Yes, we have a terrific school community and a very nice neighborhood. It's like our little small town in Brooklyn. The neighborhood is very close-knit, and many of the people I went to school with now have kids in the same school. Some are even in my boys' classes and we've taken some strolls down memory lane. It's nice to see everyone doing so well and to see the next generation at the school. My parents take the boys to school and pick them up, and my mom has seen some of the people she used to see when I was a kid, also taking their grandchildren to school now! We have our little mom & pop stores, our local pizzeria and Chinese restaurant, and our local coffee shop. The man who owns the pizzeria gets a kick out of seeing my kids because he remembers me when I was like 4 years old coming in with my parents. And at the Chinese restaurant, they remember us as kids when they first opened. They started as a tiny take-out place with a couple of booths and they eventually turned into this very big restaurant...a beautiful place too. We had DS8's first birthday party there!
if you google Marine Park, Brooklyn, you will probably find some info on what a close-knit, friendly community it is. Definitely not what people expect of NYC or Brooklyn!
As far as slipped discs, I had a horrible one in my neck in the spring of 2011. It was such bad pain that I couldn't sleep and it was ver frustrating. The only thing that took the edge off a little was Vicodin, and taking painkillers scares me. But I was desperate and the doctor told me to take it as prescribed. I only took it at night because I went to work as many days as I could, suffering in pain. My students helped out a lot because I couldn't keep my arm steady enough to write on the board. The pain was in the shoulder and radiated to the arm and hand...my right side and I'm a righty. Initially the pain was in the shoulder and I thought that maybe I tore a rotator cuff or something. Nothing showed on an x-ray and the pain kept getting worse even with steroid anti-inflammatory meds. Eventually I was sent for an MRI that indicated the disc was pressing on the nerve root and that was what was causing the pain.The orthopedist said i would definitely need surgery and I started crying like a baby, thinking about having spinal surgery. He recommended i see a neurosurgeon for this type of surgery. I found a wonderful neurosurgeon who looked at the MRI and also said I definitely needed surgery. He explained how they do it minimally invasive now, and I'd only miss 2 to 3 weeks of work. That was great news. They did the surgery 6 days later, which was just about a month since the pain had first started. They cut into the front of the neck and were able to remove the disc and place a piece of bone in the space that would eventually fuse. I woke up from the surgery with no more arm and shoulder pain. It felt like a miracle. I started physical therapy a couple of weeks later and I had a wonderful physical therapist. He has since guided me with safer exercises for me to do during my workouts. I had been exercising way too intensely, lots of cardio kickboxing from a program called Turbo Fire (DVDs). The strenuous activity could have very well been the cause of the herniated disc, according to both the surgeon and the physical therapist. So i had to be very careful at that point. I made excellent progress in a short period of time, because I did everything I was instructed to do at home by my physical therapist. The spine fused completely within a year of the surgery.
I still have residual numbness in my right index finger from the nerve issue. There is probably partial nerve damage because of how the disc was pressing on the nerve for a few weeks. But I'll take it over pain any day. It's only a tiny amount of numbness, I still have plenty of feeling in that finger.
Now, on to happier things...as far as V&A's, I think we're going to end up going there! The only thing holding back DH is that he has to wear a jacket there and he's not too thrilled about having to do that in July! But, he could carry it to the car and just put it on once we're inside the restaurant. And with the TIW card, if you dine at a resort and show your receipt from the restaurant, valet parking is free...we just have to tip and that's it. So that means dh doesn't even have to walk through the parking lot in the heat with pants on. I think I can convince him, especially since this is the last chance for a TIW discount to be available. They will stop taking the TIW card on August 1, 2014. Seems like this is the right time to go there! And the kids can enjoy the kids' club at Beach Club. I'll even be the one to walk them over there from BWV so DH doesn't have to walk in the heat with pants on!
Today has been a pretty relaxing day. Midori's volleyball team won again, 1st game 21 to 9 Midori had 11 service points, 2nd game 21 to 5 Midori had 10 service points.
If the other team returns Midori's serve the team sets up and one of the boys spikes it to the floor quickly.
and line judge. 
today, but it has been very hot and 
do to make our count down seem shorter..
I wont go into details but The Volleyball team won both games again last night. YAY 
My logic is that if I only pack it when I need it, I won't think something is packed when it's not. Or more typically I won't pack something that my DD decides she wants to use and takes it out without letting me know because she had MEANT to put it back ..... 
