Weekend Wrap-up!

Caption Contest Winner: This week it goes to Aynde with, "Republican senators, in a last ditch effort to block the stimulus package, have started threatening the current administration with their deadly laser vision."
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Weight Watchers Update: Only up half-a-pound despite eating chocolate since Thursday. Dare I say I'm sick of chocolate (for the moment). It's almost obligatory to eat it, ya know? So Steve and I are taking some in to our respective offices. Yesterday I did buy two new pairs of jeans! I'm down to a 16W. My previous pairs I could take off without undoing them. Good times!
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Long weekend. Let's start with Friday. Big storm coming so all the school bailed and I had to stay home. Started some errands around 0900 when the visibility was probably at its worst. After going to the store I went to my chiro's office while the girls played in the waiting area. Wanted to get Mal's hair cut but they were closed. The roads were really pretty crappy and everyone forgot how to drive. Mal had a F/U appointment for her pink eye/ear infection originally scheduled for 2 but I switched it to 11. Come to find out that her right ear is still infected and it's not going anywhere. Made an ENT appointment for tomorrow to discuss tubes. While she was at the doctors she got two shots of Rocephin and we had to wait 20" to make sure she didn't have a reaction.

GUESS WHAT?!?!?!

She had a reaction! She went on benadryl for 24h. Once her ears are taken care of Dr. Hudson wants me to make an appointment with the pedi allergist (I know him) and get her tested for antibiotics. Swell.

By the time we got home I was mentally exhausted. Mallory slept for three hours. Jenna napped for two. Here are a few photos of the snow from Friday:This one shows about 6" of snow on our deck table. This happened in about 4 hours.
Looking out our front door across the street. Visibility wasn't great and this was 4 hours into the snow storm.
After the snow. There was no wind and, therefore, didn't blow off on where it collected. I love my whirly-gig-thingy.
This lump, believe it or not, is Jenna's sand box.
Jenna's rocekt swing.
A gazing ball on the deck.
My gargoyle, Mikhail, on the front porch.

Mallory's first ride in the sled on Saturday. She wasn't too thrilled with it.

The snowman Jen and I made on Sunday. I love these "warm" snows. Sunday was sunny and 30 with no wind. Very pleasant.

Valentine's Day rolled around without a whole lot of fanfare. Personally, I despise the holiday and all its crass commercialism. But I did something this year that my dad did a couple of time for me when I was older.

One of Nebraska's cities in the sandhills is called Valentine. And every year people from around the world participate in Cupid's Mailbox. You amil cards to Cupid and they will, in turn, apply a special postmark. I was afraid I mailed mine too late but everyone got their cards either Friday or Saturday. Give a try next year.

Saturday afternoon mom came home from her bike trip to Costa Rica. Yeah, she's really enjoying her retirement! By the sounds of it she had a great time and her emails reflected that. She mentioned quite a few animals she'd seen in the jungle like howler monkeys, cuatamundis, sloths, iguanas, azure butterflies. She kept expecting to see King Kong come out of the cloud forest. I knew she was tired but I invited her to join us at Mama's Pizza for Valentine's dinner of beer and pizza. She gladly accepted. The place wasn't too busy and the food/beer was wonderful.

Mallory got her hair cut Saturday. I originally had jus the sides and top trimmed up thinking I was going to let it grow out like Jenna's. But it's so cute as a modified "Dorothy Hamil" that I think I'll keep it short. Surprisingly at this age with the short hair she doesn't look like a boy. We all know how androgenous toddlers are, but she's got enough feminine facial features that you still know, ya know? Did that even make sense??

Sunday....gawd the house is a disaster. Still haven't gotten around to painting our bedroom. Dishes piled up in the kitchen, toys scattered throughout the house. I can only put up with that for just so long before I snap and it's gotta get straightened up. I know it'll only last for an hour or two, but it helps redirect the energy (mine) and the stress level goes down.

So I'll know more tomorrow about when Mal goes infor tubes. I'd rather have the surgery than rounds and rounds of antibiotics. I know it's a simple procedure and I've had ti done four times, but this will be the first-ever surgery for either of my kids and I'm wary.