even walk, so I begged Kevin to come home early and I rushed him to the vet. He had a bladder infection and though he survived the process of unblocking him, his heart gave out after the procedure. I feel terrible. He was only seven. And Alyssa keeps asking where he is.

I'm going to turn the computer over to Kevin, because I asked him to design our Easter card, but I'll try to check back in later tonight and respond personally to some posts from the last 36 hours...

Amy

 

[Eeyorecln]

Ok, now I'm beginning to think I've went 'round the bend (as one of my elder relatives used to say) but I'm going to tell you my idea anyway. One of you, don't remember who, commented that it would be cool to have a DDA Pal Mickey similar to Flat Stanley. It got me thinking. I am probably not going to get a chance to meet most of my DDA friends in person, so I was thinking about having Mickey travel around and meet you instead. You'd be responsible to take pictures, sign his passport, get him a souvenir and ship him on to the next person. I'd provide the money for the souvenirs, pictures (unless you have digital) and shipping. He is going on the DDA trip, Japan at the end of June and WDW with me in December.

If I can't meet you all, at least something that belongs to me can share in your lives for a little while. I'd add to his website with where he's been and post pictures.

Is this totally nuts?

Someone needs to take him to DL for the 50th anniversary.

 

[Eeyorecln]

Since everyone is talking about things from their childhood I thought I'd share some stories before I head off to work.

My godmother used to make cakes for a living. Up until my 10th birthday, she would make my birthday cakes. My 5th birthday I got a cake shaped like Kermit the Frog, with a stuffed Kermit the Frog. I still have Kermit. He's the uglest thing in the world, but he's brings back so many memories. Isn't it odd how one thing can do that??

My nephew was a blanket carrier as a child. He loved the edging on the blanket more than anything (you know, that satiny edging?) I'll have to post a pic of him with his blanket. He turns 19 this year, and we always tease him about this blanket. So what does he do? He pulls out his wallet, and lo and behold, there is a piece of "blanky" there. He's just too cute.

My boyfriend Bob's childhood stuffed animal was Paddington Bear. He still sits on our couch, no matter where I try to hid him, he's there the next day. When he was 4, he made an ornament of Paddington's head for the Christmas tree. (It's too cute seeing "Bobby" on the back of the ornament in BIG letters!) Paddington's head gets a "special box" when the Christmas tree ornaments comes down, and if it's not the first ornament on the tree he freaks out because "Paddington might be lost forever!" (Unknown to him, I always put it in the box first, so he helps me put up the ornaments. He has a habit of stopping once he reaches Paddington. )


Does anyone remember Romper room?? I used to get SO MAD when they wouldnt' say my name at the end of the show...

I had all the Paddington Bear books and loved them but I didn't know they had a Paddington bear. I would have loved one of those.

 

[Eeyorecln]

UPDATE on SIL



The Dr told her that there is a 37% chance that the chemo will work, she will do chemo for at least three full months. If after 6 months ( I was told the chemo can stay in your system for three extra months) it hasn’t done it’s job then she will have a less than 50% chance to live.

She has started her chemo on a 24hr drip and they will test her in a few days to see if it has started to work.



That is all I have for now. DH sends his thanks for all the PD and prayers from you all. He is still in aaaww how you all care for people you have only met over the net.

 

[Eeyorecln]

DDA, I could use some serious prayers for Rees (and me) please. Here's some background so you'll understand the seriousness of this issue.

When Rees was born, he was our healthiest until day 2 when he crashed. He was so sick, and the doctor's didn't know if he would make it or not. They could not get him off the ventilator, and it was extremely touch and go. He had horrible time feeding, and was diagnosed with severe reflux (GERD). He literally spent weeks at a time in the hospital, with one stay 45 days just before his first b'day. He vomited up to 40 times per day, was in agony, on all types meds, had so many nasty procedures done it breaks my heart, was on feeding tubes... oh, it was just horrible. We would call the GI doctors at 2am with him screaming in agony, refusing to eat at all, arching his back. We'd end up in the ER, get admitted again, go to the PICU. It was a vicious cycle and some very dark days. Finally at age 17 months he had a major surgery called a Nissen Fundoplication. A Fundo is a drastic and last resort surgery for these kids. They literally go in and wrap the child's stomach around their esophagus to physically prevent any acid for regurgitating out of the stomach. It has lots of side effects, and the kids are unable burp or vomit afterwards, so you must be very careful with stomach flu, food poisoning, swallowing pennies (ok, that is funny). It was MAJOR surgery. He was in the hospital for 10 days, has an incision from his breast bone past his belly button (looks like open heart surgery). Up to that surgery Rees was Failure to Thrive and only weighed 15 pounds. The reflux and long hospital stays and pain are a major reason he is developmentally delayed.

Well, 3 weeks ago Rees started refluxing again. He would wake us up at night saying his tummy hurt and point to his chest. He's back on all his meds, but they aren't helping. Tonight, it was absolutely horrible. He was retching, sobbing, screaming!!!!!!!! in pain for over an hour, arching his back, thrashing around in my arms because it hurt so bad. We finally got some meds to stay down. John and I are both panicked and have been sobbing all night. It has brought us back to the worst time in our lives. It was pure h*** and I can't believe it's starting again. So, it looks as if we will be going to the hospital for an emergency Upper GI in the next few days and possibly scheduling him for major surgery to have the Fundo repaired.

Please pray for my Rees. I can't believe this is happening to my baby again. I am absolutely devastated.

Oh, and John looked at me when we finally got Rees to bed tonight and said, "forget going back to school or work. Rees and the kids need you much more than we need money. God has you at home for a reason, and that's where you're staying." Thank goodness I have a fantastic husband who puts the kids above anything else. Needless to say, the whole teaching school thing is on hold for a long while. Rees just is too medically fragile for me to be working full-time and not have the flexibility to be with him.

I am about ready to cry. That poor boy, I will put him in the families prayers and the rest of your family. I soo wish there was something we could do, I know that God gives us "special children" for a reason, but it's hard when we want everything to be normal. Sorry for rambling, my heart goes out to you and your family.

 

[PNO4TE]

Thanks for the birthday wish! She loved it. Although she thought it was Rella. All the princesses are Rella to her. Here is my Birthday girl.

We had a great day. The weather was beautiful. The girls and I went with my mom to an Easter Egg hunt at my Grandmother's nursing home. They had a great time. When DH got home, we had pancakes for dinner. Emma and Molly really love to have Breakfast for Dinner.

Robyn -- Molly is just precious!

 

[PNO4TE]

I would tell you, but then I would have to
...
Force you to learn the Air Force song,
How to do a proper facing movements,
Take daily quizzes on Air Force lingo (Kate did well when she used the word Stealth)
And Salute!!!

Now, don’t force me to be so hard on you ….. When you have clearance, you will know.

You have the funniest sense of humor, Paula! You always make me chuckle

 

[PNO4TE]

I just looked at my post count - 1979 - in 1979 I was a sophomore in High School. I'd like to say it was a good year, but heck, it was my first year of high school. Blech...

Marti posted this at 11:20 last night and when I looked at her post count just now as I was reading it it says... 2023. This does not bode well for me trying to catch up this morning...