When people go to work, they shouldn't have to leave their hearts at home. ~ Betty Bender

wow, I have been so busy at work lately! I love when it's like that! It sure makes the day go by super fast!
  Last week I gave you a little teaser about what I was up to... and here's the full story!

   Stacy (have you visited her blog yet?) from work and I were part of a big secret! We were part of a team of people that put on a presentation to 1100 local high school kids about drinking and driving as well as texting and driving, called Operation Prom Night.  It was a reenactment of an accident involving a car full of high school students on their prom night versus a car with a local high school teacher and his 12 year old nephew.
    What was my roll you ask - I was the "Official Tarp Puller Offer" and "Official Headstone Putter Upper".  It's ok to tell me you're impressed.   I made the news.
(see this video footage:  http://www.heraldandnews.com/#vmix_media_id=71119631)

                                    If you are at all squeamish please quickly scroll down:
                                 And I again want to remind you this is a REENACTMENT!

 

The driver of the above car, a teenager, had been drinking.  He was not hurt in the accident - but spent 25 years in jail for his roll in the deaths of 3 people and for making his buddy a paraplegic.

 

I love those guys.  It is a huge honor to work with firefighters.  

 

The driver, a high school teacher, of the car on the right was killed (he had been texting)

We can only hope that this event impacted the students enough that they make wise decisions.  It was said that if we saved ONE life by putting on this reenactment, we did our job, and did it well.


  Another biggie in the world of working for the fire district as an Admin Assistant is being able to go to the scene of a fire.  I've been to a couple Burn to Learns but never an actual real life and devastating fire.  My job was to take food to the crews... I shall call this new title "Official Food Taker Outter" and I also played the roll of photographer - sounds too uppity so I shall call this "Official Taker of Pictures".  The fire was horrible... a total loss. I feel for the family.

Last weekend was BEAUTIFUL!!! We spent most of the time outside working in the flower gardens... and from these photos you know that Kenzie enjoyed her time in the sun too!

 

Always make time to give your daddy a hug. 

Good Idea: Finding Easter eggs on Easter Sunday. Bad Idea: Finding Easter eggs at Thanksgiving.

Sorry friends it's been a while since I've written... amazing how quickly time has passed between blogs. I am trying to come up with a set day of the week that I will write... I've tossed around "Taking the Time Tuesday
or "Whats up Wednesday" or "Talkin' Thursday".... I can't decide which day will be best... so I'm going to try to write on any one of those three days... weekly!
   So what have we been doing lately you ask? A couple weeks ago Matt and I went to Roseburg for 4 days... leaving Kenzie with my parents.  I had a work conference for two day (plus a driving day) and then Matt and I tacked on an extra day and went to a local Indian Casino... we had such a great time! We didn't win any big moolah, but didn't do terribly either! The conference itself was great and I was actually pumped up to take what I learned back to work to apply it... however it's been super busy around there! I'll get to my new to-do list soon... right?
    Last weekend was Easter - and we celebrated in style!
   Saturday we took Kenzie for her first public Easter egg hunt at our local college... there were like a begillion kids there and all the eggs were snatched up in 20 seconds! I was appalled at how the parents helping out the 0-3 year old group were so pushy!!! Geez people, these are tiny little kids and these Klammies as I like to call them (picture women in their tweety bird tshirts and baggy stained sweatpants.. you know the kind, I'm sure) were grabbing 10-11-12 eggs to give to their kids... it broke my heart to see little ones being pushed around like that! Kenzie being as tiny as she is, didn't stand a chance against the Klammies and their umpteen kids! I decided that there was no way she could compete against these fools and took her to the side of the roped off area... when they yelled go, I simply lifted my daughter over the rope so she could get her eggs.  I scooped up two that were right at her feet and guarded them so Kenzie could pick them up and put them in her basket all by herself. See what a good mommy I am... I break the rules, but at least I didn't knock little kids down.

Sunday we woke up to Matt making a big breakfast! As it cooked we went thru the basket the Easter Bunny filled! There was a Tangled movie, a couple shirts, some bangle bracelets, a bath toy, a pin wheel and a big chocolate bunny! The Easter bunny did a great job of spoiling our daughter... I do have it on good authority that the E.B. used coupons and hit the clearance racks to spoil her like this!! After breakfast we went outside to do Makenzie's first ever Easter egg hunt! She did awesome!!! She kept pointing at the eggs all over the lawn and running to each and put them in her basket all by herself! I have never seen such a big smile on such a tiny little girl!
     





   After our big adventure n the front yard we did a little chocolate bunny photo shoot and then we I watched Kenzie's new movie before we went to Auntie Wendy's house for dinner and another Easter egg hunt... the eggs at Auntie's house were filled with yogurt melts! That E.B. sure knows our girl!!! Again our girl was spoiled rotten - she sure is loved!!!


Next week I'll share with you the big event that I was a part of and the fire that I was on scene at today... until then my friends.

 

Life is something that everyone should try at least once. ~ Henry J. Tillman

Hi Friends (18)
  Sorry it's been a while since I've written - life has been busy!!! So what have we been up to you ask? Let's see... where did we leave off last... oh yes... our last day of Mexico! When we got home we immediately made an appointment with Dr. Hempel - alas a English speaking, glove wearing, working in a sterilized office Doctor! Turns out that the Dr. in Mexico was right.  Matt's system does not handle some sort of bacteria in the food in Mexico.  Four years ago on our honeymoon Matt had similar stomach problems - we just thought he got the flu - but looks like it was the first glimpse into a sensitive system.  Matt will have to take antibiotics prior to and while on vacation in foreign countries from here on out. We are just so thankful that it's as simple as that!!!
   We remodeled our master walk in closet... pulled out the carpet, painted the walls, painted the shelfs, stained the rods, and installed pergo... it looks awesome, if I do say so myself. *pats self on back*

   Kenzie had a Dr. appointment of her own this week - just a check up and no shots! YAY! At 16 months she now weighs 20.4 lbs fully clothed - which puts her in the 5th percentile (a bump up from the 0-3% she has been in) and is now 30 inches - 10th percentile! She can now say "bubble" and  "nanna" (banana) and can point out her belly button, nose and ears! She is such a smart little girl!!! She is so inquisitive and has such a fun imagination - I love watching my little sponge!!!
    Last weekend my mom came for a visit! We went to a bunch of garage sales and shopped around town, and she of course soaked up her little name sake! I miss my mom terribly so when ever I get to have time with just her I really cherish it!





   Oh and then there was the blog remodel... what do you think?

   

A Hospital is no place to be sick. ~ Samuel Goldwyn

Day 10
   Last night after we got back from our final family dinner... was awful!!! Matt said he wasn't feeling good... told me that his whole stomach was in extreme pain.  I asked how bad and he told me that if we were home he'd ask me to take him to the ER. I know some of you don't know my husband well... so let me explain. He doesn't like to go to the Dr. and he is not one to just take medicine to see if it makes him feel better... so me getting him tums and pepto were a no go... It was about 10:30pm or so and I decided I was going to call my mom (who is a RN) - she was a bit worried but Matt being Matt refused to let her come to the room to check on him.  She said he shouldn't drink or eat anything thru out the night... After a night of hell for my husband who was up dry heaving (this will come up again later in this post - pun not intended), moaning in pain, and unable to sleep (he tried every position imaginable!) morning finally came.  I called mom again and she came over (I didn't ask permission this time... I was really worried!) she came in and asked Matt where he was hurting and he said that most of the pain was coming from just below the center of his rib cage.  She said she was going to go back to her to get some dramamine... in the mean time I was getting Makenzie ready for the day and was packing while Matt laid in bed. Then mom called, told me that she really thinks Matt needs to see the resort Dr. and that the Dr. would be in touch shortly.  I told Matt and he agreed... HE AGREED! Now I was getting really worried.
    A few minutes later the Dr. called the room and I explained what was going on and he said he would come to see Matt. A few minutes later the Dr. and his nurse came in and talked with Matt, he pushed in his tummy in lots of different spots and Matt kept wincing in pain.  My sweet husband was hurting so bad!!! Matt explained to the Dr (who is Mexican mind you) that he had been dry heaving and the Dr. said ""dry hips" what is this "dry hips"" ... oh no... Matt then had to explain that nothing would come up with he would vomit. Dr. said he had never heard of "dry hips".  Dr. then tells us that Matt needs to go to the ER... oh shit. All I could picture in my head was an ambulance (shout out to my paramedics!) screaming to the resort, I imagined a gurney, and commotion.  NOPE. The Dr. told us it would be faster for him to take us in his car.
   So we walked down to Dr's SUV and got in... Now remember when I've talked about the pulmanias - you know the little golf cart taxis that drive soooo hectic and fast all over town... well they didn't hold a candle to Matt's Dr's driving... oh no not even a match (get it... not a candle, not a match) The guy drove like a bat out of hell... and then I was SUPER worried... why would the Dr. drive like this if he wasn't worried too!!!
   When we got to the hospital we were immediately put into a room (which was nothing but a curtained off area) and was told that they would be taking Matt's blood and giving him an ultrasound.  So when the guy came to draw blood and couldn't speak a lick of English I was a little concerned... but we were in a hospital so everything would be ok and safe... right?  So the blood draw guy brings over a little tray filled with vials to collect blood and cotton balls - he tourniquets Matt's arm sticks a needle in... all with out gloves mind you... and out pours Matt's blood... I mean really pouring out... there was nothing to catch it.  They didn't have those vial things that stop the blood in between vials.. nope that's what a good ol' fashioned un-gloved forefinger is for... it seemed like blood was everywhere. oh my god. Blood had dripped off the his arms and down the bed and onto the floor, all over the blood draw guy's hands and it was also all over Matt's shirt. When they finally had taken enough blood to run tests with they simply stuck in the iv... which was filled with an oddly bright yellow liquid... saline? who knows it could have been cat pee for all we know. The blood guy wiped his hands on some cotton ball and called it good. Do you feel woozy or is it just me?
   While we waited for the ultrasound we could hear the two Americans in the next curtained off area... one was telling the other that he had been diagnosed with some sort of parasite and the other guy had been diagnosed with appendicitis. They both stated that they think that the Drs here just tell you something... just to be able to diagnose you. OH MY GOD! OK now I am freaking out! I tell Matt unless it's life threatening we are NOT letting these people operate.  We will get on our plane that is leaving in a few short hours and fly our asses across the border to the land of western medicine; where they understand blood born pathogens!
    Soon we were being taken to a room about the size of my master closet where the ultrasound was... it also happened to be some sort of passage way between one portion of the hospital and the ER... because people were coming thru our room at a pretty steady rate. lovely. The Ultrasound tech comes in, squeezes some goop on Matt's stomach and starts waving a wand looking at his organs, as he is doing so, he is telling us each organ and that it looks perfectly normal.  Thank God... no appendicitis and no bad gallbladder wheww.... He does tell us Matt's intestines look swollen as does his liver but no worries he tells us... it's from too much drinking hardy har har har. He tells us that the Dr. will see us soon and will tell us what needs to happen from here.  
   We head back to the curtained room just in time to see the blood draw guy "changing the sheets on the bed" which apparently in Mexico means... putting another sheet over the blood stained one. I am going to passout. Seriously! this is how to clean up a bloody sheet? simply hide it! Yup that's the answer! While we are waiting for the Dr. to come talk to us I call the resort... we are supposed to leave the resort for the airport in 40 minutes. I am freaking out that we are going to miss our plane! I hadn't even finished packing!!! Mom tells us not to worry that if we need to get another flight tomorrow we can (mom and dad were staying another week!) but in the mean time until they hear from us they will pack our things for us...
   We wait another 15-20 minutes before the Dr. comes back (I was watching the clock more then I do when I am at work!).  The Dr. tells us that he thinks something Matt has eaten has not set well with his system... He tells us it could be cheese. The cheese in Mazatlan is all goat cheese. Between the bacteria in whatever he ate and the beer was causing the problems.  He gives Matt like 4 prescriptions and tells us his nurse is on her way to pick us up to take us back to the resort! While we are waiting for her, I pay the bill out of pocket... I decided I did not want to mess with insurance until I got back to the states and the land of ENGLISH! The bill... $8200 pesos... $820 American. Good thing good ol' Visa and I are buddies.
    After our nurse drops us off at the resort we rush to the room and make sure everything is in order (Makenzie was well taken care of by my folks while we were gone) to get on the plane and head home... We exchange our pesos for American, pay the happy hour bills from the week and get on the shuttle to go to the airport! 
    There were no problems at the Mazatlan airport and made it to LA in a couple hours... Matt was still hurting pretty bad and was taking some pretty heavy duty pain killers.  We had to go thru customs which if you have had to do... sucks! It takes forever... especially when you do your paperwork in red ink... apparently they don't like that and make you get out of line to fill out all the proper forms in a blue or black ink pen and get back in line.... oh and you really should have the signature that matches the head of household name.... which means we had to again get out of line and do the paperwork again....all the while entertaining a 15 month old bored baby girl... where the hell is my blood pressure medicine?
    We had a few hour lay over in LA... as did Greg's family and Jeff's... so we grabbed some Burger King... Matt opted to avoid food at all costs. and wait.  We said our goodbyes to my brothers and their beautiful families and boarded our plane to Medford.  All three of us slept most of the way... We finally arrived in Medford at about midnight... 12 hours after leaving our resort. We got a cab (which was took about 20 minutes) to take us across the street to our hotel... tomorrow... tomorrow we get to go home! HOME!!!

Happiness consists of living each day as if it were the first day of your honeymoon and the last day of your vacation ~ unknown

Day 9
   Today is the last full day in Mazatlan! BOOO!!! We could totally use a few more days of the sunshine... we were just getting on a schedule!
   We woke up to news there was a 8.9 earthquake in Japan - which means tsunami warnings for us! We got a notice on our door that we could expect 6 foot waves and to be cautious on the beach.  The lifeguards put up posts along the shore line to track if the ocean is receeding... kinda scary.  We aren't too worried because of where Mazatlan sits... you can't see it but there is a penisula out there protecting us! Matt being Matt made sure we had a plan if a tsunami came... he directed me to grab any child (especially my own) and run to the furthest building and run up the stairs... he too would grab as many kids as he could fit under his arms and would meet us at the penthouse... kinda scary but glad we had a plan... just in case.
   We layed by the pool all day trying to soak up as much warmth as we could! Trying to milk every last minute in the pool with our little one! When it was time to put Kenzie down for a nap I started packing to leave tomorrow.  It's bitter sweet.  I am ready to see our Sunny Moo but NOT ready to head back to snow.
       That night we all got dressed up and went to our last family meal at a restaurant called Chili Peppers... it over looks the ocean... It was super fun, they had people walking around doing character drawings, selling roses, magic (dad got in on that one!) and of course a mariachi band (insert La Cucaracha here)  Matt bought Kenzie a drawing which turned out pretty good - they made her look like a mermaid with a heart thought bubble that says daddy loves mommy. Pretty cute! We all made our way out to the dance floor - which really was an alley in between two restaurants, but that didn't matter to us - we boogied!!! Matt wasn't feeling too good but he was being such a trooper!!! I love that man.

Tequila. Straight. There's a real polite drink. You keep drinking until you finally take one more and it just won't go down. Then you know you've reached your limit. ~ Lee Marvin

Day 8
   Mom and Dad babysat Makenzie while Matt and I went to to the Old Market - I HAD to show him the full sized pig heads for sale!!! The market is in old town Mazatlan and it's part grocery (if you call mayonnaise in big vats swarmed by flies and pig parts groceries) it also has little booths with touristy stuff for sale.  We walked thru the first time pretty quickly just to get our bearings straight and come up with a game plan.  The second time we walked thru we took our time - we were looking for cigars for Matt's co-workers and little gifts for Matt's family and presents for Megan (our dog sitter).
   We couldn't find the cigars so we took a palmania and went to the Golden Zone.  While we were in the GZ we stopped by a tequila distillery (mmmm tequila!) Here we tasted 3 different kinds - two of which were made from mangoes - sounds delicious doesn't it - it was NOT! It was awful and tasted like gasoline!!! YUCK!!
   When we came back to the resort we again laid out by the pool and caught some rays (my tan and all)  That night I made fajitas and enchiladas and daddy made delicious Kahlua and milk!!! mmmm!!!! Then we played "screw your neighbor" - one of our family traditions is when someone gets out we all sing "TURN OUT THE LIGHTS THE PARTY'S OVER!" It's loud, it's obnoxious and irritating when you are the one that lost... but none the less we do it!

   Little sad tomorrow is the last full day...
This photo is for the benefit of Stacy... speedos and cowboy hats. nice.

“Whoever said money can't buy happiness simply didn't know where to go shopping.~ Bo Derek

Day 7
   Today I got up pretty early (on my own - and not because the little one woke me up - amazing!).  I grabbed some change (pesos) the laundry bag and headed down to the washers/dryers on the property.  I was soooo shocked to see that the washers/dryers wouldn't take the coins and that I would have to buy tokens... and at FIVE DOLLARS a load I was not a happy camper - seriously five dollars? in Mexico?! I had to borrow some cash from Jeff (Jeff and his family and my parents all had a ground floor room and our was on the fifth floor - so it was much easier to borrow and not risk waking Matt and Makenzie).  I hate doing chores on vacation (but seemed to do lots of them) but the lack of clean panties drove me to do the laundry.  We purposely packed light (well not Makenzie - I had enough clothes and swimsuits to outfit every tiny 15 month old in Mexico for a month) so we could avoid the fee for going over the 50lb limit for a suitcase.

   After the laundry all of us, with the exception of Matt, went to town.  Greg's family had to find a optometrist to replace Jake's glasses and the rest of us went shopping in the Golden Zone (this is a series of little shops several blocks long).  There I bought an authentic fake Ralph Lauren purse and matching wallet for only $400 pesos (about $36 American). Mom, Jodee and I were also given silver bracelets just for listening to the jewelry store sales guy!
  We met up with Greg's family for lunch where while sitting on my lap, Kenzie pee'd alllllll over me! We didn't bring enough diapers for the trip (we think it's because we were constantly taking her out of a regular diaper and putting her in swim diapers) so I had to buy Mexico diapers - and believe me they do not have the standards that our beloved Pampers have!  I think I upset Jeff and Jodee by refusing to take a family photo of me in my urinated on clothes and my half naked daughter (I forgot a spare outfit!) and sans my husband.
    While we were out and a bout Matt stayed behind to catch up on some sleep - he also swept and mopped our rooms (see I'm not the only one that does chores on vacation).
    When we got back to the resort I put Makenzie down for a much needed nap and I settled into a lounge chair on the deck to read and soak up some sun (have I mentioned how tan I am!).  when Kenzie woke up we went down to the pool side where all the little kidlets at the resort took turns smashing a pinata - when in Mexico do as the Mexicans! 

  That night we grilled hamburgers and then went to watch Karaoke at the bar's lounge.