Margaret Thatcher Suite

(edited to add text)

So, we're attending QuakeCon this weekend. It kicked off yesterday (Thursday), and last night we got to sit through the 3 hour keynote address by John Carmack. Afterwards, we had some food in a hotel restaurant and went up to check out Marty's room, which is supposedly where the id parties happen. Turns out, it was the Margaret Thatcher Suite. There was a portrait of Mags hanging outside, and the suite was filled with photos and memoribilia.

I'm sure there will be more interesting photos to come. Cass had very little to drink last night. :)

Medical updates

It's been 2 weeks since I had my bike accident. My knee is in much better shape. I've been using J&J Advance Healing bandages, and they really do the trick. I'm down to covering the smallest little area, and I've already started Mederma treatment on the pink skin. My knee and shoulder aren't as flexible as they were, but I don't have any pain anymore. I've been riding my bike pretty much daily.

In other medical news, Cameron was diagnosed with mononucleosis, bronchitis, and an ear infection last night. She started running a fever Sunday evening after we got back from the zoo. I hoped it was just a virus, so I made her rest and drink fluids all day Monday. By Monday evening, she had gone downhill so I rushed her off to the local urgent care.

I was certain it was strep throat, so I kind of laughed when the P.A. wanted to do a CBC, mono test, and chest x-ray. Sure enough, I was wrong - her mono test came back positive, rapid strep was negative, and the chest x-ray showed bronchitis. She's on antibiotics for 10 days, plus she prescribed some Tylenol 3 with codeine so she can get some relief from her sore throat.

Zoo

We decided to go to the Fort Worth Zoo today. It's about an hour drive from where we live. It was probably the hottest day of the year, but we managed to survive without dehydrating. Well, Cameron nearly dehydrated, but we survived her dramatics. :)

Gorilla exhibit

3 monkeys

Elephants and their bath toys

In the bird exhibit

Had to spend $0.50 to press a penny

In the Texas Wild exhibit

When we got in the car to go home

Run for your life!!

I was strolling down memory lane a little bit yesterday, and I had to go dig up this video of Luke. It was early 2005, so he was just over 2 years old.



There was a cute one of Logan, but she was running around naked - so it's not appropriate for the internets. Here's another one of her video moments.




We didn't have video capability with our digital camera when Cameron was little, so unfortunately we don't have any funny videos of her. She's not very funny anyway. Kidding!!

Meow

Today, we're riding in the car, and Cameron tells me that my personality reminds her of a cat. Usually, I'm not listening too intently to car conversation, because Cameron talks A LOT - but that caught my attention. Because I think she's onto something there.

What Cameron meant, she clarified, was that most of the time I'm adorable and loving (Cass, stop laughing), but the claws can come out at a moment's notice. I can buy that from her, but I'm not exactly like that to other adults.

I think I'm like a cat in that I'm a take-it-or-leave it, finicky, self-contained kind of person.

For the record, Logan reminds her of a butterfly, and Luke reminds her of a dog. No word on herself or Cass.

It's hot up in here

We've been to the pool the last 2 days, and I've had to sit in the
shade. Quite unlike me.

Must see blog

Cake Wrecks

It's good for many chuckles.

If you don't read through the old posts, you will miss this gem. I laughed so hard, I cried!

Random stuff

This week, the girls have been taking enrichment classes at one of the other elementary schools in Rockwall. It's officially called RACE class, and I think it stands for Rockwall Academy of Creative Exploration - or something like that. They offer all kinds of stuff - from Sewing to Scrapbooking to Brain Games to Yoga.

I signed them up when I got the brochure, because they offer Etiquette 101. I took Etiquette from Mrs. Clements in 8th grade, and I can still remember how to set the table - so I want them to learn some manners. But RACE is a 2 week course, and Etiquette is only offered the second week. So this week, Cameron took Photography and Logan took Collage Art.

We got Cameron a digital camera (hers is blue) for Christmas, and not only has she not lost it - she's actually become a pretty good little photographer. She worked with another girl, and together they made several slide shows. I was going to post one of their slide shows, Skittle Massacre (starring 2 Webkinz dogs and a bag of Skittles), but it's a Power Point, and Blogger doesn't like it in that format.

Logan made several different collages. The one she did of her family is pictured below. Hers is the one on the top left. (Now that I look at it, she also did the one on the bottom left.)

Next week, they have Etiquette, and they'll learn table manners and phone manners. Should be interesting. It's being taught by the Assistant Superintendent of RISD.

When Memrie and family were here earlier this week, we rented a pontoon boat and went out on Lake Ray Hubbard. Here are my turkeys on the boat:

I took the girls to see an orthodontist yesterday. We'd been seeing one for monitoring in Round Rock, so I had to find a new one here. Apparently, the "in" thing for orthodontics now is what the doc referred to as the Julia Roberts u-shaped arch. Logan has it already and won't require much orthodontic work other than braces - Cameron would require an expander then braces to achieve it. Without it (and to maintain her natural v-shaped arch), Cameron will need some extractions, because she doesn't have enough space for her permanent teeth to come in. Who knew that there were "trends" in orthodontics. But this one has been around since the 90s, he says. I've got to do some reading up on it.

Back in the saddle

48 hrs after nearly killing myself, I got back out there and rode my bike again. I rode the regular route - 1 lap, about 3-3.5 miles.

The city is doing some utility work on one of the main roads, which is where part of our bike path runs. We had already made one loop and had ridden by all the worker guys. They had a bunch of machines out there, and there were hoses and pipes stretched all across the sidewalk/bike path. For days (weeks, really), we've just ridden right over them and gone along our merry way. But on the second pass Tuesday morning, I was standing on my pedals to lessen the bumps, and when I hit one of the pipes, my front wheel turned sideways. The bike fell, I went off to the right, hit the sidewalk, and ended up in the grass.

I scraped my right knee, my right shoulder, the right side of my face (although the chin strap of my helmet took the brunt of that) - I also scraped the top of my left hand and wrist. I was able to get back on my bike after adjusting the seat and getting the chain back on, and I rode home.

After about 24 hours, it was evident that I twisted my right leg and knee. My shoulder is also sprained. Today I realized that my right thumb must have gotten wrenched, and my jaw pops on the right side where it got hit.

Today though, I felt like a short ride. So Cass and I did one loop, but much slower. The most annoying thing was the bandage on my right knee kept me from being able to pedal full-out, but that's probably a good thing.

It will be months before my scraped-up knee heals. I don't think I ever banged up my knees this badly when I was little.

Bicyclist vs. Concrete

Thank goodness I have my own personal nurse staying at my house. :)

Waffle House

Rock on

We've played Rock Band at John's and Micheal's (Jason's) houses, and
we liked it - a lot. So we got it Monday. As well as an Xbox 360,
because it's the one where you can download more songs.

I am currently a rocker named Sachi, and I'm on tour. We're playing
in London.

Lunch at Kaze

Kids are in Mississippi. Cass took the day off to hang out with me.
We are having lunch at a Japanese place, Kaze. Cass got California
rolls and a giant bowl of U-don. I got lunch-in-a-box - teriyaki
chicken, steamed rice, salad, and some kind of dessert. That little
drink in the top right of my box tastes like liquid Sweet Tarts.

Swing

Swing

Swing

Dirt

Fireworks

Clubhouse

Hammock

I don't think this is the intended use of the hammock.

Playing

Homemade ice cream

Haircuts

I finally let Cameron get a "side bang" after months of begging.
Apparently it's the thing with 10 year old girls.

Logan wanted shorter with layers.

Luke just wanted "handsome hair."

House stuff

While the girls were at camp, I intended to get their rooms decorated. But while I was looking for stuff for their rooms, I found some cute stuff for Luke's bathroom. His old fish stuff had been around since we lived in Pflugerville, and it was getting stained.

His new bathroom stuff is called Monkeying Around. It's from Bed Bath & Beyond (or Linens N Things - can't remember). We got a palm tree to put in there, along with some jungle themed decor and new towels.

I cut off the bath mat at the bottom, but it's a monkey face

Monkey shower curtain and bamboo blind that I put up

The curtains for Luke's room ~finally~ came in (2 months later). When I get another curtain rod, I've got 2 more panels to hang over that very odd door that goes into the backyard.

I just wish I had the desire to get into a painting project. I can't even bring myself to get estimates right now. It will be a MAJOR undertaking when we decide to have it done.