Flu Shot~ Ouch!

Today I got my flu shot at work, there was a nursing student on my unit and I asked her if she wanted to give it. She was so excited because she needed practice (I verified that she had indeed given immunizations before).  With the help of her supervising nurse she slowly gives the shot. I nicely say "that didn't hurt at all" ( it DID). She says "uh oh" and we all look at the syringe and the drug is still in there. Great! Attempt number 2 results in less drug left in the syringe, an some blood. Super Great! I'm seriously hoping I am protected and am glad that she practiced on me and not one of our patients. I cannot imagine many kids who would let her give it a second try. Lucky for us all that I am not afraid of shots or needles, but my arm sure is sore!

WI Pictures

4 generations



Grandma and Grandpa with Lauren



Happy Anniversary

Today is our 9th wedding anniversary~ yeah! I am a lucky woman with a sweet, patient, understanding husband. And we make a cute family, too- wouldn't you say?

WI Trip





Girl's Day

Back to the WI trip- we went over Jeff's bday weekend, but I went back a couple days ahead of him and got a jump on the visiting. I spent Thursday with one of my very best friends Anne who lives in Chicago. We met in Milwaukee and spent the day shopping, chatting and had a nice lunch with a glass of Chardonnay. Pure bliss.... I really wish I had more days like this in my life. We spent HOURS in Ann Taylor and then got full make up done at Bare Escentuals (and dropped some bank there too).  I cherish this day so much, I love Anne like a sister and have such an easy friendship with her.  How is it that some people just end up that way? We get together only a couple of times per year, but pick up like we never missed a beat. This day was a highlight of my month, thanks Anne!



Lauren hung out with Grandma V for the day- they had their own Girl's day- notice the painted fingernails on my sweet baby!



Where to start?

So, today we just got back from a fantastic family vacation. I have been off from work for two weeks and in that time we had Jeff's parents visit, and we rented an RV and cruised the west for over a week. All on the heels of our Wisconsin trip. I think I have my laptop functioning better (finally) and will be posting lots about what we have done this month. Sorry to keep you waiting, but just check it all out!!

Vacation

Our trip is wrapping up tomorrow~ will have lots to post. L & I are napping this is the view from my bed...

Hot Cheetos

Watch out for these Hot Cheetos, I was just chatting with the medical residents that I work with and they were joking about how many kids end up in our emergency department with severe stomach aches and vomiting and later it is discovered that they were eating these hot Cheetos. It is apparently really common and an ongoing joke with the medical residents (so much that they are starting to add it to the list of questions to ask kids in the ER who come in with stomach complaints). Kinda makes me want to try them, crazy huh?

Cheese and Sausage Festival

OK, the WI trip will be posted in random order- I am still having trouble with my Dell laptop (boo hiss to Dell, I am not happy...) and cannot access all of the pictures.
On Saturday was the Cheese and Sausage Festival in my hometown in Wisconsin. Jeff and I both registered for the 5K, but it was COLD and pouring rain, so I bailed (got a shirt though!).

Oh wow! Look at that!

 

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Elmo!



Elmo and Lauren strolling the street

So, in the end the weather cleared up and we went to the festival for a while. Lauren got an Elmo balloon, many sausage samples and got to pet sheep and bunnies at the petting zoo. She was really fond of "big girls" and the high school band playing live music.  It was a good start to the day!

Canvas and Cocktails

There is a really cute new business in Cherry Creek called Canvas and Cocktails, and they have painting groups where they pick one painting and everyone does it together. Of course, they sell wine and beer- which makes it even more fun. Tonight we went to a fund raiser there, and it was soooo fun. I didn't really like the owl painting they were featuring, but I knew so many people there and I changed up the color scheme and ended up loving the final product (Jeff said my painting was just OK- what does he know?).  The original is the black and red that my friend Maggie did- probably 90% of the class did that~ my friend Amy and I got a bit crazy and changed up the colors. ANYONE who comes to visit me: I am going to make you do this with me, because it is really fun.

Jeff's Birthday Cake Cups

Happy Birthday to Jeff!! We spent his birthday in Wisconsin, and I have lots of pictures of our trip that I will post this week. On Saturday night we had a bash at my mom's house to celebrate - we are so appreciative of the many people who stopped by- Thank you!!  I made these little cupcakes (with my mom's help) for Jeff. I spent the last few weeks doing practice runs on how to make cup-cake brownies that are egg free (all trials done at 5,000- 10,000 feet altitude to boot). It is harder than you think- the brownies will get too done quickly in those little cups~ I had 3 trial runs, none of which turned out as well as the final product.  Lauren kept says "cake cups" instead of cup cakes- it was really cute.

Fantasy success!

I am really happy with my fantasy football team. I have some great receivers & RBs (chris johnson) and my beloved Favre. Best of all, I just dropped my janky kicker for a better guy. Bring it on!!

Art Desk

I have been looking for an art desk for Lauren all summer. When we went to Arkansas to visit my dad, they had a perfect little desk that lifted open and you could put crayons and coloring books inside, and had a magnetic white board on the inside. Lauren loved it, and I thought I should get her one to keep her art projectst contained. Otherwise the markers are getting on the hardwood floors and kitchen table, etc. Well, I cannot find one like it! (dad and donna- if you get a chance, will you let me know what brand that little desk is??) I will continue my search, if anyone see one let me know!

This picture is kind of similar to the one I was looking for- thiers had the chair attached. Crazy how I get a specific idea in my head, then I can never find quite the right thing.

New Nanny!

We have been so happy with our weekend nanny, Michelle~ but quite worried she would get a job that stole her away from us. She wants to be a pharmacist, and was hoping to get in to a compounding pharmacy. Well, I helped her get started and shoot! She got a job at a great compounding pharmacy and will work every Saturday- great job Nicole! Well, we decided to seize the opportunity and ask Teri, Lauren's favorite teacher at daycare. Teri is the teacher in the class ahead of Lauren (2-3 yo kids) but we drop her off with Teri every morning because Lauren's room isn't open yet. Lauren loves Teri, and often that is how I get her dressed (do you want to show Teri your shirt? Do you want to go see Teri? Do you want to eat yogurt for breakfast with Teri?)
So, someone told us that they did not think she would be interested, so we took the sneaky road.  We got Lauren in on the job and bought a  bouquet of flowers for Teri. Then we prepped her to say "please" and hand the flowers to Teri. Well, the rest is history, after Lauren's plea and bouquet~ Teri of course accepted the offer. This weekend was our first one and it went so well. I was worried to jinx it by posting anything sooner, but it was great and she will come back (even though Lauren was really sick and needed to sleep/ take medicine the whole time). Teri is probably in her later 40's and has two grown children of her own, and I really trust her. Lauren was excited to see her and had a great time. Terri kept a log of what Lauren's day was like and Lauren seemed so content when we got home. She made her play dough and colored it pink, because Lauren told her that was her favorite color. I feel so lucky, we stressed for about a month knowing that Michelle was leaving us, but it couldn't have worked out better- YIPPEE!

On the mend

Lauren has been sick, fevers and just sleeping so much... she has had a cold since last week, but wednesday it got bad. Jeff and I both missed some work, and we took her to the pediatrician on friday after I saw her tonsils on thursday night- YUCK! She has tonsilitis and has not really eaten much in several days- she just moans and asks for her bed. So sad... I just wish I could take it all away from her. This weekend was our weekend to work (wonderful) which is about impossible to get out of, especially on a holiday weekend. Luckily, our new nanny was able to hold down the fort (and hopefully wont quit now...) for us while we did our duty. This is so very hard...

Home Sick

Lauren got sent home sick today with fevers. We knew it was going to happen, she was crabby this morning and when we were pulling up to the daycare Jeff mentioned he thought she had a fever (WHAT?? He noticed this at home while he was helping to get her ready, but waits till we are at daycare to mention it. No chance to drug her with ibuprofen and buy a few hours... BOYS!!) Anyway, I barely get to rounds and I get the first call- she has a fever and feels punky. OK- I ask them to give her tylenol and see if she improves. An hour later, still in rounds, they call back and she is feeling worse and cannot play and her temp is up. UGH!! I  am pretty sure that she got the illness and fever from someone at daycare, I sure wish they could cope with it there! We are praying she makes it through the day tomorrow, my job is really not understanding about these things. (yes i know i work at THE CHILDRENS HOSPITAL~ but apparently our compassion is only extended to other people's children, not the children of employees...).