Urban Baby blogger

2011 Spring/Summertime list of fun-Updated 6/14

2011-05-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

There is always so much fun to do around Des Moines. I find one of the hardest things is narrowing down what I want to focus on, otherwise we'd be running to several places each day! A child (and Mom) need downtime. Here is a list of my favorites, with more to be added as the Summer progresses.

Full Moon Float 6/15/, 7/15, 8/13, 9/12 8:30-11 PM, $5/boat/half hour

Body Worlds Exhibit, Science Center, Now through October- $19.25/ $8.75 member

Reiman Gardens Big Bugs exhibit, now through 9/3

Kids Bowl Free, Now through Summer at participating bowling alleys

Reiman Gardens Storytime, now through September, every two weeks-GA/Free members

Kite Flying Club, August 27th 10AM-12PM-Free, 1st 50 get free kite kit

Adventure Days at the Zoo, dates vary, included with admission

Yoga on the Lawn, Tuesdays & Thursdays 5/24-9/8 11:15 AM-Free yoga at Central Library

Market Day, Not your Mom's craft show, last Saturday of month starting 5/28 through October

Toddler Time, Botanical Center, Last Tuesday of month 10 AM, Members Free

Free Outdoor Movies at the Art Center, June 2 Willy Wonka (go early), July 7th Jaws, August 4th Annie Hall, September 1st Casablanca (ok, not all movies are kid friendly, but still a fun time.)

Ankeny Unplugged, Saturdays in June, Concert series $3

Open Mic Night, Ritual Cafe 2nd Thursdays 7-9 PM, Free

Yoga in the Park, Saturdays at 9 AM, Starting 6/4-9/24-Free

10 Movies for $5, Jordan Creek, Tuesdays at 10 AM June 7th-August 9th (+coupon for snacks on link)

Carmike Cinema $1 movies, Wynnsong, Johnston 10 AM Thursdays 6/16-8/11

Nature's Story Hour, 1st & 3rd Wednesday starting 6/1 through 8/10.-Free

Nature's Playdates, 2nd & 4th Wednesday starting 6/8-8/3-Free

Free activities each day at Evelyn Davis Park 11 AM - 7 PM + Free tennis lessons at varies parks

Free floatin' flicks, 6/10 Open 8 PM, 6/10 Teachout Aquatic-Despicable Me, 7/30 Nahas Aquatic How to Train Your Dragon, 8/6 NW Aquatic Monsters Inc.

smART Second Saturday/Sundays- Des Moines Art Center, June 11th/12th

Sample Sundays, 6/12, 7/17, 8/14... Farm fun, guest vendors, did I mention fun? Free

Music under the Stars, Iowa State Capital Grounds, free, two bands each day, 1st starting at 6:30, followed by one at 7:30, June 12/19/26 & July 3/10/17/24

Sing-a-long, Smokey Row 10 AM, June 14th, July 12th, & Tuesday August 9th

Peanut Butter & Puccini , June 16th & 18th, Opera, backstage tour, & lunch $10- highly recommended!!!!!

Father's Day at the Botanical Center, Free for Dads

Cultureall, Des Moines Library, Rainforest- 6/21 10:30 Central, India- 6/27 2 PM Franklin, Japan-6/30 10:30 AM, Russia 7/11 Southside 1 PM, Kenya 7/12 10:30 AM Northside

Des Moines Art Festival, June 24-26th-Free

Yankee Doodle Pops, July 1st 8:30 PM, get there early for best spot- Des Moines' Best 4th of July celebration!

Jazz in July, Almost daily jazz, mostly free through month of July

Puppet show, 7/5 North Side library 10:30 AM

Creations with a twist, 7/12 10:30 Central Library

Shakespeare under the Stars, Fridays-Sundays, July 22-31, 8:15 PM, Gates at 6 PM, last year was free, watch for more details, excellent event!

Puppet Show by kids, Historical Museum, July 29th 11 AM & 1 PM- $5

Safari Splash, Blank park zoo, August 1-5th, included w/admission

Iowa State Fair, August 11-21st

Free Movies, Saturdays in September at Union Park 9/3 Karate Kid, 9/10 Tangled, 9/17 TS3, 9/24 Despicable Me

Farmer's markets:

Downtown Farmer's Market, Saturdays 9-12, Now through end of October

Valley Junction Farmer's Market, Thursdays, 4 PM - 8 PM now through end of September

Drake Farmer's Market, Wednesdays 4-7 PM June 1st-through September

Southridge Farmer's Market, Mondays 4- 7 PM Now through October 24th

Misc....

Wading Pools & Swimming Pool information, Opens June 6th- Wading pools-free

Des Moines Library Events, including storytimes, AVID lecture series info, and Summer reading program

Botanical Center

Des Moines Park & Rec

BikeIowa ride calendar, many family friendly & free

Blank Park Zoo -Dinosaur exhibit starts May 27th

Living History Farms

Science Center of Iowa- Daily calendar of events

SeeDesMoines.com- Calendar of events

Des Moines Symphony Calendar of events

Des Moines Playhouse

Drake's calendar of events, including sporting & concerts

Mid-Iowa Rollers schedule

Des Moines Derby Dames schedule

I-Cubs Schedule-Promo days schedule ($1 days, bring canned food for free admission, etc)

Menace Soccer -Promo Schedule

Reiman Gardens event page

Salisbury House

Meal Planning

2011-02-20T11:39:00.000-08:00

In the quest to get healthy, I am getting back on track for meal planning.

Sunday: Soup dinner

Monday: vegetable fried rice / orange chicken for Jon/Sydney

Tuesday: spinach quiche with fruit & salad

Wednesday: goat cheese & pepper pizza with salad

Thursday: DNA Social

Friday: Vegetable tofu pad-thai and spring rolls

Saturday: Open

Daddy/Daughter Dance

2011-02-11T13:47:00.000-08:00

Jon has been busy...so much so that we are considering putting Sydney in part-time daycare or preschool to give me a break and an opportunity to work more on social media for local businesses. Jon was happy to drop everything to take Sydney to the Daddy/Daughter dance put on by the Zoo. The day before the dance, Sydney and I had fun having her try on dress after dress until we finally settled on the one below. I think we picked out a pretty cute one. Apparently Jon & Sydney had fun dancing the night away, checking out the indoor portion of the zoo, and eating chocolate fondue.

I on the other hand, had a wonderful Mom's night out. The evening started by getting tea at my favorite coffee shop, then meeting up with a friend for a much needed pedicure.

All around a pretty great night!

Healthy Changes

2010-11-04T12:36:00.001-07:00

Healthy Changes

Ok, I'll admit it. This Summer was far from easy, for a multitude of reasons. Before July, I had gotten into a pretty good rhythm of self care, or at least I was getting better at it. Once I injured my knee, it all got thrown out the window and I haven't gotten back into the swing of things. Getting back to taking care of me has been on my mind a lot lately and I've decided to do something about it.

In the next week I'm going to rejoin weight-watchers. I joined in 2006 for the first time and lost almost 25 lbs before getting pregnant. I am not a yo-yo fad dieter, I generally don't put garbage (ie fast food, fake sugars) in my body. I simply like food and don't move enough.

Which leads me to the next thing I'm going to do. Join the Y. There is a lovely YMCA 13 blocks away from my house that offers child care. I'm going to join. I love to be active. Swimming, biking, and yoga are all favorite pastimes now it's time to put this enjoyment to action. I was attending yoga 2-4 times a week pre-knee injury. I want to work that in at least once per week, as well.

Since I'm working on my health, it's also time to schedule an appointment for a physical. I am generally good about scheduling annual exams, but as far as regular physicals go, I don't remember the last time I had one. I'd like to get my iron and thyroid levels checked, as well as know what my cholesterol levels are. It's also time to find a new Doctor.

With this, I also want to continue with crafting. As much as I love crafting, I find it easy to put aside. Time to add it to the schedule as well.

I know I can do all of these things. Now that I've posted this for the world to see, it will be easier with follow through. Thank-you for reading.

This just hits home today...

2010-09-24T13:02:00.000-07:00

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." -Marianne Williamson

Meal Plan Monday

2010-08-23T09:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday Stuffed red bell peppers with couscous/mint/raisins, lemon & EVOO salad with feta & sunflower seeds

Monday Pesto pasta, salad, peaches

Tuesday Sydney's choice

Wednesday Chicken tikka masala for Jon/Sydney Palek paneer for me

Thursday Bob's Red Mill Vegi Soup with homemade bread

Friday Homemade pizza with fresh mozzarella, garden tomatoes, basil, & garlic

Saturday Farmer's Market special

Meal Plan Monday

2010-06-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday

homemade pizza, using AB5 crust, fresh mozzarella, basil, & 1/2 deli pepperoni (Jon), cherries, salad with cranberries, sunflower seeds, homemade dressing

Monday

Left overs for me, Jon & Syd will have Brats, garden peas, pineapple

Tuesday

Chili lime couscous salad

Wednesday

Grilled veggie pasta salad

Thursday

Enchiladas

Friday & Saturday

Art Festival Time! We'll have sandwich fixings & things to grill, but keep it pretty simple. We want plenty of time to enjoy in on the fun!

What are you dining on this week?

Things to do around town

2010-06-11T12:18:00.001-07:00

I am always looking for new, inexpensive things to do around town. I figured it was due time I shared some of my findings. Most things in the list are either free or low cost. Have something to add? Please post in the comments section.

Farmer's Markets

Saturdays- Downtown Farmers Market (and the West Side's)

Wednesday- Drake neighborhood market, Living History Farm's Market

Thursdays- Valley Junction Market

Yoga

Free & Festive Yoga at Firehouse yoga on Friday June 18th at 5:15pm

Free Yoga at 7pm, Fridays in Ankeny, Wagner Park (free movie starts at 8)

Yoga in the Park at Gray's Lake, 9 AM Saturdays through the Summer

Yoga on the Lawn, North lawn of WDM city Hall, now through September 26th, 9AM

Free yoga for a week when you become a fan of firehouse yoga on facebook or twitter during the month of June.

Movies:

Fridays, 8pm, in Ankeny at Wagner Park through the Summer-Free

Des Moines Art Center movies on the lawn at Meier Terrace. July 1st "Sixteen Candles" & August 5 "A Night at the Opera." Starts around 8:30

$1 Movies, Jordan Creek, Tuesdays at 10AM

Floatin' Free Flicks, Gates open at 8:

7/9 NW Aquatic Center

7/30 Teachout Aquatic Center

8/6 Nahas Aquatic Center

Music & Arts

Belin Quartet, Fridays through July 30th, 12:15PM. Location is at Nollen Plaza or the Library

Music at Chocolaterie Stam on Ingersoll 6/11 & 6/12 7-9pm

Kid's sing a long, Smokey Row June 15th & 30th, 10AM

Open Mic night, 2nd Thursday of the month, Ritual Cafe

Free Shakespeare in Des Moines, dates varies

Jazz in July, 24 free concerts around Des Moines

Des Moines Arts Festival, June 25-27th

Farm & Food Fun:

Gelato Party at Chocolaterie Stam's Ingersoll location, 6/15

Sample Sundays, Date varies, next on is 6/13 12-5. Tour local farms in Central Iowa. Way more fun that you know what to do with

Outdoors:

Nature Story Hour, June 16th & 30th, Various locations, Noon

Nature Play Dates, June 23rd & July 7th, Various Locations 10:30

Kite Flying Club, Gray's Lake, 4th Tuesday through October, 5-7 pm

Fish Printing, 6/15, 5:30, Gray's Lake by concession stand

Sand Sculptures, 7/17 10:30, Gray's Lake

Leaf Boat Building 8/14 10:30, Gray's Lake

Moon Float (awesome fun!) June 26th, 9-11pm, charge for boat rentals

I Cubs Dollar Days, July 19th & August 23rd, 7:05pm

Of course there is so much more to do in the Des Moines Area: Swimming, biking, going to the beaches, etc. What do you plan on doing this Summer?

Thankful Thursday

2010-06-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for:

Plants in the garden

Sunshine outside

That an odd bump on my back is nothing serious and will get removed next week

A happy child

A new to me bike!

That Jon & I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary next week!!! Wowza!

Thankful Thursday

2010-05-20T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today I am thankful for:

The gift of great friends

A husband that will get me soup when I'm feeling under the weather

Quiet Days

The opportunity to go see the Dalai Lama (more on that later)

Hoopin' Fun

2010-05-20T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have had the opportunity to do some amazing things this past week. Last Saturday, I hopped in the car with three friends and headed down to Kansas City for a Hula Hooping convention. That's right, a hula hooping convention. I am new to the "sport" of hooping and had a blast. I am happy to say that I can hula hoop until I get tired, instead of dropping the hoop right away.

Notice my wild looking hair. The night before the convention I had fun making up hair falls made of yarn.

Thankful Thursday

2010-04-15T11:42:00.001-07:00

Today I am thankful for :

A beautiful day

A naping daughter

A quiet house

Food in the fridge

Great friends

Thankful Thursday

2010-03-25T12:25:00.000-07:00

Greater inner peace. I have felt very calm this week and maybe even less irritated at the little things than normal.

Roof over my head.

Exciting new opportunities

Garden planning

Paying off Sydney's NICU physician's bill (Yay! We have a little left on the hospital bill, then we will be done paying for her care in NICU! Woo-hoo!!)

Adventures in Technology

2010-03-08T18:24:00.000-08:00

Things have been a whirlwind here. Jon has been working up a storm. He was part of a startup weekend where strangers gather to form businesses. The group he was in won second place (judges placed 8 votes for the first place winners and 7 for Jon's group.) I won't get into all the details until they are hammered out, but lets just say there are some very exciting things going on with some amazing people! :)

In addition to that, he now has his own internet radio show, Talking Mac with Jon Thompson. Yup, an hour long show, once a week, dedicated to talking nothing but Macintosh computers, iphones, ipads, etc. He's off to a great start! His show airs at 8pm CST on Tuesdays at WorldWidelocallive.com. He's having a special guest this week, the founder of Mojofiti.com, a website that translates your blog into your choice of 20 different languages on the spot. So cool!

We are so proud of Jon and all the hard work he is putting into supporting his family. Keep up the awesome work, hon! We love you!

School Lunch Project

2010-02-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd pass along an interesting blog that I'm following, Fed Up With School Lunch where one school employee dines & photographs what she is eating in the school cafeteria. Its very interesting to see. Frankly, I don't remember school lunches being that good to begin with, but it appears they've gotten worse and many schools are feeding our kids items that are packaged in plastic wrap. Thats a lot of waste, folks!

At some point in high school, the school I attended had a salad bar. As a vegetarian, that was a welcome option to having to pack a lunch every day. By the time my Sister entered the same high school, the salad bar had disappeared and a malt machine was in its place. Does anyone else see a problem with that? Its my understanding that the malt machine is now gone, but still leaves me with the question "What are we feeding our kids?"

I admit, I am not perfect when it comes to food. I eat too much and enjoy cheese & chocolate way too much. I like to think that despite my downfalls, that I'm ahead of the game, as the foods I am generally eating are real food. Meaning, I know whats in my food, very little is processed (besides tortilla chips, another downfall), generally homemade, and fresh whenever possible. We avoid HFCS whenever we can. Yes we do have the occasional soda, usually when we are sick, mixing a drink, or dining on Mexican food in a restaurant (for some reason cherry cola tastes good with refried beans), but for the most part aim for healthy options.

While there is an upswing in people interested in whole foods, I think we will continue to rely on quick cheap crap as long as we are not connecting the dots to where food comes from. I'll admit, until last year, I had never seen how big a cauliflower and broccoli plant actually gets! Although I already had an appreciation for those foods, it has grown immensely be seeing them grow. More education, more time outdoors, and simple cooking lessons are all great ways to start eating healthier.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-02-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

Here is my menu for the week. I usually start with Sunday, as its just easier that way. :)

Also check out other weekly menu planners here.

Sunday: Homemade enchiladas using a locally made enchilada sauce (anyone have a good recipe for enchilada sauce they would like to share?)

Monday: Make your own, aka Mom has plans :) Probably grilled cheese sandwiches as back-up

Tuesday: Homemade pizza w/roasted carrots & onions, baked pears

Wednesday: Spinach stuffed pasta shells, grapes

Thursday: Peanut lime soup (new recipe found in kids recipe book at the library. Of course, I'm adding the lime bit!) and homemade bread

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Homemade black bean burgers/ Jon will have something with sausage in it, steamed broccoli with lemon.

Thankful Thursday

2010-02-18T11:34:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little burnt out today so I thought it would be helpful to do my Thankful Thursday post (thank goodness its Thursday, right?)

Thankful that my child is currently being quiet and reading in bed. :)

Thankful about an exciting opportunity for Jon that I can't quiet talk about yet (coming soon)

Thankful that I have awesome friends in my life

Thankful for the opportunity to get away with my hubby on Valentine's day (I seriously love the rings we made.)

Thankful for a fun filled weekend, ahead

Thankful that I have a massage in the near future

Hello!

2010-02-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

Its been almost a month since I've blogged. We've been pretty busy in the Thompson household. Jon's last day at work was on January 31st. He has been working hard at getting his Macintosh computer consulting company back off the ground. He has some great leads and we feel very positive about the changes around us. He also headed off to California last week to attend the Mac World Expo. He has been wanting to go for years, and when a friend of his offered up a free ticket to the conference, how could he say no? This was the first time Jon has left for any extended time since Sydney has been born. It was quiet an interesting experience being a single Mom for a week. This is Jon's second trip to California since we've been together. I told him that the next time he visits, I will be coming along. Third time's a charm, right?

Sydney continues to grow and thrive. Just the other day she was running around the house singing one of her made up songs. Upon listening closer, I found out she was spelling her name! I didn't think she'd be able to spell her name before using the potty! :) Sydney also has been enjoying swimming lessons and hanging out with her buddy, Anderson. One of their favorite things to do is play "coffee shop" or pretend to give each other haircuts with the trains & train tracks!

Jon & I usually stay home for Valentine's day. However, we bucked our trend and did a wine & design experience this year. We went to an artist's studio with 4 other couples and learned how to make silver rings. Thats right, on Valentine's day, we got to hammer, stamp, file, saw, torch and scrub to make beautiful rings. After making the rings, all of the couples got to go a local winery for a private tasting. We really enjoyed the much needed couples day out.

I have recently been introduced to a fabulous group of ladies who are very much into holistic healing. Because of them, I have had the opportunity to get regular massages and have even tried a reiki treatment.

We are finding that our life is becoming richer every day as we allow new experiences to come in. Best wishes to you all.

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-18T05:55:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Pepper & garlic pasta

Monday: Ham steak (Jon), loaded baked potatoes, salad topped w/cranberries & almonds

Tuesday: Grilled paninis, spinach salad

Wednesday: Fix your own

Thursday: Chili (me)/ chicken tortilla soup (Jon)

Friday: Homemade whole wheat pizza w/lemon broccoli & cauliflower

Saturday: Veggie quesadillas, beans, & homemade guacamole

Jon is famous!

2010-01-16T19:59:00.001-08:00

Ok, maybe not famous, but he's in the news in a good way. He was featured in the Des Moines Register's Juice in the Get to Know Section. Jon is getting laid off at the end of this month and is working his little tail off to get his Macintosh IT Consulting business up off the ground again. He is working on some awesome projects and will be doing some amazing things. Jon had an amazing opportunity at the Great Ape Trust and did things that people can't even dream of. Personally, I know I have learned a ton about Apes and their culture. I am very thankful that he had the opportunities he had at the Trust and am looking forward to seeing what new opportunities come his (our) way.

Here is Jon's company Blog, to keep tabs on computer stuff.

Keep up the awesome work, hon. We love you & are so proud of you!

Awesome simple dish

2010-01-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

We made a very simple dish for supper tonight that was fabulous. I think it will be a regular on our menu:

Lemon rice with veggies:

2 carrots

2 ribs of celery

1/2 onion

1/2 bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

sea salt

fresh crushed pepper

1/2 lemon

basmati & wild grain rice mix

Cook rice according to directions. I took half of the rice and left the other half for Jon to cook the same dish that included chicken (he loved his version, too.)

In a saute pan, heat a couple of tbsp of olive oil and add carrots, after a few minutes add the rest of the veggies & spices to taste. Once rice is ready, add it to the saute pan, add a little more salt & pepper as well as lemon juice and saute for a minute or three.

Serve with a lemon wedge & enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

2010-01-03T19:58:00.001-08:00

Ok, its not Monday, which means I'm actually planning our weekly menu early (gasp!) We didn't eat everything on the list last week, so its on again for this week:

Sunday: Sundried tomato pesto pasta, homemade whole wheat bread with olive oil & fresh cracked pepper, sugar snap peas

Monday: Basmati & wild rice stir fry with veggies for me (peppers, onions, carrots) & chicken for Jon.

Tuesday: Enchiladas

Wednesday: Homemade pizza & mixed veggies

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Soup of choice, homemade bread, orange

Saturday: Homemade paninis

Lunches for Sydney & I will consist of something like:

bean & veggie burrios

hummus & veggie wraps

Mashed butternut squash w/pears

Cheese ravioli

homemade chili or lentil soup

Thankful Three

2009-12-31T16:09:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for:

1. Living in a neighborhood I adore

2. Getting to start a new year

3. My daughter, when she woke up this morning and saw the shimmer lights I had put in my hair the night before (think of tinsel tied to your hair, its so fun!). Her eyes got really big and wide and said "Mommy has glitter in her hair." Too cute!

Of course, I am thankful for great family and friends, as well. May you have a wonderful evening to lead you into an even better New Year. Cheers!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-12-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Chicken/Bean Tacos and Spanish Rice

Monday: 15 year class reunion supper (really? Yikes!!)

Tuesday: Pesto pasta & mixed veggies

Wednesday: sausage/bean & veggie enchiladas

Thursday: Indian

Friday: leftovers/appetizers

Saturday: tortilla soup

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

I have been having a bit of writers block lately. When all of the happenings around us, on top of Christmas, then my computer died. We had a wonderful Christmas and our house is slowly recovering. On my agenda next week is to take down the Christmas tree, move the train table Syd got for Christmas, and go through Sydney's toys. I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and are headed off to a great New Year!

Blessings,

Sandy

I felt like a Catholic school girl

2009-12-04T12:44:00.000-08:00

We received free tickets to attend the Des Moines Civic Center's Sister's Christmas Catechism last night. We always enjoy going to see a theatre performance, especially since we where both in drama while in high school.

Before attending Sister's Christmas Catechism, I wasn't sure what to expect, as neither Jon nor I are Catholic. We went with an open mind and had a wonderful time. While this one woman show had a general script, the majority of it was done through improvisation. The audience was engaged and participating during the entire performance. In fact, the responses from the audience is what made the show.

When we entered the theatre, Christmas carols were playing. When the Sister entered the room, she decided that "Jingle Bells" wasn't Christmasy enough, so we had to change the lyrics to "Oh what fun it is to ride with baby Jesus in a sleigh." My favorite part of the night was when several ladies in the audience got their candy taken away by the Sister, only to steal it back, later in the show, and ended up buying another package of candy to give to the plastic baby Jesus.

The second half of the performance was a reinactment of the Nativity, with adults. However, there is a twist and someone had stolen the Magi's gold. Thankfully, the Sister recovers the gold.

During the performance, we were either laughing hysterically or very uncomfortable. Not uncomfortable because of the jokes, but because the Sister did a wonderful, very accurate job in portraying a Nun. Chewing gum? Need to spit it out. Come late to the performance? Pay a late entrance fee. Eating food? Get it taken away. Talking to your neighbor? You have to share what you are talking about. It was to the point that I was "scared" to drink my coffee, as I didn't want it taken away! It was all in good fun, though. Improv is not an easy art and I was impressed at how well the actress rolled with the punches.

If you want to see a performance where you don't get picked on or are easily offended, don't see this play. If you are wanting some good laughs and to get involved in a performance, you'd enjoy seeing this performance.

The Civic Center's Temple of Performing Arts is an absolutely beautiful place. We look forward to seeing many more quality performances there in the future.

I'm running away to join the circus.....

2009-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

....or at least thats what I wanted to do when I was six. You see, other children, when you ask them what they want to be when they grow up will tell you they want to be a teach, doctor, astronaut. Not me, I wanted to join the circus and be a flying trapeze artist.

My dream of joining the circus has long passed, but my love for the circus has not. Needless to say, I was ecstatic when I was selected to be a blogger for the Des Moines Civic Center's Cirque Dreams: Illumination.

The show started out with lots of hustle, bustle, and singing, followed by the magic that is Cirque. I was surprised to learn that Cirque Dreams and Cirque Du Soleil are not related, as I had previously believed they were.

One of my favorite acts of the night, was a man doing a not-so tight rope act. The strength it takes to control your body on a slack rope is amazing. Of course, Jon's favorite act of the night was the Women at Work performance. Four beautiful women hanging, swinging, and doing feats unknown to most persons in three hanging spinning cubes. By the end of the performance, all four women were in the same cube, connected together by their limbs. It was really rather impressive, and hard to describe by words alone.

Of course, the costumes and props were fun and at times had so much going on, that I almost missed them. Dancing fire hydrants, ladies in oversized hats, and ten foot tall dancing overalls were common place.

While watching Cirque Dreams, we were surprised that we had actually watched two of the performers before. Earlier this Summer, we went to Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin and watched two brothers, Maximilliano Laurino & Roberto Emanuel Laurino perform foot juggling. Thats right, one brother juggled the other by using his feet! Amazing!

If I were to change anything about last night, it would be two things: 1. Have more Male singing to balance out the Woman who sang throughout the show and 2. More bubbles in the champagne. During intermission we slipped away to enjoy a cocktail in the lobby. The champagne was slightly flat, but still managed to be quite tasty. Two very minor changes for an amazing show.

Jon and I had an amazing time and look forward to seeing more amazing performances at the Civic Center, soon! Cirque Dreams runs through the end of the week, go while you can!

Yummy & healthy pancakes

2009-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

As a family we are trying to minimize our exposure to processed food and HCFS. About the only time we have HFCS is when we are sick or have a headache and will drink pop. I thought I'd share a favorite recipe for homemade and healthy pancakes. Yes, you heard that right, healthy pancakes!

We are big fans of Paul's Grains, a company in Iowa that grows awesome tasting organic grains. Here is my take on their recipe for pancakes:

Mix together:

1 egg, 1/4 oil, 2 1/2 cups milk, 2-4 tbsp. honey or brown sugar (optional), 1 tsp salt, 4 tsp baking powder, 2 tbsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp orange extract, 1 tsp spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, your choice), 2 1/2 Paul's 7-Grain Flour.

Stir & cook over a hot griddle. Serve with fresh fruit. No syrup needed. Its very filling & tasty. The best part of it, is that I don't crash soon after eating them, like I do with store bought pancake mix.

Thankful Three

2009-11-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

I am going to start a new series on Thursdays entitled, Thankful Three. However, I've decided to go ahead and get a head start and list the three things I'm thankful for today. I certainly have more than three things to be thankful for, but we'll start here.

1. Thankful for my family

2. The opportunity to work on my creative side

3. The yummy food I will be eating over the next several days.

What are you thankful for today?

Black Friday & other happenings

2009-11-25T13:50:00.001-08:00

I haven't posted in awhile, but am gearing to get back into the grove of blogging. Since I've posted last, Sydney has had her first haircut, first dentist appointment, and her second birthday. We are gearing up for Christmas and Syd loves talking about Santa Claus.

Jon's company is scaling back, way way back, so as of the end of the year he will no longer be employed. The good news is, he is restarting up his Macintosh computer consulting company and seems to be on a roll, already. Go, Jon! Its amazing how social media has changed the way of doing business since Jon left it in 2005. It has opened up new avenues that weren't possible, before.

As for me, I've been harnessing my creative juices. To find out how, check out my alter ego, Urbangirldesigns.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and can eat everything you like without gaining any weight! :)

Menu Plan Monday

2009-09-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

Here's our plan:

Sunday: Snacked on bread, tomatoes, chips & salsa

Monday: Pasta w/homemade roasted veggie sauce, peas

Tuesday: Bean/Chicken Tacos w/homemade salsa & chips

Wednesday: Chili-lime Couscous & pb sandwiches

Thursday: Tomato pie, roasted garden carrots

Friday: Margarita pizza w/ sweet carrots

Saturday: Grilled Chicken, roasted potatoes/tomatoes/basil, baked beans

I am looking for recipes that use tomatoes. Suggestions, please!

Welcome to my new site...

2009-08-12T19:44:00.001-07:00

I've recently decided that I need to showcase off my artwork more. I have been feeling pretty focused creatively as of late and felt that starting a new blog to showcase mostly beadwork, along with a little photography, ceramics, & crafts was in order. I have several more posts coming with newer pieces. Feel free to check out my new site.

Menu plan Monday

2009-08-10T07:56:00.001-07:00

Its been awhile since I've blogged. The summer had kept us busy with vacations, gardening, and general outdoor activities. I'll post pictures & details later, but for now, I'm commencing with our weekly meal planning:

Sunday: Leftovers/Bacon wrapped Turkey (Jon)

Monday: Spaghetti with garden fresh pasta sauce

Tuesday: Chili-lime couscous salad, fruit

Wednesday: Fajitas

Thursday: unsure

Friday: Grilled pork chops, roasted potatoes

Saturday: Farmer's market special

Mini Update & Menu Planning

2009-06-23T08:21:00.000-07:00

We have been pretty busy with biking & playing in our garden. Recently we also took Sydney on a little camping trip & she loved it! Syd has started calling herself "You." As in, thats "You's bike" "You's bread" etc... Its pretty funny.

Menu planning is getting easier, as we are starting to get produce from our garden, mostly green onions, radishes and herbs (mint, basil, cilantro, & parsley). We have a little lettuce, but have generous garden neighbors who planted lettuce in excess.

Sunday: Father's Day

Monday: Chili Lime Couscous Salad (parsley, mint, onions, & lettuce from our garden) & fresh Artisan Bread in Five Minute a day

Tuesday: Bean/Crock pot chicken fajitas (cilantro, lettuce, & onions from garden)

Wednesday: Roasted Red Pepper & Fresh Peanut Butter Tapenade

Thursday: Grilled Chicken, Roasted Carrots, potatoes, onions, & basil on the grill

Friday/Saturday: Art Festival is in town, so we will play it by ear. Will probably have fixings for sandwiches & salads for quick meals at home.

Menu Monday

2009-05-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

Easy planning for this week. Lots of celebrations & happenings.

Sunday-graduation party

Monday- BBQ w/friends

Tuesday- My B-day! Maybe we'll have the couscous chile lime salad

Wednesday- Out to supper with Jon's family

Thursday-Spaghetti

Friday-Veggie Quesadillas

Saturday- Farmer's market surprise

Time for some fun pictures

2009-05-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

We've been keeping really busy lately, so I thought I'd share some fun pictures. The first picture of Sydney at her first baseball game. In the second picture she is helping us at the community garden. The third is her just being sweet. The last pictures is of our silly girl playing dress up. Yes, she picked out her clothes all by herself! lol

Weekly Menu

2009-05-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Yeah! This menu has a tad more thought than prior weeks and we are trying out a couple of new dishes. We really tend to like foods that are spicy and have an Indian flair. Good thing Sydney likes spicy!

Sunday: Grilling in the garden

Monday: Enchiladas & rice

Tuesday: Some sort of chicken (Jon) & roasted red potatoes w/garlic & olive oil along with Makai Nu Shaak

Wednesday: Spontaneous Couscous

Thursday: Going to Indie music potluck & grilling

Friday: Garlic & pepper Spaghetti, sweet carrots

Saturday: Farmer's Market surprise

Menu Planning

2009-05-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Mother's Day we worked in the community garden. I left Jon in the garden to work & took Syd home for a nap. Made veggie quesadillas to bring back to the garden

Monday: Farmer's Market pasta salad (added the veggies purchased at farmer's market & made a very yummy pasta salad, probably the best yet!)

Tuesday: Bean/Beef Tacos

Wednesday: Homemade pizza, mixed veggies

Thursday Grilled chicken/ Crock pot pizza beans

Friday & Saturday - Unsure of what are final plans are, so no plans for supper yet.

Menu Planning

2009-05-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

A little late posting, but here it goes

Sunday: Mac & cheese, peas, & pb sandwiches (aka tired from the busy weekend!)

Monday: Jon grilled pork chops, mashed potatoes, corn, & garlic bread (I guess I was on a carb kick!)

Tuesday: Rotel crockpot chicken/bean & veggie enchiladas, homemade limeade with a kick

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Spinach stuffed pasta shells, sweet carrots

Friday: leftovers/popcorn- its outdoor movie night in the Gateway

Saturday: I'd really like to try this, but I'm not sure if I'll get to it this week

Bargains & Freebies...

2009-04-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

There are several good deals going on that I thought I would share.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) Dominos is giving away their pasta bread bowls for free from 11-2 and

Baskin Robbins is charging .31 for scoops of ice cream from 5-10 pm. Baskin Robbins is also collecting donations for charity.

If you can get your hand on a copy of April 22nd Juice, there is a coupon for a free haircut from Aveeda Institute. I have an appointment set and am a little nervous since I've been going to the same hairdresser that I like for the past 9 years, but I've heard good things about Aveeda, so I'm willing to give it a shot for free!

Weekly Menu

2009-04-27T12:39:00.001-07:00

Time to get into the swing of menu planning, again.

Sunday: Bagel pizzas & corn

Monday: Hu-Hot to celebrate Paul's 60th b-day & Ian's 4th birthday

Tuesday: Pork Chops, mashed potatoes, homemade bread, mixed veggies

Wednesday: Crock pot chicken/ Broccoli Rice casserole

Thursday: Make whatever you want day (I'm working in the community garden, unless its raining)

Friday: Need suggestions please!!

Saturday: Farmer's market surprise (yay, the market opens!)

Not the most creative week, looking forward to reaping the rewards of working in the community garden as well as the farmers market.

This & That

2009-04-25T18:01:00.001-07:00

Since I know you all have been missing my blogging, I figured it was time for an update. :)

Sydney is saying new words left and right, its absolutely amazing. One of my favorite things to hear her say is "Toe-y" for Chloe, our cat. Its so precious. She loves looking at picture books/I Spy books and sometime will even say "I spy.." then point at the object. Too cute!

Most of the time when she sees a star, she starts singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (she sings the up above portion.) She has the hand movement down pretty good for it too.

Jon & I have been fortunate to receive several free tickets to artsy events, as of late. In the past month or so we have seen Throughly Modern Millie, Sideways Stories, the Ten Tenors, and I took Ma to see Girls Only. I absolutely love going to the theatre, so getting free tickets is an added bonus!

We've been enjoying riding our bikes with Sydney in her spiffy trailer. I am so happy Spring is here so we can spend more time outside. I am NOT a fan of cold weather, I just don't seem to warm up easily.

.....Sorry, Whitney, no recipes today! Feel free to post some or at least some menu planning ideas! :)

Updates

2009-03-25T14:02:00.000-07:00

We have been keeping pretty busy lately. The annual St. Patty's day parade happened downtown. Sydney had a lot of fun watching the parade, but I think she was most excited about all the beads she received. All in all, I think she got 12 necklaces! Jon took an extended lunch to join us at the parade and several friends joined us, as well.

We also attended the "green" confetti drop at the Science Center. While it was fun, I think I had over 1000 pieces of confetti down my shirt. Not too comfortable!

I've also had some much needed "me" time lately. Saturday night, I attended a ladies night out at the bead shop. It was so nice to use my creative side for a change. I haven't made too many pieces since Sydney has been born, so it was nice to make a few projects.

Sunday, Jon & I attended the Des Moines Art Center's talk about American Gothic. I had no idea about the controversy that surrounded the painting.

My latest venture is trying belly dancing. I attended my first class last night and had a blast. I may not be the thinnest or have the most coordination of anyone in the class, but I'm certainly open to new experiences. I look forward to going again next week!

Menu Monday

2009-03-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot going on lately, but I haven't taken the opportunity to blog about it. I am trying to be consistent about blogging our weekly menus to keep us sticking to them.

Sunday: Jon made homemade pizza using a new crust recipe and a sprinkling of blue cheese on top. Its my favorite homemade pizza so far!

Monday: Lime couscous salad & french bread (free from Target)

Tuesday: Hamburgers for Jon & Black Bean burgers for me and Sydney can have a combo...then I'm off to go Belly Dancing (don't laugh too hard!)

Wednesday: Spinach stuffed Pasta Shells (I keep meaning to make these, so this is the week!)

Thursday: Blue cheese pork chops (Jon), Carrots, Potatoes, & blue cheese salad for me

Friday: Enchiladas

Saturday: Jon's garlic pasta with steamed broccoli

I'm starting to get a little better with the couponing bit. In the past week, I've gotten bread, cauliflower & broccoli for free, applesauce for .25, and got 4 steaks for Jon for $2.

Menu Planning

2009-03-16T07:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Pizza bagels & green beans

Monday: We're firing up the grill tonight!

Tuesday: St. Patty's Day, not sure but hoping for something festive

Wednesday: Chicken Tikka Masala & Bombay potatoes

Thursday: Spinach stuffed pasta shells

Friday: Enchiladas

Saturday: Jon & Syd are on their own, I'm having a girl's night out!

Menu Planning

2009-03-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday: Late lunch with ma at Mimi's cafe, so just snacked on sweets (real healthy, right?)

Monday: Veggie Quesadillas w/lime

Tuesday: Pork chops & carrot soup (didn't get made last week)

Wednesday: Tacos & spanish rice

Thursday: Grilled cheese & home fries

Friday: ?

Saturday: homemade pizza??

I'm not feeling very creative this week and am just thinking about what we have on hand. Need ideas, please!! I checked out some cookbooks from the library and am hoping to be a bit more inspired for next week! Also, I have some leftover mint leaves that needs to be used up, any ideas for that?

Lime couscous salad recipe

2009-03-02T16:57:00.000-08:00

I've had several requests for the lime couscous salad recipe. There isn't actually any lime in the salad, but since I love lime so much, I serve it with lime wedges. (I have at least a 1/2 of lime with mine.)

Chop up 5-6 green onions and 2-3 cloves of garlic and saute in olive oil for a minute or so add 1 tsp cumin.

Add 1 1/2 cups of vegetable stock & bring to a boil.

Take off heat and add 1 cup couscous and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Chop 2 peeled tomatoes, a bunch of parsley & mint (about 4 tbsp), 1 jalapeno and put in a bowl. Add juice of 1/2 lemon.

Mix couscous & vegetables together and let set together for at least an hour. You can let it sit at room temperature or put in fridge.

Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of crisp lettuce with lime wedges and toasted pine nuts if you've got them. Yum!

Menu Planning

2009-03-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

Last week hardly went as planned, but thats ok by us. We ate at Quiznos with our free sub coupons one night, I made quick nachos Friday night, as we ended up with free tickets to the the Byron Stripling Quartet (which was wonderful, btw) and Saturday we had a late lunch at the Cheesecake Factory with Jon's family since his Aunt Janice was in town. Needless to say it was a pretty easy week, cooking wise!

Here is our menu for this week:

Sunday: Spicy pepper & tomato pasta with orange carrots

Monday: Lime Couscous (yes, I love it and couldn't make it last week as there was no mint to be found anywhere!)

Tuesday: Chicken/Bean & veggie fajitas (we make with lots of lime!)

Wednesday: We will be having supper with my Mom.

Thursday: Taco Pie (variation) and salad

Friday: Hummus wraps & fruit

Saturday: Carrot curry soup for me & pleasant pork chops for Jon. Syd will be having a little of both and we will be having garlic bread to go with.

Today I appreciate....

2009-02-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

My cousin Sam's blog reminded me that its that time again to remember what I appreciate/what I am thankful for, so here I go...

1. My darling daughter in her cute pig tails

2. A loving hubby who works hard to support us

3. My yummy lasagna supper

4. Cars that run

5. Today was playgroup!

6. We received free tickets to a string quartet. Yay for having a date night!

7. That we tried something new last night, we went to a drumming circle. So fun & relaxing!

8. That I got a decent night's sleep since Sydney slept well last night.

9. A random stranger in the park that reminded me of Great Grandpa Nels.

10. Beautiful weather!

Menu planning

2009-02-23T06:53:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Last night Dad came over after work. We had homemade pizza, strawberries, & broccoli w/italian dressing

Monday: Chili Lime couscous salad

Tuesday: Lasagna (didn't have last week) & maybe mardi gras salad or some sort of dessert

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Fajitas, chips & salsa

Friday: Burgers/veggie burgers, 5 cup salad

Saturday: Unsure of plans for day

Menu planning

2009-02-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday: Had a belated Valentine's dinner made by Jon since we had plans yesterday. He made my favorite caribbean peanut tofu (chicken for him) along with a glass of a "margaritini" (our combo of a martini & margarita)

Monday: He made a large batch of the caribbean dinner, so we will be having yummy leftovers....that is if I don't eat all of mine for lunch tomorrow!

Tuesday: Mozzarella & tomato paninis with pan fried asparagus and grapes

Wednesday: Vegetable lasagna with garlic bread and maybe a salad

Thursday: Leftovers (this will be an easy week cooking with all of these tasty leftovers!)

Friday: We still haven't made our tortilla soup, so I will try to make it Friday night

Saturday: Still not sure, but I am thinking that we will try making Mexican pie.

Weekly Menu Week 3

2009-02-08T17:15:00.000-08:00

So last week we varied a bit, as we didn't take into account plans for the week. Thursday night we had a birthday party to attend to, Friday we went out with Nick & Britt, and Saturday we spent time with my Ma & Sister. A fun, but busy weekend! We have several items left over to use from last week, so you'll see several repeats.

Sunday: Late lunch at Hickory Park aka Send Ben off to Seattle Party....needless to say Jon & I aren't hungry. We may munch on lime & chili flavored popcorn later, but thats about it.

Monday: Chicken/Veggie & Bean quesadillas, guacamole

Tuesday: Tortilla soup & cantaloupe

Wednesday: Pork chops (Jon still hasn't had them, see prior weeks), stuffed cherry tomatoes w/goat cheese, some sort of potato

Thursday: Garlic pepper pasta, parmesan knots, garlic peas

Friday: Sausage/veggie enchiladas, homemade spanish rice

Saturday: Benefit supper for former classmate battling cancer

It seems like there is something else going on this week, but I'm too tired to figure out what.

I'm also looking for quick, easy, & somewhat healthy foods for Sydney & I at lunch. We usually do leftovers, sandwiches, soups, fruit & cheese, etc. This past week I got adventurous and made falafel with mint-cucumber chutney (yum, yum!) Any ideas appreciated!

Updates

2009-02-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

The month of January was a rough one. We were sick for the majority of it. At one time Sydney had an ear infection, sinus infection, and a viral cold all at the same time. Then she had a stomach bug. Needless to say, I am very happy January is over and am hoping for a healthier & happier February! I know I am much happier now that I am no longer suffering through 17 days straight of being sick and able to sleep decent. Its amazing how grouchy one gets with little sleep & lots of illness!!

Sydney is really into playing with her dolls. She loves to feed them imaginary & real food and even makes sounds when she feeds them. She also is "grossed" out by getting icky things on her hands, such as diaper cream or yogurt. She even makes a face and gagging noises. Its pretty funny. She is her Mother's Daughter, thats for sure.

We have music playing for most of the day, and one of my favorite things to do with my daughter is dance. After breakfast she asks for the music to be turned on by pointing at the computer or stereo and dancing. Very cute!

Menus of the Week-2

2009-02-01T08:09:00.000-08:00

Sunday- Supper Bowl Sunday- Sloppy Joes/Veggie Joes, potato salad, chips

Monday- Cheese Ravioli, salad, grapes

Tuesday- chicken quesadillas/veggie quesadillas, guacamole

Wednesday- lime couscous salad

Thursday- pork chops, baked potatoes, baked beans (didn't make last week)

Friday- goat cheese(w/bell pepper, tomato, basil) paninis

Saturday- Sausage/bean & veggie enchiladas, homemade spanish rice

Mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup?

2009-01-27T13:49:00.001-08:00

Jon and I generally try to avoid products containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I do enjoy an occasional pop, especially when I sick, but otherwise generally will stick to flavored soda water (not diet.) Here is another reason to avoid HFCS, as there are reports of mercury found in the sticky substance. Yikes!

Menu's of the week

2009-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

Taken as inspiration from my cousin-in-law, Sarah's blog, and tired of always wondering what's for dinner, we have started planning out our meals in advanced. We have done this in the past and it always works well, but have gotten out of habit. I have often been asked what we eat since I'm a vegetarian and Jon is not, so I've decided to share our weekly menu.

Sunday Chili-lemon couscous salad (so tasty, a big hit!)

Monday Crock-pot spicy chicken/black bean & veggie tacos, spanish rice

Tuesday BLTs (mine is veggie bacon), corn on the cob

Wednesday Pork chops, baked potatoes with fixings, & baked beans

Thursday Pasta Bake, steamed broccoli with lemon

Friday Homemade pizza, sweet carrots

Saturday Caribbean Peanut Chicken/Tofu with rice (My favorite dish to have at home)

Children's toys & products

2009-01-26T18:08:00.000-08:00

As I had posted on an earlier blog, I was a supporter of the bill that banned lead & other nasty chemicals in children's products. While I still stand behind my belief, I am disappointed at how poorly the bill ended up being written. When the law goes into affect next month, small ma & pa shops who make handmade toys, diapers, and the like will be forced to shut down or operate illegally. It is simply not feasible for most small businesses to pay the thousands of dollars needed to test each product. Enjoy purchasing children's products at craft shows? You won't be able to. Support efforts of reducing landfill waste by purchasing WAHM (work at home mom) made diapers? They will be forced to close there doors too. Thanks, Maggie for posting a link to the Handmade Toy Alliance. You can find a petition that will be sent to the CPSIA and learn more about the concerns.

New Year's Eve

2009-01-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

New Years Eve was a very busy but fun day. We started off by joining some of our friends at the Science Center's Noon Year's Eve Bash. We had fun counting down to Noon and watching the balloon drop. We love visiting our local science center and will get to do so whenever we want, thanks to the Thompson's for renewing our membership for Christmas.

Sydney was so tired from the bash that she took a three hour nap. Then it was off to ImaginEve. There were a ton of kids! That didn't stop Sydney from having fun with the toddler bouncy toys. She looked like such a big girl playing with all of the other kids!

We ended the night by going to our favorite restaurant, Tandoor. Sydney loves Indian food and even seems to like food a little spicy. Watch out, Daddy, she may eat spicier food than you some day......if that is possible!

Jon & I watched an old movie on hulu.com and were asleep by 11. It was a fun day.

Nutcracker Ballet

2009-01-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted happenings for awhile, but thought I would share that last month Sydney went to her first ballet. I contacted the Ballet Theatre of Des Moines to see if the toddler group we are part of could go to the children's edition of the Nutcracker Ballet. Not only did we get to see the ballet for free, they reserved an area in the back of the theatre by the doors to make an easy escape if needed. Sydney wore her tutu and I had fun hearing comments from the little girls in the theatre commenting on how cute Sydney was. Sydney loved watching all of the action on the stage and I only had to bribe her with a couple of puffs to keep still!

Healthy Toys

2008-12-08T09:32:00.000-08:00

I came across this website and thought I'd pass it along to anyone who has kids. Its a website where you can check the various chemicals found in your kids toys. You can even text message the website while Christmas shopping to find out if the toy you are considering purchasing is safe! Great idea!

Life is short.....

2008-12-03T07:16:00.000-08:00

I have lots of fun things to blog about and great pictures to post from the holiday weekend, but again find myself writing of things of a more philosophical nature. Life is short.....very short. None of us know how much time we have here on Earth and the time we do have often goes unappreciated. However, when we start to reflect on life, we start gaining riches that cannot be purchased.

This has been on my mind because I know a lot of people are hurting now. I have more friends that have lost their jobs (or spouses have lost jobs) recently than are working. Many family members are battling serious illnesses; a cousin of mine recently had a baby that had to be re-hospitalized due to being jaundiced. My cousin had to have a blood transfusion due to the birth and has had back pain due to the epidural not getting in the right spot. An Uncle of mine is battling cancer and my Aunt (his wife) will be having a hysterectomy this month. Another Aunt is in the hospital due to a perforated bowel and had emergency surgery and another Uncle just had a hernia repaired and will be off work for 6-8 weeks.

All we can do during these rough times is march forward. By marching onward, sometimes we are given glimmers of hope, but even more important, pictures of what is really important to us. If we have someone to love, something to eat, and a roof over our heads we are already ahead of the game. If we have someone to share our laughter and tears then we are truly blessed.

Consumer information.....

2008-11-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

Its that time of year when everyone starts thinking about what to give for Christmas gifts. I came across this website that has a list of lead & phthalate free non-toxic toys. I am very impressed by the work that was done to collect this information. We are not perfect when it comes to staying clear of lead & phthalate free toys, but make efforts where we can. I am so happy the the act banning lead from children's toys in the US will take place next year. Its hard enough being a parent, let alone having to research every single toys that comes their way!

Also, if you have any Carter's brand children's clothing from the fall of 2007 line, you are able to get a refund. The CPSC has released information stating that there have been complaints of rashes due to the tagless tags. I wrote to Carters and expressed my disappointment in their product and they sent me a postage paid envelope to return any clothing to them and we will receive back full retail value. They also included a teddy bear for Sydney. I will be sending her clothes to Carters back soon, but am questioning if I want to send back the one and only newborn piece of clothing I purchased or keep it for memories sake.

Special Day

2008-10-21T14:22:00.001-07:00

Today is a special anniversary of sorts at the Thompson household. One year ago today, we got to bring Sydney home from the hospital. The 18 days she spent in NICU were the longest of my life and we are so fortunate to have a healthy little girl! The pictures above was our favorite of the staff that helped save Sydney's life, Dr. Stenzel and Nurse Dawn. They were absolutely incredible. We were so fortunate to have such a great staff (ok, a couple I didn't like, but they helped Sydney get better!!) In 2007, Blank Children did not have one death in the NICU. That is absolutely incredible, especially considering all of the special needs that come in there. I often wonder how Jason, a baby that was in the next room to Sydney is doing. He was in NICU for 5 months and got to go home while Sydney had her stay.

The last picture is of the day that we all got to come home as a family! Many people report being scared when they bring home their newborn. I don't remember that feeling, but instead a feeling of relief. It took several months before I could look at pictures of Sydney in the hospital and not bawl.

Since Sydney was ill during her 12 month check up, she went in a got some of her shots today as well as blood drawn to test iron levels and for lead. What a way to celebrate the day!

Happy anniversary, Sydney! We love you!!

Thankful

2008-10-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

With the harsh economy and the darkness of Winter coming upon us, I thought it would be nice to remind myself of what I'm Thankful for. This was a useful tool that I used often in my counseling career and I thought I could use a refresher of what I am truly thankful for today:

1. My Awesome Daughter

2. A loving & devoted husband

3. A roof over my head in a neighborhood that I love

4. That we are all getting over our colds

5. My health

6. The care "package" that Mom brought over this weekend, so we wouldn't have to go to the store for groceries while sick!

7. Yummy homemade baked mac & cheese (I made it with cracker crumbles on top-yum, yum!)

8. Herbal tea

9. Instant messenger, so I can talk with friends while trying to keep the house quiet when Sydney is sleeping (she's like her Mama & very sensitive to noise)

10. All of my loved ones

There are so many more things to be thankful for. These are just a few that stand out for today.

What are you thankful for?

Birthday brownies

2008-10-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

We are all sick at the Thompson household and had to cancel Sydney's little birthday party for tomorrow. I was a little bummed because I didn't have what I needed to make Sydney a cake and was too exhausted to go to the store. However, I found a yummy brownie recipe to work as her birthday cake. It was pretty tasty, served with chocolate & carmel syrup as well as a maraschino cherry (chopped up, of course.) She had fun eating the cake, especially since we usually only give her healthy/low sugar things.

My Mom stopped by and dropped off some birthday presents for Sydney. Sydney has had fun all day getting on & off of her new rocking/bouncing horse. Thanks Grandma C!

While its too bad we had to postpone her party, I am so fortunate to be able to spend her first birthday with her all day long!! This time last year, I was getting to see my baby girl for the first time, 8+ hours after birth.

Sometimes birthdays don't turn out as you plan, but turn out nice anyhow.

Happy Birthday, Pookie!!!

2008-10-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, little Sydney made a dramatic entrance into the world at 11:54 AM, weighing 9 lbs 7 1/2 oz. We were told she was 22 1/4 inches long, but when she was finally discharged from the hospital she was shorter!!

We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful daughter. I can't believe how fast the past year has gone....it has been the fastest of my life. (Minus the sleepless nights, that is!) We love you Sydney!

Due date

2008-09-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

A year ago today was Sydney's due date. I swore I was going to have her early, surprise surprise when I ended up having her a week later than her due date, with the help of modern medicine! I was so huge and uncomfortable. From weeks 38-40 of pregnancy, I had gained over 7 lbs of water weight. All of the Doctors told me there would be no way I would make it to to her due date. I started having contractions before my Drs. appointment on week 40 and swore that was the day. My Dr. thought the same thing! When the contractions started, I called Jon home from work and we proceeded to bake. I heard that you know its time to go to the hospital when the contractions are too painful to bake and who doesn't want sweets while they are pregnant? I ended up baking a yummy lemon cake and Jon fixed lunch. Then the contractions stopped. Our little Pookie decided she was going to be an October baby instead!! Here is a "lovely" picture of me at the hospital right before I was induced, a week later. (Although I was having contractions at the time, I just hadn't started feeling them yet. What was I thinking in turning down the epidural?? Ouchie!!) By the time they rolled me into the operating room, I was shaking so much from the pain that they couldn't give me an epidural/spinal and had to knock me out cold. Despite of all of the problems that surrounded Sydney's birth, we got a pretty awesome daughter out of the deal! We are so fortunate & blessed. I can't believe she will be turning one next week! Happy due date, Pookie!! I love you!

Roseola

2008-09-15T06:09:00.001-07:00

Last week was a difficult week at our household. Sydney was sick, with a fever of 102.8 underarm (so we figure about 103.8) for a few days. Her Dr. thought is was a virus but warned us that once the fever breaks, to watch out for a rash, as Roseola has been going around. Lo & behold, her fever broke and she broke out in a rash. Our poor little girl was covered on her trunk & back, as well as a little on her neck & face. She was so cranky...if I looked at her wrong or tried to do something else besides give her my 100% attention, she bawled and would run away from me. :(

I am happy to report that she is back to her happy self and the roseola rash is gone. Yay!!

Quote for the Day

2008-09-10T19:40:00.000-07:00

"Each one has to find peace from within. And peace, to be real, must be unaffected by outside circumstances." - Mahatma Gandhi

Daddy's Milk??

2008-09-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Sydney was cuddling up to her Daddy and started pointing at his nipple and then her mouth several times. Then she tried to get into position to nurse, while signing for milk! Jon & I were rolling with laughter. This is the first time she has tried to drink "Daddy's milk." She must have been pretty disappointed when Jon handed her off to me! Poor girl!

A year ago today....

2008-08-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Was a exactly a month from Sydney's due date. I was so sure that she was going to be early..hahaha... apparently she had other plans. A year ago today, I was finishing my last week of work, before the treatment center closed down. A year ago today, I was hoping that I would have a week off of work, before having Sydney. Little did I know, that I'd get an extra bonus week! lol

I started crying tonight, watching Sydney and seeing how fast she is growing. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle her turning one-year. (Yes, I'm one of those Moms.) It will be fun watching her grow & learn more as she gets bigger. I have learned so much from her and feel incredibly blessed.

Allergies

2008-08-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

The other night I gave Sydney a piece of bread with a little bit of jelly on it. This was the first time she had this type of bread and the second time she's had jelly. (Normally I don't give her items containing sugar, but its hot & I'm running out of ideas for meals.) When I went to wash her up in her high chair, I thought she had jelly all over her face. Turns out, her face had red blotches on it from something she ate. I spoke with a nurse at her Drs. office who believes its due to the jelly. The only thing in the jelly that she hasn't really been exposed to is raspberries (and it was one of the last ingredients.) We're going to keep her away from that particular bread (Hy-vee bakery wheat) and berries/jelly until she's about a year or until we talk with the Dr. again. Thankfully she didn't seem to have any other reactions. The blotches, except for a spot on her nose, cleared up within an hour. The only other time I've noticed any sort of potential allergies in her is one instance when she was sitting in the grass which lead to a runny nose & a red puffy face. Hopefully this is something she will outgrow. I'm going to make sure she has eggs at about a year, before she goes into her one-year shots, to make sure she's not allergic to them.

I think I am going to make a Drs. appointment for myself, as I've been thinking for awhile now that I am allergic to walnuts (my mouth gets tingly when I eat them.) I also noticed the same sensation today while eating a banana.

On a side note, the last 4/5 nights, Sydney has a new bedtime routine of Jon walking & singing to her for a few minutes before she falls asleep. Its been so nice not to have to nurse her to sleep. She's starting to become such a Daddy's girl. Today she saw a picture of him, while he was at work, and screamed at the top of her lungs "DADA" and pointed. Too cute!

Protecting our kids

2008-08-01T08:02:00.001-07:00

I read online this morning that the House passed the legislation that bans lead and phthalates from toys and children's products. This bill also includes more money for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as the ability to penalize companies that violate this law. Also included in this bill is third party testing of kids products.

The Senate is expected to pass the bill. It will be interesting to see how the President votes, as according to major news sources he's not fond of the bill. Exxon-Mobil has been lobbying against the bill.

After all of the products that have been recalled in the past year, its time something was done. Lets forget about money and politics and do what's right for our kids.

Cheesecake recipe

2008-07-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

Per Sarah's request, here is the recipe for the vanilla bean cheesecake. I usually purchase my vanilla beans at Penzey's, as I'm assuming that they are of better quality that ones from the grocery store. I know you can make vanilla sugar with the leftover pods, but I have yet to do that. Hmm, Penzey's has some tasty recipes online, too. Maybe I'll try the peach streusel crisp. Yum, yum.

(If you ever care to taste the cheesecake, ignore the calorie/fat content per serving listed. 6 slices makes for pretty huge pieces, 8 is more reasonable.)

Random things

2008-07-24T05:48:00.001-07:00

I have been meaning to post for awhile now, but seem to have problems uploading pictures from my camera. Its been another busy one at our household. Last Saturday, we all went to Ellie's birthday party. We had a great time and can't believe she's already one. Pretty soon Sydney will be turning the big o-n-e, too! Saturday evening, we went to Bowling for Apes, a charity event in which money goes to helping the conservation efforts for Great Apes in Africa. I am proud to say I kicked Jon's tail during one of the bowling games (nevermind that he won the other two!!) Sydney enjoyed watching all of the action.

Jon & I went and saw Dark Knight, on IMAX, this past Monday. I generally don't care for any movie with shooting/violence, but this was very good. Heath Ledger did an awesome job as The Joker. His acting talents will be greatly missed. This was the second movie Jon & I have seen in the theatre since Sydney has been born (the other movie being Juno.) Its amazing how time flies.

Yesterday was Jon's birthday and he actually got home at a reasonable hour from work (yay!) We hung around the house and ate my homemade vanilla-bean cheesecake with fresh cherries. Yummy! How Jon is trusting me to be home today with 2/3 of a cheesecake is beyond me. I'll try to be on my best behavior, though!

I'm enjoying listening to the rain along with Ray Charles' "Genius Loves Company" while Sydney is soundly napping. Life is good.

Thankful

2008-07-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I caught part of a show on public television about cesarian sections in Africa. They showed one area of Mozambique that has one OB Doctor for 175,000 people. They perform 3-5 c-sections a day. They have to worry about power going out and have a generator as a back-up that needs to be fixed every day. A new generator would cost a whopping $1000. They do planned c-sections in the morning, when the power is more stable, but still have emergency c-sections to deal with. Women generally need their spouses permission to get sterilized, even if having more children would put their lives at risk. The WHO Director stated that they need 1,000,000 additional Doctors in Sub-Saharan Africa to have adequate medical coverage.

While watching this show, I got teary, knowing that if I had given birth to Sydney in Africa, she wouldn't have made it. Heck, even 15 years ago in the states, she would have only had a 50% of survival. I am so thankful, so thankful, so thankful that everything turned out alright for us and so sad for those across the world that don't have the benefit of modern medicine.

We're in trouble now......

2008-07-10T16:17:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning, Sydney & I were getting ready to leave to go to our baby group. I set her down to put her sippy cup in her diaper bag. She threw a fit and preceded to cry and walk towards me with open arms. I was in disbelief with what I was seeing. The Dr. "warned" me that she would be an early walker, but walking at nine months and six days?!? She had been trying to walk a couple of days before, moving her legs and getting no-where. Looks like she figured it out! She's walked a few times since. My little girl is getting so big!

9 Month Appointment

2008-07-08T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today was Sydney's nine month check-up at the Drs. I thought her appointment was for yesterday and I am so glad that it wasn't. Yesterda,y I went to my car around 10:30 AM for her 11 AM appointment and realized that her carseat & stroller were in Jon's car!! After having a fit, I remembered that we had a jogging stroller and that I could walk her to her appointment. (Her Dr. is downtown.) I went back to the apartment, got her stroller, and off we went, only to be stopped by construction and fencing blocking the sidewalk d/t the 80/35 festival. Ugh. I was going to have to walk an extra 4+ blocks to get to her appointment. I called her doctor's office to tell them we were going to be late, only to find out her appointment was for today!!! I am so glad I called before I got too far. It was so sticky outside that we cooled off at the coffee shop, where I had an iced decaf mayan mocha & Sydney munched on Cheerios & water.

Her appointment today went great. They always give Sydney a new book when she comes in, and the lady that weighed her gave "Miss Pretty" two books, one is to give to her boyfriend!! The lady that weighs her is always hoot. Sydney is weighing 16 lbs 2 oz (which is in the 10%), head size of 17 3/4 inches (75%) and her length is 26 3/4 (25%). Dr. Pete thinks Sydney is over 27 inches and is around the 40%, that she was measured wrong. He jokingly stated that the lady that weighs/measures Sydney "wants others to be short." The lady is maybe 4' 10."

Sydney scored 100% on reaching all of her milestones and Dr. Pete is impressed that Sydney is saying Mama, Dada, cat, kitty, & up. He's also impressed how comfortable she is around strangers and states that she must feel very secure.

A Blast of a weekend... part two

2008-07-06T10:36:00.001-07:00

Day two of the 80/35 festival went from 12pm-11 pm, with fireworks following. Needless to say, I was very pleased that our home is in the middle of the festival, so we could have some down time during the day. My favorite act of the day was Jakob Dylan. I really enjoyed listening to his music, but wished he was a little more energetic/talkative during his set.

The festival got me wondering when I got old and "conservative." Not that I was ever big into wearing bikinis & halter tops in public (or in private, for that matter), but when I saw people wearing them, I instantly thought of how burned they were going to get & hoped they were wearing sunscreen! I was so tired by the end of the day, and by the looks of it, Sydney was too. Jon & Wendy stayed out and listened to the entirety of The Roots. Sydney & I watched part of it, then watched the fireworks from the comfort of our home. I am completely exhausted today, as is Jon, but Sydney is ready to rock-n-roll!

A Blast of a weekend... part one

2008-07-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

We started our Independence Day celebration by going to the State capital & listening to the Symphony Pops & watching fireworks with four friends from my Mommy's group, along with their babies & spouses. Sydney did really good during the fireworks and got a nap in just before they started.

On the Forth, we celebrated by going to the 80/35 festival. Sydney was quite the hit with other concert goers, especially when she was wearing her headphones to muffle the noise. I had to ask a couple of people not to take pictures of my daughter and even asked one to please erase the picture she took. I know Sydney's cute and its a public place, but I still don't want strangers taking her picture! Our favorite concert of the evening was Andrew Bird. He was an absolutely amazing artist. We also had fun listening to Flaming Lips. They were much more entertaining that the stupid stint they did, called the Flaming Lips Experiment, which I saw in concert while in college. They were so bad then, I, along with 5,000+ people tried booing them off stage!!

Outdoor fun

2008-07-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we met Jon for a picnic lunch at Easter Lake. He's been so busy with work, we figured we'd sneak some family time in during the day. Jon went & showed her the trees, which she loves. In the picture she is signing one of her favorite signs, "up." Great...my baby is already wanting to climb trees at the ripe age of 9 months!

After Jon went back to work, Sydney & I ventured out to the beach. She wasn't too sure what to think of the sand. Next time I'll come prepared with a blanket!

Three Fabulous Fun Filled Weekends....

2008-07-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy, but fun couple of weekends, and next weekend looks to be just as fun. The weekend before last, Sydney went to her first play, Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream. It was an outdoor play and she did great. She got very excited at times, watching all of the people. She's handled artsy events pretty well, so far. Back in February, we took her to an opera, in which her jaw was dropped for the entire performance. The same weekend which we saw the play, Sydney also went to her first football game. Jess, my cousin Sam's husband, plays football for the semi-pro team, Iowa Lightening, in which he scored a touch-down. Yeah!

Last weekend, the beloved art festival came to town. I'm not sure whether to say we lived in the festival or at the festival, as both are true. Our complex was smack dab in the middle of it. We had tons of fun for the three days it was here. Not only did we get to see tons of art, but also side-show acts, musicians, get to participate in art projects, and saw a ton of friends and family.

We are gearing up for this coming weekend, when the 80/35 festival comes to our backyard. The best part is we get free tickets ($50 a piece) because of the "inconvenience" of the festival. Hmm, I wonder if the art festival will give us free art next year, due to the "inconvenience?" One can dream! ;-)

Then & Now

2008-06-26T19:45:00.001-07:00

I thought it would be fun to get pictures in the same place from earlier this year. The first picture was taken on 1/12/08 & the next was taken today. Apparently I like to wear the color green!

Remote control user... caught on camera!

2008-06-23T13:47:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned before, we are trying to avoid TV for Sydney until she is two. Today she decided it would be fun to play with the remote control. She looked like she was having so much fun, so I grabbed the camera. Just as I was taking a picture of her, she figured out how to turn on the TV! Her look is priceless! At least the TV was set to IPTV, so Sesame Street was on!

Muddy Waters

2008-06-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

It is so nice to be home. Sydney & I spent last Tuesday-Saturday at the Thompson's d/t potential flooding downtown. We didn't want to chance having to drag a baby through flooded waters & sewage (Yuck!) Friday they evacuated downtown, within a 2 block radius from our home. Thankfully, our apartment didn't get flooded! Paul & Mary were great hosts and were a great help with Sydney.

Jon has been working a ton. He has been driving a boat to get people in & out of the buildings. He was able to move some of the technology before it all got destroyed. It will be quite awhile before they are completely out of the water.

I am looking forward to getting back to our "normal" schedule and looking forward to our baby groups tomorrow!

Water Logged

2008-06-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update on our neck of the woods. Sydney & I are staying at the Thompson's while we wait out the flood. Jon is staying in DSM and working. Our place is one block away from the 500 year flood plain. Let's hope it doesn't get that bad. Go to www.greatapetrust.org and take a look at the flooding. Jon is in picture #6 of the slideshow loading up computer equipment onto a boat.

More to come later.

Baby Girl Update

2008-06-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sydney is doing much better. She hasn't run a temperature since Sunday and is orney as ever. The urine & blood tests came back negative, so more than likely she had something viral. We were given a choice if we wanted to stop the antibiotics and went ahead & stopped. These type of antibiotics are notorious for causing a yeasty diaper rash & thrush...yuck! I also believe she developed a rash (on her neck) d/t the antibiotics.

Now we are dealing with weight issues (again.) Sydney hasn't gained any weight for the past couple of weeks. Its understandable since she had an upset stomach for almost 2 weeks then the illness. However, her weight gain has slowed down a ton in the past 2 months (since she's been crawling.) She went from being in the 95% in weight when she was born, holding at 25% since December, and recently is at 10%. Yikes! I feel like all I do at times is feed her. Dr. Pete (her pediatrician) is now having me give her 8 oz. of formula/day in addition to breastfeeding & solids. We'll see how it goes. At 6 1/2 months she decided she wanted nothing to do with formula or bottle. I had to "trick" her into taking some of it tonight by feeding it to her with a spoon! Blah. As long as she gains weight for next week, I won't be too concerned. She's a petite gal and has always gained weight on the low side of acceptable, but does need to gain a little weight each week. (Babies over 6 months old are supposed to gain 1-3 ounces per week.)

On a fun note, Sydney asked to take a second bath today, after she had a bath and went wadding in the artificial stream by our home. It was so cute. She crawled over to the tub, pulled herself up and started banging her hands against it.

We ended the night by listening to 2 1/2 star jazz at the coffee shop. She was quite the dancin' machine and loved the attention from the 2 & 3 year olds that were there.

My baby is a pre-toddler

2008-06-02T19:45:00.000-07:00

So sad, but true. No longer are the days that she wants to cuddle forever. Now she wants to cuddle forever minus one hour, so she can go explore the world. She's growing so fast. Here's our little Pookie at 20 days old:

and here she is at almost 8 months:

I am just amazed at how amazing having a child is.

The Zoo, Wizard of Oz, Farmers Market, & 3 hour Dr. visit

2008-06-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

Its been a busy weekend at the Thompson residence. It started out fun enough. We went to the Friday Family Fun night at the Zoo and got to learn all about elephants. It was such a beautiful night & Sydney really seemed to enjoy herself. The Wizard of Oz was playing on the big screen at the park next to our home, so we decided to check it out. I would guess we "watched" about an hour of the movie before we decided to head on home. It was a fun way to watch a movie and technically Sydney's first time at the theatre. Of course, we are mean parents and wouldn't let her actually watch the movie. We are trying to avoid her watching TV until she is two. I think I am aiming for a year and then Jon & I will decide from there. Instead, Sydney got to climb all over Mom & Dad and stayed on the "border" of the blanket we were sitting on.

Friday night was a very long & tiring night. We all went to sleep around 11 p.m. and Sydney decided to wake up every 30 minutes. I thought at first it was due to the loop-scoping noise of urban living (yay for the up-coming police patrol for loop scoopers!) As it turns out, she had a bit of a temperature.

Sydney woke up at her normal time on Saturday and was happy as could be. She still had a little temperature, but I chalked it up to teething. We decided to go ahead with our original plans and walk to the farmer's market. We got there just in time when all of the Dam-to-Dam participants were getting back from their race. Talk about a jam packed market! We ran into at least 7 people we knew. Jon had a taco, I had a bean & cheese puspas, & Sydney had a nap. On the way back home, we hung out in the "wading" stream by the Papajohn center after seeing our neighbor lounging in the water. Sydney is becoming quite the fish. I think I am going to purchase a family swimming pass this season.

My favorite part of the weekend was getting home & Jon taking care of Sydney while I took a TWO hour nap!! (yay, naps!) Jon got extra brownie points by running to our favorite frozen custard place & picking me up a strawberry-banana sundae, which was delivered to me just as I was waking up. Jon got his turn of fun time by riding his bike for 19.6 miles. We ended Saturday with Sydney going to sleep & Jon & I watching Kitchen Nightmares on Hulu.

Sunday wasn't as fun. Sydney woke up at 4:30 a.m. to nurse and was burning up. Her temperature was 104 degrees! I immediately gave her tylenol, woke up Jon, & called the Drs. office. They had Jon run to the store & pick up Motrin and I kept a close watch on Sydney. At 7 a.m. we had her temperature down to 102 and we went back to sleep. Sydney went to the Drs. at 12:30 where the poor thing had to have a catheter put in to draw urine as well as blood drawn. Shortly after 3 her lab work came in and the Dr. believes she has a bladder infection. They won't know for sure for 2-3 days, once the samples have had time to be cultured. She is on antibiotics now and her temp. appears to be more in the normal range. Sydney is a little more clingy to Mommy, but otherwise, you wouldn't even know she is sick by looking at her.

To top it off, a bottom tooth is cutting through her gums. She's quite the little trooper. It's past time for me to go to sleep, but I'm all wound up after the day we've had. I'm hoping for a nice quiet day tomorrow!