Couldn't be better!

What? Christmas tree? Yes it was the best day ever. Lex woke me up at 2:00pm. I got to sleep in! Then we got ready to get our Christmas Tree! Lexie picked out an Easter dress, tights and shoes to wear. We went to Freddy's. We picked up Lexie's favorite meal; Chicken breast and macarroni and cheese. We got some water to drink, and shopped. We got her "early" present. After watching her play the guitar at Tyller's birthday, it was clear to me what she really wanted. Grammy and I had already got presents for her, but Impulse Buy!!!!! She now is a guitarist. She loves it! We went outside to pick a tree, IT WAS SNOWING! How perfect is that? Lexie picked the tree. I have never found such a great tree, on my honor! Snowing! Easter dress! Skipping, dancing, and singing the whole time. We brought the tree home, and I put lights on while Lexie cheered me on. It's harder to put up a tree by yourself than I thought. We brought out the ornaments and Lexie took the non-glass ones, I took the breakables. We tried to call Great Aunt Christine to thank her, Steve reminded us she left for Jason, California, yesterday. Chris is 100% responsible for EVERY ornament on the tree. As Lex says, "It is the best tree in the universe!" We've had a terrific day. Now to Scooby Doo winter movie fest!

MAD MAX!

A little vent? Lex's dad is saying things to her that scare her and make her sad. I've heard it from her, her teacher, her counselor. I'm upset enough that I want to call him and give him a taste of what I think, but it could do no good. I'm stuck? no. Pissed? yes. What to do. He has a tendency for this, it's part of why we are apart now. He used to do this to me, now her! What to do! I'm so frustrated about this! Thanks to God that we have Ms. Amy, Counselor Amy, Grammy, and Grandpa (Mr. Tom too) to ground her. These people are the best! What "he" has done is un-done by their love and support. What to do? I just don't know. She is a happy, healthy, wonderful girl. I just don't know what to do.

Five years ago!

I am thirty-seven years old! As I type this, my super-cat, Tiki, keeps trying to "nose" my fingers, and purr me. He's a great cat! Griffen has finally given up trying to get onto my lap. Lexie is in bed..., but eating french toast sticks (with syrup) and cheesey eggs. My iPod just downloaded all the books I'll want for the rest of the year.

Five years ago, yesterday, at midnight-ish I sat up in bed, awake, with small cramps. I went and looked at myself in the hall mirror and asked myself if "this was it." I paced around, smiling, remembering that I had talked to Tracy on the phone that night about watching "Nine and a half weeks" the night of childbirth. Cramps became more uncomfortable. I woke up Lexie's dad and told him I thought this might be the real deal. Mom was asleep in the RV camper outside. I tried to write down the time of my last "contraction?" Then another one came. I wrote down the time again on the notepad. Five or six later someone, I think it was me, pushed the button on the intercom, so recently installed, between house and RV. Mom came in, and the only other thing I remember before the hospital is the ride in the car on TV highway. Strangest thing, I thought it all looked so sharp, but at the same time, I actually remembered the same trip in the back of a police car after being arrested for getting into a fight with Lexie's dad. Weird. After the TV highway memory, the next is being in a room, undressing with the promise the someone would be checking my cervix dialation to tell me whether or not to go home. Oh God! How I prayed that they wouldn't send me home! The room was small, almost office like except for the exam bed. I got into my "gown" and waited, too long for someone as freaked out as an expectant mom in pain. Next thing, funny, I don't remember anything until I was cursing like a sailor at the top of my lungs. I remember that room, I know the clock was on the north wall, to the left of the bed, right of the door. I had told them I wanted an epidural, and apparantly, wasn't going to get one until Starbucks opened. I can't hear the words, I know they were foul. I remember screaming cuss words, at nothing in particular, but pain. What a whimp I felt I was. I was hugging the bottom right corner of the hospital bed, while Mom, Dad, and Lexie's dad were watching me embarass myself, as I thought I was doing at the time. At some point before, I was able to call best friend Tracy and she was ecstatic to come watch the "scene". Geese, It felt like hours before the anesthesiologist arrived. I remember she was female, at the time I swore, I would remember her name forever, name my second child for her. Too late. She showed up just when I should have been pushing Lex out. Lex's dad had to hold me still on the bed crosswise, while she stuck the ginormous needle full of drugs into my spinal column. I even asked if it was OK that I felt I had to push, without the pain, suddenly. OK she said! Pain gone! Ooops! Desire to push gone too! Eeeks. Now I fall asleep for a while. Wake up! Doctor finally here. He coaches me for a while, I'm pissed and tired, can't feel anything "down below", but a mild pain. Even my effort of pushing felt wasted now. My God, how time did stretch now. I look at the clock, almost Noon. I remember earlier, Tracy brushing my hair, a lollipop that I didn't really like, Lexie's dad's mom come in and piss me off so MUCH, that it might have been the catalyst to bear down, minus the epidural. I loved having Mom, Chris, and Tracy there! I remember the doctor having curt words with his "assistant" (nurse?) for letting go...of the VACUUM, just before Lex made her debut. Next scene... I'm wasted, watching Mom, Dad and Frank monitor a nurse cleaning lex, I don't even remember the cord cutting. Then, Doc is stitching, and stitching , and stiching...Yikes. One or two reels of fishing line? I get to hold tiny Lex, really hold her. Have no problem nursing her. Wake up, look at the clock, it's three in the morning, Lex is swaddled in a hospital crib next to my bed. I can barely beleive it. Sigh! Sleep.

The best day ever...

A favorite song by SpongeBob? We (Lex and I) had the bestest day ever. Yesterday, December first, was Lex's birthday. And I celebrated the act of childbirth to my firstborn and love of my life. We woke up and cuddled, then I asked her what she wanted for birthday breakfast. After a trip in the Pathfinder with her and Grif, she ate scambled eggs with cheese, pancakes, two chocoate milks, and a vanilla ice cream, in the living room, watching cartoons. I showered, Grammy arrived, and we went to Party City. Got party bags for birthday guests, then went to Freddy's. Lex was asleep by then, so Grammy stayed in the car with her while I went in and got birthday cupcakes. Chuck E Cheeses was a blast. I don't have enough letters or time to type how much fun it was. Attendance: Sam, Alex, Lucas, Blake, Tyller, Kailee, Jonah, Madeline... Lex had all her favorite people with her on her special day. She ran to Grampa when she saw him, knew her aunt Chris, and Tracy, oh what fun. The best day ever, to witness her joy...and remember five years ago, around 12:15, been in the hospital a few hours, demanding drugs. Stubborn Lex, not wanting to be born, but giving Mom (me) the utmost discomfort in the process. Oh, but how I love all these, her the most! After Lex's party, I changed and went to the Clinic's Christmas party. The Best! Had SUCH a good time with Tobie, Garret (sp?), Val, and Steve! I absolutely adore the people I work with! We ate good food, drank good drink, I won a crystal dish in the raffle, we laughed, danced, and sang? Tobie and I went to the bathroom, and when we came back, her boyfriend was singing, a country love song, into the mike. It was awesome. What an absoulutely terrific way to spend an evening. And I didn't even get a ticket on my Pathfinder, parked in an unsure spot. Came home, still Lexie's birthday, through and through, and past midnight twerp stays up and enjoys life. What a wonderful day!

The fun has not yet begun...

This weekend should be great.  Saturday is Lexie's birthday.  Another Chuck E Cheese year.  She has so many friends this year that I had to limit her who could come.  We went over a list and she chose those she wanted most to come.  It was hard for her.  If I had the extra moola, but it's already going to be well over $100.00 as it is.  That is her biggest present, that we get to have her party there, her favorite place to play.  The after her party, is the office work party at Red Lion.  Mom will watch Lexie while I attend.  Whew, then we are going to try to get a Christmas tree Sunday, and maybe see a movie.  Fun fun fun.

--
Rachel Keller
Technical Lead
Broadway Medical Clinic, LLP
4212 NE Broadway Street
Portland, Oregon 97213
Tel: (503) 331-7657
Fax: (503) 382-7706
www.broadwaymedicalclinic.com

Yeah, yeah, yeah...Whatever

Sometimes I think my life is important. Most of the time, I guess.

But today, my throat was so closed up when I woke up that funky red and yellow (blood and flem?) chunks coughed out of me onto a not-so-highly-advertised paper towel. I'm quite sure it wasn't Bounty! I can hear ringing in my ears better than actual voices, and my vertigo is so pronounced that walking is a severe trial.

I had a panic attack yesterday morning in the shower, because after having a stupendous Sunday relax-day with Lex, I woke up in the earliest hours Monday morning sweating, upon my pillow, sweet drops that could only scream, "Diabetes!" Or severe dehydration sickness. I went to work, after stilling my throbbing pulse, thinking that I had done something wrong, food wise, over the weekend. Too much milk and cake, I thought. After I'd been at work a few hours, I realized "it" moved to my sinuses, and feeling a little better about the affliction, took a "hit" of childrens "cold and cough" medicine a pediatric nurse gave me. Fine, sort-of, the rest of the day, except for being overlly cross at Mom, I went to sleep fine. Woke up with some sort of Tang VS. Punch phlem trying to strangle me. Went into work, seeminly decent enough. Then the brain pain. Can't hear much above the ringing-buzzing in my ears, can't move my head without getting naseaus (sp?), constantly chilled, and just want to keep my eyes closed. Went home early to rest... So, since I'm not the least bit tired, I'm going to teeter into bed (with Tiki, Chikita, and Griffen), and hope to kick some viral ass, in my sleep. I've set the alarm for 3:30pm, and hope to log on to work, tidy up, then go get Lex. I'm really resentfull of feeling this way the last night I have her before going to her dad's until next Sunday. At least I'll have family for Thanksgiving.


If only I could record the high pitched rining in my snot filled head right now, I would re-play it for myself when ever I was feeling sorry for myself. Cleaning the cat litter box is so much more pleasant.

The Secret

Place: At home, in bed, watching Shark Boy and Lava Girl
Time: Sunday Morning, 10:00am

Rachel: "Are you gonna be a heavy metal rocker girl, or a pretty princess cheerleader?"

Long pause...


Lexie: "It's a secret."

Halloween party

Me, Tonya, Taylor, Madeline, Hannah, Jonah, Nate, Blake, Lexie, and Josie. Ms. Amy had a halloween party. It was a blast.

Halloween Pumpking patch

Blake and Josie

Nate and Lexie

Blake, Josie, Lexie, and Nate on the boat to the pumpkin patch.

They found some pretty impressive pumpkins.

Household Tips we can all use

I got this via email at work.



1. Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro p izza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.



2. Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.



3. Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.



4. Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.



5. Newspaper weeds away

Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.



6. Broken Glass

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.



7. No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.



8. Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.



9. Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.



10. Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will no t have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and * ta da! -- static is gone.



11. Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. ext, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.



12. Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!



13. Reopening envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside , just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily



14. Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...



15. Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!



16. Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home", can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!



17. INFO ABOUT CLOTHES DRYERS

The heating unit went out on my dryer! The gentleman that fixes things around the house for us told us that he wanted to show us something and he went over to the dryer and pull ed out the lint filter. It was clean. (I always clean the lint from the filter after every load clothes.) He told us that he wanted to show us something; he took the filter over to the sink, ran hot water over it. The lint filter is made of a mesh material - I'm sure you know what your dryer's lint filter looks like. WELL...the hot water just sat on top of the mesh! It didn't go through it at all! He told us that dryer sheets cause a film over that mesh that's what burns out the heating unit. You can't SEE the film , but it's there. It's what is in the dryer sheets to make your clothes soft and static free - that nice fragrance too, you know how they can feel waxy when you take them out of the box, well this stuff builds up on your clothes and on your lint screen. This is also what causes dryer units to catch fire & potentially burn your house down with it! He said the best way to keep your dryer working for a very long time (& to keep your electric bill l ower) is to take that filter out & wash it with hot soapy water & an old toothbrush (or other brush) at least every six months. He said that makes the life of the dryer at least twice as long!

The gentleman who installed my dryer five years ago warned me of this too.

WE LAUGHED, WE CRIED...

Actually...We laughed so hard that we cried! Thanks Cherri, Tobie, I'd forgotten that I could be social outside of work. I'm no wallflower, but far from social butterfly as well. I chat with the neighboors, go out with Mom, sometimes Dad. Do a thing or two with Tracy and Lucas. Yesterday after work, I went out for the first time in over ten years. I laugh a lot at work. A lot! I think of my boss, Barb as a friend, and we've had a couple opportunities to get together outside of work, and I consider myself lucky there. And now, Cherri and Tobie have both become friends of mine as well as co-workers, and we finally got together outside of work. We went to Blaze's on Halsey last night after work. We each had two Margrita's and a slice of pizza, and laughed so hard we cried. And we didn't even talk about work! It was bliss! Those two are funny, what wit! And I still got home in time for bed. I was in bed by nine, and here I am, up at four am on a Saturday! It seems that this happens to me every Saturday that Lexie isn't here. I wake up unable to get back to sleep around three or four in the morning. Usually I read a little until I'm able to fall back asleep. This morning I decided to blog.

Word(s) of the day: PLEBIAN

For some reason, that word just popped into my head at work today.

Dad had his procedure yesterday. I think it was over a year ago that we found out he had cancer in his bladder. Via an ingenious treatment of TB of all things, it was taken care of, only to resprout again a little while ago. So, another biopsy yesterday and another round of TB and he should be good to go again, what a trouper.

Next Saturday, Mom, Lexie and I will go take a look at the studio photos of Lex. You can be sure I'll post any I can. I'm hoping to talk Mom into taking a look at Beaverton's Saturday market too, since it's right next to the studio.

Right now it's raining, what a lovely sound. Yesterday I walked in the wind, and drove home to lighting. Allthough I truly love summer, fall is also wonderful if you know what to look for and appreciate.

Eerie picture

Lexie and Sam play mousetrap in the court.

Don't get lost in the corn!

Griffen went through the corn maze with us. He loved it!

Hello?

GINORMOUS TONSILLS! Lexie had her visit up at the hospital last Wednesday. All three doctors who saw her were amazed at the size of her tonsills. They also mentioned that she was smart for her age and such a brilliantly good patient that they wished they could use her when training doctor students. Upshot of visit...We have an appointment in December for a polysomnogram at the Marriot. Lex and I will spend the night, she gets a king sized bed, I get a couch. They feed us breakfast in the morning. One of the doctors said that he was about as sure as he could be, without the study, that she has obstructive sleep apnea due alone to her tonsil size. We shall see. We had a blast at the hospital, rode the tram and wandered around. A visitor desk employee gave both Lexie and I a pair of OHSU tram binoculars. The view up there is fantastic.

And...They're off!

Lots of pumpkins to choose from.

Lexie decided on one that was still attached to the vine, and a tug-of-war match ensued.

Lexie sits with her pumpkin and mine as we wait for the others and the train.

Lexie and two of her best friends, Alex and Sam.

Lexie is so proud of you doll house setup with her petshop collection.

Lexie and Lucas having a snack before the pumpkin hunt.

Now they wait for the pontoon boat.

Another day for a daydream...

I love Fridays! 

 

Lexie had dinner at a friend yesterday!  It was a first for her.  She has become fast friends with sibling neighbors Sam and Alex (both girls!)  The three seem to be equally spaced apart by a couple years.  They have a blast together. They play house and Jumanji and have incredibly active imaginations.  The RV is their new playhouse.  It’s fun to watch them play.

 

Tomorrow Lexie gets professional photos done.   I’ll post what I can, sometime

 

Next Wednesday Lexie has an initial consultation at the sleep disorder clinic up at OHSU.  Monster tonsils!  We’re going to take the tram, should be neat.  If we get out with any daylight left, we’ll try to meet up with her school that has the date scheduled at a class trip to the pumpkin patch.

 

Life is good, we are happy.

 

Took this from one of those circulating emails

GREAT TRUTHS THAT LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE LEARNED: 
 
 
  1) No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats. 
  2) When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don't let her brush your hair. 
  3) If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person. 
  4) Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato. 
  5) You can't trust dogs to watch your food. 
  6) Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair. 
  7) Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time. 
  8) You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 
  9) Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. 
  10) The best place to be when you're sad is Grandpa's lap. 
 
 
  GREAT TRUTHS THAT ADULTS HAVE LEARNED: 
 
  1) Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree. 
  2) Wrinkles don't hurt. 
  3) Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts. 
  4) Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. 
  5) Laughing is good exercise. It's like jogging on the inside. 
  6) Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy. 
 
 
  GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT GROWING OLD 
 
 
 1) Growing up is mandatory; growing old is optional. 
 2) Forget the health food. I need all the preservatives I can get. 
 3) When you fall down, you wonder what else you can do while you're down there. 
 4) You're getting old when you get the same sensation from a rocking chair that you once got from a roller coaster. 
 5) It's frustrating when you know all the answers but nobody bothers to ask you the questions. 
 6) Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. 
 7) Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone. 
 
  THE FOUR STAGES OF LIFE: 
 
  1) You believe in Santa Claus. 
  2) You don't believe in Santa Claus. 
  3) You are Santa Claus. 
  4) You look like Santa Claus. 
 
  SUCCESS: 
 
  At age 4 success is . . not peeing in your pants. 
  At age 12 success is . having friends. 
  At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license. 
  At age 35 success is . having money. 
  At age 50 success is . . . having money. 
  At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license. 
  At age 75 success is . having friends. 
  At age 80 success is . not peeing in your pants. 

 

I was walking down the street one day...

From the KGW website:

Portland bank robbery suspect tries to flee on MAX train

06:48 PM PDT on Thursday, October 11, 2007

By TERESA BELL-BLACKMAN, kgw.com Staff

A man wearing a disguise robbed a Northeast Portland bank Thursday and then fled on a MAX train, police said.

Police said a man wearing a wig and surgical mask came into the Sterling Savings Bank at 4728 NE Sandy and threatened the teller, saying he had a bomb.

The man took off with an unknown amount of cash.

A short time later, police caught up with the suspect at the MAX stop near the Lloyd Center Mall and arrested a suspect.

No one was hurt and no explosives or weapons were found, the FBI said.

End quote--

Sometime around 1:00pm yesterday I was walking down 47^th for my afternoon break walk. As I approached Halsey, I noticed a police car screech to a halt and an officer leapt out and ran. Suddenly, police cars sprouted from every horizon, dozens of them. No sirens, at first, just dozens of cars with lights flashing and engines roaring, all coming from four different directions towards the intersection I was about to turn on. Then they seemed to split and block streets individually while a group of about four or five turned on their sirens in what must have been pursuit. It was all quite surreal. I know I’ve mentioned what an interesting neighborhood I work in, so here’s another example.

Funny Email...

Last week, both Ryan and myself received voicemail from Bob at a local IT solutions company soliciting their services. I don’t know about Ryan, but I deleted the message fairly early on since he was giving the rambling spiel of the company. Then, a couple days later, I got an enormous email from him with all the ins and outs of their products and services, so I decided to reply.

From: Rachel K [mailto:rK@-----.com]
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 3:33 PM
To: Bob DSubject:
RE: A brief introduction from a local women owned company - G---Tek

At this time we do not have a need for your services. Our IT team and consultants have sufficient experience and knowledge to handle the services you provide in-house. Thank-you for your offer.

Rachel K
Techincal Lead / EDI contact

And then... Even though I just said “NO”, he pushes on.

From: Bob D--- [mailto:Bob.D--------.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 8:26 AM
To: Rachel K
Subject: RE: A brief introduction from a local women owned company – G----tek

Thank you for the reply.
I have attached a line card of products that we resell.
Perhaps you can help me understand what it would take to submit bids on items you purchase?
Please do let me know how else I might be of service.

Bob D
G------ Adaptive IT Solutions

So….Annoyed by his perseverance, I sent him this reply.

From: Rachel K [mailto:rK@-----.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:49 PM
To: Bob D
Subject: RE: A brief introduction from a local women owned company - G-----tek

Do you carry anything along the lines magic wands or genie lamps? Can you perhaps provide service for our Office Depot Easy Button, which seems to be on the blink?

Rachel K
Techincal Lead / EDI contact

And finally, I got this response, haven’t heard from the company since…

From: Bob D [mailto:Bob.D@-----.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:49 PM
To: Rachel K
Subject: RE: A brief introduction from a local women owned company - G-----tek

:)

Oh that I could it would make my job much easier as everyone would want at least two.

Thanks for the humor as it makes the day much easier.

Bob D