PAIN!!!!

I had my tumor removed from my thumb this past Thursday (the tumor was benign). I had a lot of stuff planned directly after, because I haven't been without the use of a hand before. I have found that since I don't have use of my dominant hand, I can't do a lot of things.

Things that have been difficult:

changing a diaper
putting deodorant on left arm with left hand
typing
writing
washing left armpit
eating
reading
folding clothes
many other daily tasks

Things that are just impossible:

tying shoes
putting on a bra
opening the plastic on crackers
my hair!!!
I'm sure there are other things, I just can't think of more right now

I went to the doctor's office today and had my stitches removed. That brought me to tears, one of the most painful things that has ever happened to me. As I said before my tumor is benign. They didn't have to cut nerves, but they did have to move them around a bit, so the tip of my thumb is a little numb, I kind if wish the rest of the thumb could have that numbness. After dealing with the pain, I realized I can't move my thumb at all. That just about brings on another round of tears. Not being able to move something that you know should move. Hopefully it will get better, with this next week. I go in again Mar 7th.

Total Bliss

We finally caught up with the 20th century this weekend. (Some day we'll get into the right century.)

I got a new dishwasher Saturday night. Hubby hooked it up for me that night too. I did not know how happy a dishwasher would make me. I got done in the kitchen so fast with dishes it wasn't even funny. I had been telling myself for a long time, it didn't take much longer to not have a dishwasher. Oh, boy, was I wrong.

Well, not only did my dishwasher bring me a present, as you can tell from the pictures, Bobo got a present too. He's busy "painting" it right now.

PS went to get eye exams today. Kid 1 needs glasses (which we already knew) Mom could possibly use some one day. Kid 2 good eyesight.

Have a great day!

Thank you all you Homeschoolers

I have just been thinking how much I have loved home schooling lately. Yes, there are some extra trials, but no more than when they were in a public school system. I have loved meeting all the other parents that home school. Getting to hear their points of view on things. Usually inspired in some way by some one else that is home schooling. Then the most amazing thing is how each of us that are home schooling have such a unique approach. Each household runs so differently from another. At least not so far have I met two different set of parents that are homeschooling the same way. I so love to get inspired on certain things on how others are doing things, or a specific view of their life. Which, in turn, I have been able to help improve my life and my family.

Thanks for all your inspiration!

Vacation Was Good and Safe From the Storms

We have been back for a few days now, we had no damage from the storms. We spent a good bit of time in our small "safe" place in our house, playing games, singing songs and finally letting the kids watch a movie on the laptop. I am still pretty bad about getting time to update my blog.

We had a blast on vacation. We got to visit the National Mall in DC after our first night there. We left the hotel on the shuttle to the airport to catch the metro right before 10. The kids did great getting on and off the metro. Definitely some scary thoughts going through a mother's head so close to all the things and what could go wrong around the metro. We were good though.

We started with looking through the Smithsonian Castle, of course that looks so cool to the girls. Our first real museum was the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. The kids all enjoyed the animals and bones all throughout. Then the girls found the minerals. They were excited about seeing the the "Hope diamond". Then they found all the minerals and gems. Kid 2 decided this was her favorite exhibit ever. Especially all the jewelry. We just about had to drag them out of that area. They were amazed at all the minerals (not just the jewelry.) Now I know what we need to focus our science on for a little while.

We ate at the Natural History museum----OUCH, expensive. Two cheeseburgers and fries, 3 hot dogs and fries and 3 drinks----$42. The hot dogs tasted great, the cheeseburgers, kind of nasty.

The next museum was the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum. The kids loved this museum too, because there is so much hands on stuff. Very fun, very exciting.

We got done at the museums close to 5, that's a pretty long day for all the kids. You can tell, by Bo-bo in his stroller. Dad really wanted to hike on to the Washington Monument and then onto the Lincoln Memorial. We hiked just about all the way to the Washington Monument. The wind was quite cold, kids tired, you can imagine the whining going on. So we saw the Washington Monument quite close, but then it was time to go back.

We spent the next couple of days in the hotel, due to Dad's class and Mom not wanting to face the DC traffic with 3 kids or the metro and the weather was pretty bad the second day, almost freezing rain. The only thing that was a little disturbing about being in the hotel was the construction going on in the hotel. That was not pleasant.

Saturday we left to go home and stopped at a cavern on the way home and saw anthodites, I guess they are only in this cavern. Very cool, small cavern trip.

I'll get some more pictures on flickr.com soon.