We went back to Indy Monday to see Layla's GI doctor. She's back on the growth chart!! No tests were run! We have another follow-up in 3 months. However, if we feel she's doing fine, we can cancel.
On a side note, they ended up testing her for food allergies. We had to get her blood drawn and have another week or so of waiting to hear the results. This blood drawing experience was MUCH better than our first on here in Terre Haute. I think there were a lot of factors into why - at a Children's hospital, Layla was tired, I knew how to hold her - I think the fact that it was a lady who only deals with children helped a lot.
The reason for the test came because of a quick question the nurse practitioner (apparently Layla's first doctor up and moved to Canada!) asked at the end of the visit asking if we've had any issues with food. We gave Layla some scrambled eggs about a month ago and her lip swelled in the middle, she had some splotches on her face and later her eyes became very red and itchy. We gave her some Children's Benadryl and all was fine. The nurse seemed pretty concerned that her lip actually swelled the first time and thinks that maybe some of the respiratory issues we've had could be tied to food allergies. She tolerates foods with eggs baked in them. Or at least we think she does. Maybe her seemingly constant runny nose has something to do with that. We're currently just waiting.
Although we haven't enjoyed needing to go to Indy - it has now given us 2 opportunities to eat at Chick-fil-A :-)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Merit Pay
I'm going to get on my soap box, but make it brief. I think it's ridiculous to think about merit pay for teachers based on their students' performances on standardized tests! I know, I know, you expect me to be accountable for my students...and I am. But to base my excellence on another human's ability to perform under the stress/pressure that comes with tests like that is ludicrous! Let's not even factor in all the possible scenarios that enter the classroom with the student....hunger from not eating since lunch the previous day, weariness from lack of sleep b/c of awful home environments, worry/fear of what awaits them at home, hormonal anger that is blocking clear thoughts from the brain, hormonal anything, test-taking "freeze", undiagnosed learning disorders, any learning disorder, lack of parental involvement/support, etc. etc. etc.
I am by no means making excuses...I am accountable for what my students learn. I work hard every day. But the fact of the matter is, no matter what I do, how hard I try, what changes I make, there are students who simply won't pass b/c of their attitude or lack of knowledge (for various factors).
If I could allow you to teach in my classroom (or any classroom) for a span of a couple of months, I would be more than happy to do so! Maybe then you might begin to understand why teachers should not be held accountable solely on achievement of standardized tests!
Thank you. :-)
I am by no means making excuses...I am accountable for what my students learn. I work hard every day. But the fact of the matter is, no matter what I do, how hard I try, what changes I make, there are students who simply won't pass b/c of their attitude or lack of knowledge (for various factors).
If I could allow you to teach in my classroom (or any classroom) for a span of a couple of months, I would be more than happy to do so! Maybe then you might begin to understand why teachers should not be held accountable solely on achievement of standardized tests!
Thank you. :-)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Refreshing
I have been loving having the windows open the past 2 days! Fresh air flowing through the house after months and months of stagnant air is so refreshing!
It's got me thinking...is there anywhere in the country that has 70-80 degree weather all year???? Wouldn't that be beyond fabulous! No need for air conditioning, no need for heat. A breeze blowing through your house on any given day. Ahhh...lovely!
Of course, I would miss the snowball and hot, pool-splashing weather...but that's what a car is for. :-)
It's got me thinking...is there anywhere in the country that has 70-80 degree weather all year???? Wouldn't that be beyond fabulous! No need for air conditioning, no need for heat. A breeze blowing through your house on any given day. Ahhh...lovely!
Of course, I would miss the snowball and hot, pool-splashing weather...but that's what a car is for. :-)
Friday, March 6, 2009
1-year appointment
Jeremy took Layla to her 1-year appointment today. Our goal weight was 18lbs. That would keep us on track with what the specialist is wanting to see.
Head - 44 cm (if I remember correctly)
Height - 27 1/4 in. (not a lot of growth here...actually, according to the measurements at the specialist's a month ago she has lost 3/4in. in height...something's not correct b/c I'm positive she isn't shrinking!)
Weight - 17lbs 4.8 oz! Ugh!
The doctor liked the gain on paper (this is the most she has gained in quite some time), but does not like the fact that Layla's not catching up the way she should be. So we now have a new "recipe" for mixing her formula. Which...apparently she's not doing as well with the sippy cup as we thought.
We have nothing to base our assumptions on as far as how much she should be drinking as we've strictly nursed up until a month ago. She has really been guzzling it down each day. Or so we thought. I guess the doctor was surprised that she's only drinking 12-15oz. a day. Jeremy didn't think to ask how much she should be drinking. I will probably be calling in to the office early next week.
She only gets about one 5-6oz. cup down at daycare and then she drinks another 6-10oz. at home. We try to give her some in the morning before we leave, but it's never much. I feel like all she does is drink or eat when she's home so I'm not really sure what else to do. I do know that she (for some reason) doesn't seem to drink as much at daycare as she does on the weekends. I have a guess that it's because she eats drier foods here. However, she just started her big girl meal plan at daycare so I'm hoping we start seeing an improvement in her drinking (although there wasn't a huge one this week).
Regardless, I can definitely tell her legs have thickened up. Maybe she just needed an adjustment period and will now really pack on the weight. I hope so because if she isn't 20lbs by April 6 the specialist is going to see about running some tests. :-(
Head - 44 cm (if I remember correctly)
Height - 27 1/4 in. (not a lot of growth here...actually, according to the measurements at the specialist's a month ago she has lost 3/4in. in height...something's not correct b/c I'm positive she isn't shrinking!)
Weight - 17lbs 4.8 oz! Ugh!
The doctor liked the gain on paper (this is the most she has gained in quite some time), but does not like the fact that Layla's not catching up the way she should be. So we now have a new "recipe" for mixing her formula. Which...apparently she's not doing as well with the sippy cup as we thought.
We have nothing to base our assumptions on as far as how much she should be drinking as we've strictly nursed up until a month ago. She has really been guzzling it down each day. Or so we thought. I guess the doctor was surprised that she's only drinking 12-15oz. a day. Jeremy didn't think to ask how much she should be drinking. I will probably be calling in to the office early next week.
She only gets about one 5-6oz. cup down at daycare and then she drinks another 6-10oz. at home. We try to give her some in the morning before we leave, but it's never much. I feel like all she does is drink or eat when she's home so I'm not really sure what else to do. I do know that she (for some reason) doesn't seem to drink as much at daycare as she does on the weekends. I have a guess that it's because she eats drier foods here. However, she just started her big girl meal plan at daycare so I'm hoping we start seeing an improvement in her drinking (although there wasn't a huge one this week).
Regardless, I can definitely tell her legs have thickened up. Maybe she just needed an adjustment period and will now really pack on the weight. I hope so because if she isn't 20lbs by April 6 the specialist is going to see about running some tests. :-(
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Cold Turkey
Layla and I have gone cold turkey with nursing. I know it sounds harsh, but we were only on 2 nursings a day anyway (morning and night) and I haven't felt like those have been hugely successful as of late. A few days before her first birthday I really started thinking that I was ready to be done with nursing. I decided that her last day as an "infant" (a.k.a. under one) would be the last day of nursing.
Sunday came and I informed Layla that it would be her last day :-)
Monday came and there were no issues skipping the morning nursing. I took the day off and it was easy to just wake up and put her in the high chair to feed her breakfast with a sippy cup.
Monday evening came and I was really just wanting that time with her to "snuggle." I didn't realize that I would miss the physical contact like that. She never stops moving, and that has been the only time she would let me hold her in a snuggly position while still awake. Lately, though, even that was a struggle (which is why I knew we were both ready).
However, I caved to my desires and we nursed the evening of her birthday. I figured it wasn't bad...a little birthday treat. :-)
Tuesday morning was nice because I could get myself ready for work and didn't have to set aside time for nursing.
Tuesday evening I was feeling the desire to nurse again. I then started wondering what our evening routine was going to look like from here on out. Before, she would eat dinner, bathe if necessary, get into pajamas, sit on the couch with mommy & nurse, go into her room and listen to a bit of music as I held her and she calmed down even more to rest her head on my shoulder, and then put her in her crib to allow herself to fall asleep. Nursing was such an integral part of that routine. I wasn't sure how I could go from pajamas to bed with no transition. Then it came to me...
READ!
So we sat on a chair in her room and read a book together a few times over. I wasn't sure if this was the best transitional method because she was seemingly excited about the book and not relaxing as I had hoped. But I kept going, thinking the newness would wear off and over time she would eventually learn that this was quiet time.
We went to bed with no problems like usual!
Today I have felt "fuller" than I have in quite some time. The nagging thought of nursing at night was with me all day. But a part of me knew that once I sat down to nurse, I would once again be thinking how it's time to quit or wonder how I would ever transition if I couldn't do it now. So I pushed through.
Reading tonight was not quite as successful. She cried very heavily for a while as I held her in my lap to read - I think she wanted to play with the stuffed animals around the chair. Those will be removed tomorrow. :-)
While we were reading and she was crying, I noticed I started leaking!!!! I can't even remember the last time I leaked! Just another little thing to push me back to thinking of nursing at night only.
She finally calmed and started playing with and talking to the book again.
I stood up to sway to the music with her and she was crying yet again. I began leaking yet again. Ugh! I finally just laid her down in the crib and left.
She is currently crying/staying awake longer than she has in quite some time.
Her fighting to relax and me putting her in the crib before she rests her head on my shoulders isn't new...but all this crying tonight really makes me wonder...does she miss the nursing or is this just an off night???
Needless to say, I haven't caved since Monday evening. I'm sure that my milk production will end soon. Which leads to another question lingering around in my head...do I simply just stop and "dry out" or is there another method?
I sure hope there is no leakage tomorrow at work...I gave my sister all my bra pads!
I've never really had an addiction to anything, but I think I can now sympathize (on a much smaller scale) with those trying to fight one. I'm sure the thoughts/desires to nurse will increase over the next day or so. Hopefully once my supply decreases, and Layla and I get used to the new routine, my urges to nurse will also decrease.
I do wonder if I should have even stopped...I never told myself I was quitting at a year, never had a deadline, I just new I wanted to make it to at least a year. It just turned out that I really started thinking "I'm done" right around her first birthday. I do think we were both ready...but now I'm not so sure.
Okay...there's the "addiction" talking. I think we'll both be just fine :-)
**I'll post about her first birthday in the near future.
Sunday came and I informed Layla that it would be her last day :-)
Monday came and there were no issues skipping the morning nursing. I took the day off and it was easy to just wake up and put her in the high chair to feed her breakfast with a sippy cup.
Monday evening came and I was really just wanting that time with her to "snuggle." I didn't realize that I would miss the physical contact like that. She never stops moving, and that has been the only time she would let me hold her in a snuggly position while still awake. Lately, though, even that was a struggle (which is why I knew we were both ready).
However, I caved to my desires and we nursed the evening of her birthday. I figured it wasn't bad...a little birthday treat. :-)
Tuesday morning was nice because I could get myself ready for work and didn't have to set aside time for nursing.
Tuesday evening I was feeling the desire to nurse again. I then started wondering what our evening routine was going to look like from here on out. Before, she would eat dinner, bathe if necessary, get into pajamas, sit on the couch with mommy & nurse, go into her room and listen to a bit of music as I held her and she calmed down even more to rest her head on my shoulder, and then put her in her crib to allow herself to fall asleep. Nursing was such an integral part of that routine. I wasn't sure how I could go from pajamas to bed with no transition. Then it came to me...
READ!
So we sat on a chair in her room and read a book together a few times over. I wasn't sure if this was the best transitional method because she was seemingly excited about the book and not relaxing as I had hoped. But I kept going, thinking the newness would wear off and over time she would eventually learn that this was quiet time.
We went to bed with no problems like usual!
Today I have felt "fuller" than I have in quite some time. The nagging thought of nursing at night was with me all day. But a part of me knew that once I sat down to nurse, I would once again be thinking how it's time to quit or wonder how I would ever transition if I couldn't do it now. So I pushed through.
Reading tonight was not quite as successful. She cried very heavily for a while as I held her in my lap to read - I think she wanted to play with the stuffed animals around the chair. Those will be removed tomorrow. :-)
While we were reading and she was crying, I noticed I started leaking!!!! I can't even remember the last time I leaked! Just another little thing to push me back to thinking of nursing at night only.
She finally calmed and started playing with and talking to the book again.
I stood up to sway to the music with her and she was crying yet again. I began leaking yet again. Ugh! I finally just laid her down in the crib and left.
She is currently crying/staying awake longer than she has in quite some time.
Her fighting to relax and me putting her in the crib before she rests her head on my shoulders isn't new...but all this crying tonight really makes me wonder...does she miss the nursing or is this just an off night???
Needless to say, I haven't caved since Monday evening. I'm sure that my milk production will end soon. Which leads to another question lingering around in my head...do I simply just stop and "dry out" or is there another method?
I sure hope there is no leakage tomorrow at work...I gave my sister all my bra pads!
I've never really had an addiction to anything, but I think I can now sympathize (on a much smaller scale) with those trying to fight one. I'm sure the thoughts/desires to nurse will increase over the next day or so. Hopefully once my supply decreases, and Layla and I get used to the new routine, my urges to nurse will also decrease.
I do wonder if I should have even stopped...I never told myself I was quitting at a year, never had a deadline, I just new I wanted to make it to at least a year. It just turned out that I really started thinking "I'm done" right around her first birthday. I do think we were both ready...but now I'm not so sure.
Okay...there's the "addiction" talking. I think we'll both be just fine :-)
**I'll post about her first birthday in the near future.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Old MySpace blogs
I'm getting rid of my MySpace account so I thought I'd transfer over my old blogs. I didn't do much blogging, but if I ever get sentimental I thought it'd be nice to have them.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Any day now!
Current mood: anxious
I realize I haven't blogged in quite some time. A lot has changed since my last blog...mainly being my pregnant belly! I'm almost 39 weeks pregnant!
As of week 38, baby Johnson was 8lbs! Based on averages (I'm assuming), her head measured at 38 weeks 1 day, stomach at 38 weeks 5 days, and femur at 39 weeks. Does this mean she's going to have long legs and a small head? If so, she's the opposite of me! haha.
I'm very excited to see what she looks like! Will she have lots of hair at birth? What color will her hair turn out to be? Will her eyes be blue like mine or hazel like Jeremy's...or will they be another color? Whose nose will she have?
All I can say is that I'm definitely done with being pregnant! Although, looking back, I haven't had a terrible pregnancy. I've never suffered from a lot of the ugly symptoms people warned me about (i.e. heart burn & constipation). I did have morning sickness for about 8 weeks which was definitely not fun. I had a couple of days where I couldn't keep down any food!
I did have a little scare before Thanksgiving and ended up in the hospital for 2 days. But since then I have been just fine!
I've never had "cravings" and I've never needed to eat "RIGHT NOW!"
In October I was told by someone "you sure are getting big for having such a long way to go!" Now all I seem to hear is "you sure don't look that big!" Will people make up their minds! I know that I feel big...and am running into the problem of not having much to wear b/c I'm too big...even for some of my pregnancy clothes. And I'm sure not going out to buy more for a few weeks!
My biggest complaint about pregnancy is the excruciating hip pain I have experienced at night for about 3 months now. This is one problem no one ever warned me about. Some nights are worse than others. Both legs will be in lots of pain (hips to ankles) and it will sometimes linger through midday...causing limping. I expected hip pain during the day b/c of the added weight & pressure on my hips when standing/working...but this night time pain really took me by surprise. It's frustrating because you expect to not sleep when the baby arrives...but I was hoping to get sleep before the big day. I guess I'm being prepared for what is to come in the way of sleepless nights.
It's weird to feel something moving around inside you. I just can't describe it! And it's even weirder to think about how I've become so used to the feelings. It's also interesting to think about how the moving has changed as she has gotten bigger and had less & less room to move around in. It's now more of a "rolling" feeling rather than a "kicking" feeling. Although every now and then she gets a good one in!
Putting it all in perspective, it has really been an amazing experience being pregnant.
It's fascinating how life begins!
Friday, May 11, 2007
super klutz 3
it's late, so i won't go into the long version...
i was in the hotel shower the night before the Indianapolis Mini Marathon...shaving...when all of a sudden...WHAM!! my right foot slipped back & slammed into the drain plug. OUCH!!! of course i also fell half out of the tub & jeremy came running in to find out what had happened. anyway...my foot was in some serious pain and i could only think about how this couldn't possibly be happening the night before i am to walk/run 13.1 miles! i get out...send my wonderful husband to the ice machine...ice it...try to walk...pain...bear through it and put my shoes on to do a couple of "practice laps" in the hallway of the hotel...pain. go back & continue to ice it. bump on arch of foot. pain. sleep. nice bruise in morning. determined to continue with mini. excitement of race & 35,000 people & goal to finish faster than last year slowly got my mind off the foot problem. or maybe it was the pain in the rest of my body that soon overpowered the pain in my foot....
a week later and the bruise is gone...but some pain still remains. especially when i'm walking out to my car and a rock hits the sole of my shoe exactly at my arch in just the right position...which happens more frequently than you would think. and then i have to do this funky little jig with my feet to quickly remedy the placement of my foot.
this is just another moment in the life of jessica leading to a daily reminder of who she is destined to be. **cue theme music** Super Klutz!
seriously...will the insanity of my klutziness ever end!!!
is klutziness even a word???
*so this ended up being a rather lengthy version anyway. my apologizes.*
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
ramblings of a tired girl
I am tired...I am sick of working on my house...I just want to go to bed...yet I can't seem to pull myself away from the computer. Something is wrong here. I feel like I'm back in college again. It's a strange sensation. And as I think about it, I realize it's the sensation of my bed calling my name...but me refusing to go to bed b/c I know the work that is in store for me tomorrow and I somehow think (in some deep corner of my mind) that if I don't go to bed I can avoid the work. I think it's the sleepyness talking. Or maybe it's the idea that I don't get to sit and just do nothing anymore...at least not at the computer...and there is some sort of addiction I once had and my body is remembering what it felt like to sit and stare at a computer when you're body is so tired the body is going faster than the process of thinking. Does that make sense to you? Have you ever had that feeling...where you're wondering how things can feel so slow...no...that's not it. It's the feeling of wondering how you're still typing so fast and things are still going on around you...but you're mind seems to be moving so slow...and you're somewhat in a daze...and trying to figure out if this reality is really happening to you.
Okay...I'm seriously done for the night. My rambling of nothingness has gone on far too long.
Adieu.
**i just noticed the time...the only difference between this feeling i have now and what i had in college is about 2-3 hours.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
super klutz 2
Current mood: lethargic
Category: Blogging
okay...if you weren't quite sure before if i was the biggest klutz in town, get this...
two days ago i am at a hostess's house getting things set up for her tastefully simple party. i am walking down stairs with a full crate in my hands (with several ceramics in it i might add)...when i miscalculated which step was the actual last step...and fell down. BUT...knowing i had a quite an armful that i couldn't just let fly...i sacrificed my knee. i do think it looked rather graceful, though. as graceful as a fall down the stairs with an armful can look. might i add that the hostess was there the entire time. yeah, quite embarrassing. but, hey, that's the story of my life. oh...and i almost fell again during the party. my pants, that i've needed hemmed for quite some time, got caught under my shoes...luckily my display table was there to catch my fall.
THEN....that's right...the day's not over. I was walking to bed that night and jeremy, who always turns my lamp on so i can see, turned off all the lights. i couldn't see a thing. and before i knew it, i ran right into the frame of the door into our bedroom. my toes hurt b/c i had apparently stubbed them. and the bottom of my foot stung a little. but not enough to think much about. i just shrugged it off as another clumsy moment and crawled into bed. but as i laid there, i realized that the bottom of my foot stung a little more than i thought. so i reached down to rub it, and felt a little stickiness. i turned on my lamp and, sure enough, there was blood. i had a pretty nice gash in the bottom of my foot. you see, old carpet had been pulled up in the house, but one small section of nails had been left right next to the door frame...one of those, "we'll get to it later" things. who walks pressed against the door frame anyway?? apparently ME!
once i realized what caused the slice in my foot, my immediate thought was tetannus. the jury's still out on that, but i'm sure i'm fine. i've been keeping it pretty clean with hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol & neosporin...oh...and of course...band-aid.
"I'm stuck on band-aid brand, 'cause band-aid's stuck on me!"
Saturday, February 24, 2007
super klutz
Current mood: sore
Well, I believe I am officially the biggest klutz in the Terre Haute area. Yesterday I was running late to work. I ran into a gas station to grab my breakfast of chocolate milk and a poptart. I parked in a different spot than normal b/c I was late and needed a closer spot. I got out of my car and began speed walking it to the door. Well...I only managed to get about 10 feet from my car when I suddenly realized my feet were flying out from under me, I was in the air, and falling back down while my poptart was becoming no longer edible. I landed HARD on my left elbow/forearm and rear. You know when you're about to get into a wreck and everything seems to go in slow motion? That didn't really happen to me, but my sense of my surroundings became very prominent during my fall. I saw my legs & arms flailing, 2 people across the parking lot, a school bus and lots of cars. The instant I hit ground I knew I must immediately get up so as not to be looked upon by everyone...although I don't know how they could have missed such a spectacle. I grabbed what was left of my poptart, jammed it into my coat pocket, and tried to walk away as if nothing had happened. Well bless her little heart, a student of about 4th or 5th grade, walked towards me and asked if I needed any help. To be honest, I could have used some major pain killers, but I smiled and forced out a laugh and said no, but thanks for asking...and went on to inform her that it was more embarassing than anything. I continued to walk into the school trying to look as if nothing had just happened. By the way, the 2nd person I saw mid-fall was some adult (not with the child) who didn't bother to even ask if I was okay. Just goes to show how wonderful children are compared to us adults.
I did manage to turn around and look at the sidewalk where I had slipped to see what had caused my misfortune. There wasn't really anything there...except a thin layer of ice that could only be seen if you were looking for it. Stupid snow melting every day and freezing every night!
I banged up my elbow pretty good as well as knock my back out of whack a little. I sent a student down to the nurse for some ice and I was told I needed to go down at some point in the day to fill out a report. I ended up going to the occupational health place that I was informed to go to for workman's comp reasons. They did an x-ray of my elbow/forearm and it came back clear. Thank goodness! I'm just stuck with a massive bump and a super sensitive arm. My time in that place was not pleasant, the doctor was unfriendly and uncaring...but that's a whole other story.
This comes after a week or so after, what I believe, is a re-break in my pinky toe on my left foot.
Just a couple of weeks before that I dropped a body wash bottle on my right foot while in the shower. It fell directly on the thinnest (and probably most sensitive) part of the foot...the exact part I broke in 6th grade b/c I was afraid of the dark. Again, another story. I'm pretty good at not crying when I am exposed to pain...but this incident immediately brought tears to my eyes.
And a couple of months before that I fell down the basement stairs. That was scary! I truly thought I was going to be stuck down there for hours until Jeremy came home. I was in so much pain I thought I had done something severe to my back. I forced myself to crawl up the stairs so I could be near a phone and I just laid on the living room floor for qutie some time waiting for the pain to localize (I might as well add I was crying the entire time...near to hyperventilating b/c I was so scared). The pain ended up localizing around my left butt cheek and a little in my lower back. Once I had calmed down, I got up to check out the damage and saw a massive bruise on nearly my entire cheek. I put ice on the affected area and laid down a little while longer. I ended up having the ugliest, largest bruise I have ever seen...and it was quite uncomfortable to sit for several days. This incident also spawned my going to the chiropractor to get my back all aligned.
****I might as well add that I walked out of school 7.5 hours after my unfortunate fall...only to see my cell phone on the sidewalk!!!! My bright pink cell phone was a huge contrast to the sidewalk and white snow. I literally gasped out loud when I saw it there. I was amazed that it hadn't been taken by some passerby or a student after school. It was just lying there in the open saying "hey, take me!" I picked it up and realized water was underneath it...because that ice I slipped on in the morning was now melted and the snow in the grass was melting and flowing to the street. So far my phone is fine...I took off the back and let it dry out.
Stupid snow melting every day and freezing every night!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Peanut butter scare
okay...i'm selling out a little on my blogging and just copying & pasting my "note" from facebook to put on myspace. but here it is...
let me just say...i will forever be addicted to peanut butter and love every ounce of every jar i ever buy...as long as it's Reduced Fat Creamy Jiff.
as far as this new peanut butter scare...may i first say, to all you "un-choosy" people out there who pick *gag* Peter Pan...or even worse, Great Value...maybe you just had it comin'. no...i'm not that harsh. but maybe this recall will allow you to finally come around to the bliss that is Jiff.
Ways to use your peanut butter: ***more ideas welcome***
1.) peanut butter sucker (p.b. on a spoon)
2.) peanut butter on pretzels
3.) peanut butter on Graham crackers
4.) peanut butter on Graham crackers w/ chocolate frosting
5.) peanut butter on banana
6.) peanut butter mixed w/ cheerios & honey
7.) peanut butter toast...drizzled with honey
8.) girlled peanut butter sandwich...honey not jelly...p.b. melts...divine!
9.) peanut butter on apple
10.) peanut butter in puppy chow
11.) peanut butter in no-bakes
12.) peanut butter & honey wrapped in tortila...warm in oven for greater results
13.) peanut butter on pancakes
14.) peanut butter icing (homemade) on zucchini brownies
15.) peanut butter on oreos...not peanut butter filled oreos
16.) peanut butter on Twisty Grahams
17.) peanut butter on celery sticks
18.) peanut butter on s'mores-aka "El-s'mores"...camping will never be the same
19.) peanut butter on ice cream...warmed & drizzled
20.) peanut butter on waffles
21.) to get gum out of hair
22.) help kids take their medicine
23.) help dogs take medicine
24.) make horses "talk"
25.) to put on mouse traps
Sunday, December 17, 2006
ozzie
Current mood:bummed
i am disheartened with the fact that Ozzie did not win Survivor this season. he was clearly the ultimate survivor...providing tons of food for everyone (an octopus-on 2 different occasions!...climbing trees for coconuts...spearing fish) and lets not forget that he won competitions left & right. and i do believe he played the game morally as clean as i've ever seen anyone play (at least since Colby from Outback). he didn't stab anyone in the back or flip sides...at least from what i can remember. but NO....he had to lose the million by one measely vote...to a stinkin' lawyer!! and can i just say...had the game been played as it has for 12 previous seasons where the winner of the final immunity challenge picks who he/she takes to the final two...i believe he would have won. oeuradslkfja;dslfqwieur! at least he won the mercury mariner at the reunion.
***on a side note...did anyone find that Ozzie showed a stricking resemblence to Joey Lawrence during the reunion show????? the 19-year old Blossom version of Joey that is..."whoa!"
Thursday, December 07, 2006
House woes
We are currently starting on getting our house all fixed up & ready to put on the market. It's amazing how many things pop out at you when you're wanting to sell your house. There is so much we have to work on & finish. Our bathroom remodeling needs to be completed, paint needs touching up, problems with leaky ceilings need to be patched & painted, cabinets need cleaned & painted, floors cleaned, bulbs replaced, junk & clutter packed (or thrown) away, furniture rearranged or put into storage, house powerwashed, yard work, clean out the basement, clean the garage, etc. etc.
If you have sold your home before, I would love some advice on what to put more energy in and what not to waste my time on. This is the first time I've done this and know I have lots to learn. We are hoping to have our realtor come by within the next week or so and do a quick estimate and run through to see what needs to be done. We'd LOVE to have it ready to put up on the market the first of the year...but there's a TON that needs to be done and I'm just not sure there's enough time for that to happen. I'll keep you posted.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Any day now!
Current mood: anxious
I realize I haven't blogged in quite some time. A lot has changed since my last blog...mainly being my pregnant belly! I'm almost 39 weeks pregnant!
As of week 38, baby Johnson was 8lbs! Based on averages (I'm assuming), her head measured at 38 weeks 1 day, stomach at 38 weeks 5 days, and femur at 39 weeks. Does this mean she's going to have long legs and a small head? If so, she's the opposite of me! haha.
I'm very excited to see what she looks like! Will she have lots of hair at birth? What color will her hair turn out to be? Will her eyes be blue like mine or hazel like Jeremy's...or will they be another color? Whose nose will she have?
All I can say is that I'm definitely done with being pregnant! Although, looking back, I haven't had a terrible pregnancy. I've never suffered from a lot of the ugly symptoms people warned me about (i.e. heart burn & constipation). I did have morning sickness for about 8 weeks which was definitely not fun. I had a couple of days where I couldn't keep down any food!
I did have a little scare before Thanksgiving and ended up in the hospital for 2 days. But since then I have been just fine!
I've never had "cravings" and I've never needed to eat "RIGHT NOW!"
In October I was told by someone "you sure are getting big for having such a long way to go!" Now all I seem to hear is "you sure don't look that big!" Will people make up their minds! I know that I feel big...and am running into the problem of not having much to wear b/c I'm too big...even for some of my pregnancy clothes. And I'm sure not going out to buy more for a few weeks!
My biggest complaint about pregnancy is the excruciating hip pain I have experienced at night for about 3 months now. This is one problem no one ever warned me about. Some nights are worse than others. Both legs will be in lots of pain (hips to ankles) and it will sometimes linger through midday...causing limping. I expected hip pain during the day b/c of the added weight & pressure on my hips when standing/working...but this night time pain really took me by surprise. It's frustrating because you expect to not sleep when the baby arrives...but I was hoping to get sleep before the big day. I guess I'm being prepared for what is to come in the way of sleepless nights.
It's weird to feel something moving around inside you. I just can't describe it! And it's even weirder to think about how I've become so used to the feelings. It's also interesting to think about how the moving has changed as she has gotten bigger and had less & less room to move around in. It's now more of a "rolling" feeling rather than a "kicking" feeling. Although every now and then she gets a good one in!
Putting it all in perspective, it has really been an amazing experience being pregnant.
It's fascinating how life begins!
Friday, May 11, 2007
super klutz 3
it's late, so i won't go into the long version...
i was in the hotel shower the night before the Indianapolis Mini Marathon...shaving...when all of a sudden...WHAM!! my right foot slipped back & slammed into the drain plug. OUCH!!! of course i also fell half out of the tub & jeremy came running in to find out what had happened. anyway...my foot was in some serious pain and i could only think about how this couldn't possibly be happening the night before i am to walk/run 13.1 miles! i get out...send my wonderful husband to the ice machine...ice it...try to walk...pain...bear through it and put my shoes on to do a couple of "practice laps" in the hallway of the hotel...pain. go back & continue to ice it. bump on arch of foot. pain. sleep. nice bruise in morning. determined to continue with mini. excitement of race & 35,000 people & goal to finish faster than last year slowly got my mind off the foot problem. or maybe it was the pain in the rest of my body that soon overpowered the pain in my foot....
a week later and the bruise is gone...but some pain still remains. especially when i'm walking out to my car and a rock hits the sole of my shoe exactly at my arch in just the right position...which happens more frequently than you would think. and then i have to do this funky little jig with my feet to quickly remedy the placement of my foot.
this is just another moment in the life of jessica leading to a daily reminder of who she is destined to be. **cue theme music** Super Klutz!
seriously...will the insanity of my klutziness ever end!!!
is klutziness even a word???
*so this ended up being a rather lengthy version anyway. my apologizes.*
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
ramblings of a tired girl
I am tired...I am sick of working on my house...I just want to go to bed...yet I can't seem to pull myself away from the computer. Something is wrong here. I feel like I'm back in college again. It's a strange sensation. And as I think about it, I realize it's the sensation of my bed calling my name...but me refusing to go to bed b/c I know the work that is in store for me tomorrow and I somehow think (in some deep corner of my mind) that if I don't go to bed I can avoid the work. I think it's the sleepyness talking. Or maybe it's the idea that I don't get to sit and just do nothing anymore...at least not at the computer...and there is some sort of addiction I once had and my body is remembering what it felt like to sit and stare at a computer when you're body is so tired the body is going faster than the process of thinking. Does that make sense to you? Have you ever had that feeling...where you're wondering how things can feel so slow...no...that's not it. It's the feeling of wondering how you're still typing so fast and things are still going on around you...but you're mind seems to be moving so slow...and you're somewhat in a daze...and trying to figure out if this reality is really happening to you.
Okay...I'm seriously done for the night. My rambling of nothingness has gone on far too long.
Adieu.
**i just noticed the time...the only difference between this feeling i have now and what i had in college is about 2-3 hours.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
super klutz 2
Current mood: lethargic
Category: Blogging
okay...if you weren't quite sure before if i was the biggest klutz in town, get this...
two days ago i am at a hostess's house getting things set up for her tastefully simple party. i am walking down stairs with a full crate in my hands (with several ceramics in it i might add)...when i miscalculated which step was the actual last step...and fell down. BUT...knowing i had a quite an armful that i couldn't just let fly...i sacrificed my knee. i do think it looked rather graceful, though. as graceful as a fall down the stairs with an armful can look. might i add that the hostess was there the entire time. yeah, quite embarrassing. but, hey, that's the story of my life. oh...and i almost fell again during the party. my pants, that i've needed hemmed for quite some time, got caught under my shoes...luckily my display table was there to catch my fall.
THEN....that's right...the day's not over. I was walking to bed that night and jeremy, who always turns my lamp on so i can see, turned off all the lights. i couldn't see a thing. and before i knew it, i ran right into the frame of the door into our bedroom. my toes hurt b/c i had apparently stubbed them. and the bottom of my foot stung a little. but not enough to think much about. i just shrugged it off as another clumsy moment and crawled into bed. but as i laid there, i realized that the bottom of my foot stung a little more than i thought. so i reached down to rub it, and felt a little stickiness. i turned on my lamp and, sure enough, there was blood. i had a pretty nice gash in the bottom of my foot. you see, old carpet had been pulled up in the house, but one small section of nails had been left right next to the door frame...one of those, "we'll get to it later" things. who walks pressed against the door frame anyway?? apparently ME!
once i realized what caused the slice in my foot, my immediate thought was tetannus. the jury's still out on that, but i'm sure i'm fine. i've been keeping it pretty clean with hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol & neosporin...oh...and of course...band-aid.
"I'm stuck on band-aid brand, 'cause band-aid's stuck on me!"
Saturday, February 24, 2007
super klutz
Current mood: sore
Well, I believe I am officially the biggest klutz in the Terre Haute area. Yesterday I was running late to work. I ran into a gas station to grab my breakfast of chocolate milk and a poptart. I parked in a different spot than normal b/c I was late and needed a closer spot. I got out of my car and began speed walking it to the door. Well...I only managed to get about 10 feet from my car when I suddenly realized my feet were flying out from under me, I was in the air, and falling back down while my poptart was becoming no longer edible. I landed HARD on my left elbow/forearm and rear. You know when you're about to get into a wreck and everything seems to go in slow motion? That didn't really happen to me, but my sense of my surroundings became very prominent during my fall. I saw my legs & arms flailing, 2 people across the parking lot, a school bus and lots of cars. The instant I hit ground I knew I must immediately get up so as not to be looked upon by everyone...although I don't know how they could have missed such a spectacle. I grabbed what was left of my poptart, jammed it into my coat pocket, and tried to walk away as if nothing had happened. Well bless her little heart, a student of about 4th or 5th grade, walked towards me and asked if I needed any help. To be honest, I could have used some major pain killers, but I smiled and forced out a laugh and said no, but thanks for asking...and went on to inform her that it was more embarassing than anything. I continued to walk into the school trying to look as if nothing had just happened. By the way, the 2nd person I saw mid-fall was some adult (not with the child) who didn't bother to even ask if I was okay. Just goes to show how wonderful children are compared to us adults.
I did manage to turn around and look at the sidewalk where I had slipped to see what had caused my misfortune. There wasn't really anything there...except a thin layer of ice that could only be seen if you were looking for it. Stupid snow melting every day and freezing every night!
I banged up my elbow pretty good as well as knock my back out of whack a little. I sent a student down to the nurse for some ice and I was told I needed to go down at some point in the day to fill out a report. I ended up going to the occupational health place that I was informed to go to for workman's comp reasons. They did an x-ray of my elbow/forearm and it came back clear. Thank goodness! I'm just stuck with a massive bump and a super sensitive arm. My time in that place was not pleasant, the doctor was unfriendly and uncaring...but that's a whole other story.
This comes after a week or so after, what I believe, is a re-break in my pinky toe on my left foot.
Just a couple of weeks before that I dropped a body wash bottle on my right foot while in the shower. It fell directly on the thinnest (and probably most sensitive) part of the foot...the exact part I broke in 6th grade b/c I was afraid of the dark. Again, another story. I'm pretty good at not crying when I am exposed to pain...but this incident immediately brought tears to my eyes.
And a couple of months before that I fell down the basement stairs. That was scary! I truly thought I was going to be stuck down there for hours until Jeremy came home. I was in so much pain I thought I had done something severe to my back. I forced myself to crawl up the stairs so I could be near a phone and I just laid on the living room floor for qutie some time waiting for the pain to localize (I might as well add I was crying the entire time...near to hyperventilating b/c I was so scared). The pain ended up localizing around my left butt cheek and a little in my lower back. Once I had calmed down, I got up to check out the damage and saw a massive bruise on nearly my entire cheek. I put ice on the affected area and laid down a little while longer. I ended up having the ugliest, largest bruise I have ever seen...and it was quite uncomfortable to sit for several days. This incident also spawned my going to the chiropractor to get my back all aligned.
****I might as well add that I walked out of school 7.5 hours after my unfortunate fall...only to see my cell phone on the sidewalk!!!! My bright pink cell phone was a huge contrast to the sidewalk and white snow. I literally gasped out loud when I saw it there. I was amazed that it hadn't been taken by some passerby or a student after school. It was just lying there in the open saying "hey, take me!" I picked it up and realized water was underneath it...because that ice I slipped on in the morning was now melted and the snow in the grass was melting and flowing to the street. So far my phone is fine...I took off the back and let it dry out.
Stupid snow melting every day and freezing every night!
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Peanut butter scare
okay...i'm selling out a little on my blogging and just copying & pasting my "note" from facebook to put on myspace. but here it is...
let me just say...i will forever be addicted to peanut butter and love every ounce of every jar i ever buy...as long as it's Reduced Fat Creamy Jiff.
as far as this new peanut butter scare...may i first say, to all you "un-choosy" people out there who pick *gag* Peter Pan...or even worse, Great Value...maybe you just had it comin'. no...i'm not that harsh. but maybe this recall will allow you to finally come around to the bliss that is Jiff.
Ways to use your peanut butter: ***more ideas welcome***
1.) peanut butter sucker (p.b. on a spoon)
2.) peanut butter on pretzels
3.) peanut butter on Graham crackers
4.) peanut butter on Graham crackers w/ chocolate frosting
5.) peanut butter on banana
6.) peanut butter mixed w/ cheerios & honey
7.) peanut butter toast...drizzled with honey
8.) girlled peanut butter sandwich...honey not jelly...p.b. melts...divine!
9.) peanut butter on apple
10.) peanut butter in puppy chow
11.) peanut butter in no-bakes
12.) peanut butter & honey wrapped in tortila...warm in oven for greater results
13.) peanut butter on pancakes
14.) peanut butter icing (homemade) on zucchini brownies
15.) peanut butter on oreos...not peanut butter filled oreos
16.) peanut butter on Twisty Grahams
17.) peanut butter on celery sticks
18.) peanut butter on s'mores-aka "El-s'mores"...camping will never be the same
19.) peanut butter on ice cream...warmed & drizzled
20.) peanut butter on waffles
21.) to get gum out of hair
22.) help kids take their medicine
23.) help dogs take medicine
24.) make horses "talk"
25.) to put on mouse traps
Sunday, December 17, 2006
ozzie
Current mood:bummed
i am disheartened with the fact that Ozzie did not win Survivor this season. he was clearly the ultimate survivor...providing tons of food for everyone (an octopus-on 2 different occasions!...climbing trees for coconuts...spearing fish) and lets not forget that he won competitions left & right. and i do believe he played the game morally as clean as i've ever seen anyone play (at least since Colby from Outback). he didn't stab anyone in the back or flip sides...at least from what i can remember. but NO....he had to lose the million by one measely vote...to a stinkin' lawyer!! and can i just say...had the game been played as it has for 12 previous seasons where the winner of the final immunity challenge picks who he/she takes to the final two...i believe he would have won. oeuradslkfja;dslfqwieur! at least he won the mercury mariner at the reunion.
***on a side note...did anyone find that Ozzie showed a stricking resemblence to Joey Lawrence during the reunion show????? the 19-year old Blossom version of Joey that is..."whoa!"
Thursday, December 07, 2006
House woes
We are currently starting on getting our house all fixed up & ready to put on the market. It's amazing how many things pop out at you when you're wanting to sell your house. There is so much we have to work on & finish. Our bathroom remodeling needs to be completed, paint needs touching up, problems with leaky ceilings need to be patched & painted, cabinets need cleaned & painted, floors cleaned, bulbs replaced, junk & clutter packed (or thrown) away, furniture rearranged or put into storage, house powerwashed, yard work, clean out the basement, clean the garage, etc. etc.
If you have sold your home before, I would love some advice on what to put more energy in and what not to waste my time on. This is the first time I've done this and know I have lots to learn. We are hoping to have our realtor come by within the next week or so and do a quick estimate and run through to see what needs to be done. We'd LOVE to have it ready to put up on the market the first of the year...but there's a TON that needs to be done and I'm just not sure there's enough time for that to happen. I'll keep you posted.
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