Hello from lovely Vancouver! I LOVE this city! Today I have taken a water taxi and played on an island full of shopping, children's parks and veggie markets. It was a BLAST! Wore out the toddlers so much they are STILL napping! Tomorrow we hit the Science Center for my birthday and Friday I know we will go across the suspension bridge. Icant wait! In bwteen, we ill hit the aquaium and do some shopping Luckily my house sitter wont mind ustaking the time to do the bridge o Friday and I am VERY excited. It has snowed a little and is quite cold here, but the ity is so cool! Even with toddlers it s just so new and old and plain rockin! People here are very nice too, I must admit.  ANyway I just wanted to drop a note. Traveling is fun and the scenery is spectacular. If you ever get the chance to come this way, DO IT! Pictures to follow...the whole place is so very Matrix-ie. I know that the Matrix was filme in Sydney, but this place has even more of that flair somehow. (Luckily I have been to both so I have some experience, though both cities are way cool, this one a tad easier to get to that Down Under from Seattle, you know?)

I am humble and proud. Today I opened my mail and found a newsletter from my sorority Sigma Kappa. I am a member from my days at California State University at Northridge, a chapter that no longer exists. Still, when I came to Seattle I contacted the local Alumnae chapter at UW because I was lonely. It was before I had children and I was all alone in a new city. I went to a few meetings and was always invited to their functions which made me feel very special and at home. Later I had children and my abilities to go hang with my adopted sisters grew smaller and smaller, still I made it to a few Founders Day luncheons and helped with some fundraising (our big philanthropy is Alzheimers research and it is a cause worthy of sponsorship).

 

At any rate, when I began working on my Kenya project with SIster Bernadette in Kenya through the school in which I teach, Sacred Heart in Bellevue, I let the house know what I was up to. I was asked all kinds of questions, honestly I thought our president of Alumnae relations was interested, but it turns out she did a very lovely and touching two page story about me! When I saw my name on the front page of the newsletter I was shocked and a little intimidated. I have to admit, while I am so excited about this work, and all we accomplished (we started to get $400 and we ended up aith over $1200 and are about to have that matched by Microsoft thereby not only getting our goal but also sponsoring several students for the entire year! What success!) I was not prepared for such a spotlight.

 

I am thankful and honored by my sisters at Sigma Kappa. They all work very hard to help the community at large around the world, this was my little part this year. Thank you for the recognition and the knowledge that I am doing something that makes you proud!

 

For run downs on what the Kenya Project was, there are past entries at this site. Again I would like to take a minute to remind you, especially at this time of year, if you have that gift for someone who has everything, donating to a worthwhile cause on behalf of someone is a fantastic way to help everyone feel special. Here are the companies I highly recommend as they do SO much good in so many places. I have worked with each of them in some way and in the years to come my involvement will be increasing as my children get bigger.

 

Womens Enterprises International: www.womesenterprises.org  This is an organization that helps communities around the world obtain fresh water, scholastic enterprises for orphans and at risk girls as well as providing an opportunity for involved women to go to these places and help first hand.

 

World Vision: www.worldvision.org There is a reason everyone knows about this fantastic organization that helps people world wide. From very small to very large to coorporate sized gifts, they do it all, everywhere, fearless and unyielding. They help everyone, even here in the US. If you have not checked them out, please do so!

 

Little Drops Orphanage Fund: www.littledropsorphanagefund.org I have only recently become involved with this group. They started an orphanage in Nigeria, the founders are from Nigeria and now work in Seattle at Microsoft and attend my school, and wanted to give back. Their theory is every little drop comes together to form mighty rivers and oceans of hope. Through our monthly donations I am now contributing to their cause and cannot say enough possitive things about them.

 

OK, soap box over, thank you thank you Snakey K sisters for the shout out and praise! It is my birthday this week and you have given me a very special gift, knowing you appreciate me, I am very thankful and grateful for your friendship, your guidance and your role in teaching me the importance of giving to the world community at large. It was always very important to me, and through my time in the house in Northridge as well as my time here with the UW sisters, I learned how important it was to all of us.

 

Love in Sigma,

Julianne

So I have this "thing" I hate cleaning. I mean with a passion. But someone has to do it, right? I mean I dont want Children and Family Services to come either....so I do clean...minimally...and when it gets too hard, I do major cleans and get exhausted and then let everything slide again. It is hard, trie, with two kids, I am not very organized, that is true too, and lets face it, who wouldn't rather sit and watch TV with their husband after the kids go to bed? I am not Martha, I do not get the kidletts to bed and then turn into Cinderella and clean the house so they wake to it magically clean in the morning. I wish I could be more like that, but alas, it aint in me. That's just not how I roll.

 

Still, I have realized I have a few "problem" areas that I need to address. One is I am a shopping addict. This is the WORST time of year for a shopping addict. EVerything is packaged so nicely. I want to give give give but I cant afford to just buy everything I see. I am pretty much done Christmas shopping because I buy a little all year, but of course enter November and I think I have nothing because it is all stashed away. I will be getting it out and wrapping it up this week so I know what I have and for whom so that when I go to Canada I dont go nuts (not that I can afford to anyway...see shopping addict comment and please if you see me walking anywhere near a Target or Kohls or Mall of any kid, be my friend and turn my butt around I done got everything I need.....except stocking stuffers which are a World Market run every year just before so I am seriously officially good....well except for my husband's big present from me...and the cycle starts its bitter whell again).

 

Now I still have my Halloween stuff up, no cleaning has been done, guests will ne here in a week and I am worring more about an event that is a month away than my Thanksgiving dinner....maybe procrastination is NOT my problem...maybe prioritization is? Ok did I just admit that? Thank God this is a silent medium, y'all just keep this between us, ok?

 

Oh alright, I will go get my you know what together and get on the stick...overwhelmed or not, it is definately time to take down the ghosts....still not sure it is tme to put up the Christmas lights, but it is all coming so fast, isn't it? Wasn't it summer yesterday?

Ever have a few weeks where everything seems to fly in your face? You are so busy picking things up, getting ready for this or that, riding the rollarcoaster that you forget things you KNOW you you should not forget (like paying the mortgage or putting gas in the car, etc) ? Well, I have had one of those. Riley started pre school last week! SO cute! She is a Sun Beam at the local Presbeterian church. I am Catholic, but I dont think God will care. They are so cute! She is VERY proud and this Tuesday they will have a feast day and Riley is VERY proud to show us around. So far her "BIG" deal is that she gets to play play doh every day....yippee and my carpets thank the school whole heartedly for that!

 

Patrick then gets two hours Mommy only time. It was important to give him that as he starts Kindergarten next year and has been feeling a little replaced by his little sister especially lately. SO she gets Mommy only time while he is at school in the afternoon and he gets it while she is at school two days a week in the morning. EVeryone gets something. Whew. I am loving the new re-connect time, we have played shutes and ladders, among other games, and his story telling keeps me very entertained and impressed. The biggest thing that cracks me up lately is his use of big words and his pronunciation....Ridiclious (pronounced Ree-dick-lee-ous) and yesterday it was Impervlious (pronounced im-perv-lee-us) and in the sentence he said to a friend as they were playing and teasing each other a bit "I am impervlious to your names!" (they were name calling as boys often do).

 

Today the kids and I are going XMAS shopping for Daddy and then coming home and FINALLY taking down Halloween outside. We have it taken down inside, but the outside is still all spooky. It is kinda sad, not the promise of scary it once was but a forgotten ghost wasteland. Gotta go. I cannot believe Thanksgiving is this week! See things are flying in my face! School, shuttles to ballet, Aikido, work, getting ready for holidays, it is a wild ride. It is a wonder we remember any of it, I am still in shock over Riley starting school for heaven sake.

 

SO, in case I get burried in Thanksgiving to do lists, have a happy Turkey day (or tofurkey day if that's your bag, baby) and be thankful for the blessing of your days. I have too many to count, so I will just smile like an idiot and internally know wonderfully blessed I am.

 

 

My daughter Rileyanne is the bravest kid I have ever known. Seriously. The kid has Moxy. Last Monday was her surgery and I regret that it has taken me so long to get this missive out, but we are still recovering. She had some minor complecations, some coughing blood, nothing too serious she just swallowed a little during the surgery. She had her tonsils and adenoids removed and tubes put in both ears. We stayed the night at Children's hospital because she was coughing blood and because her breathing did not stabilize right away...kit was always the plan because she had breathing problems to begin with, but we may have left had everything seemed fine. SO we had a night of breathing treatments and medicine every 2-3 hours. It was a HARD night. But she was a trooper! Let me tell you Children's Hospital is getting our donating dollars in giving campains in the future. They did it ALL right. They let her little kitty doll Kitty Boo have a hospital bracelet too and she was allowed to hold her during the surgery. Now that doll has not left Riley's side in over a week! I am worried because I cannot replace her. But still they did it right. One thing that I was not prepared for was going in to help them "put her under". As we were holding th egas up to her she leaned into Kitty Boo and said, "Kitty Boo you are being so brave! I am so proud of you!" that was the last thing she said and I kissed her and said a prayer and made it to the door before I had water works.

 

The Codiene is not her friend either so we have switched to regular Tylonol and Motrin, we switch up, Tylonol or Motrin every 3 hours. She cannot have anything served hot for two weeks, and she cannot eat anything hard/crunchy which does not seem like a tough request at first glance but I am finding it harder to find new items for her now that we are a week in. Last night my friend made us Cottage Pie (an Irish recipe, like shepards pie but with ground beef instead f lamb) with veggies and such, and that was a hit. I think I need to search more casseroles.

 

Poor Riley had to miss Trick-or-Treating this year. We came home after she melted down, she did get to do some at the store where we were picking up her nebulizer.....by the way I can honestly say that the nebulizer was the way to go. I had to fight her Dr for it as she had been on an inhaler for two years and in the hospital I asked them to try it and she had 100% positive reaction to the misty cool medicine as opposed to just the spray of medicine you get in a spacer/inhaler. If you have a kid with asthma you know what I am talking about. My plan is the nebulizer at home and the spacer for emergencies when we are on the road. Anyway we trick-or-treated in the store. She came home and watched a Halloween Dora and when Dora asked, "What are you going to be for Halloween?" she started to cry and said, "I was going to be yoda!" and cried for a solid 20 minutes. I felt like the grinch. Still it was the right decidion. She was in bed less than 5 minutes after that.

 

Sleeping has been hard, my trick is pediasure drinks to help make sure she is getting something in her. She is still not eating well and if left to her own devices would only eat milk, cheese, bananas and soft bread no crust. All that which binds you. She cant do that for a variety of reasons. SO the Pediasure, some ice a blender and you have a sorta fun shake actually....cool on the throat anyway.

 

She is not the first to go through this, but it has indeed been a hard week. Patrick has been incredible! he has told her amazing stories, has drawn her pictures, has made sure she has what she needs and even when she is a tad mean, which face it she feels like crap is a lot of the time, he is patient and kind and says wonderful things like, "Momma, she just got a little out of hand" or "I know you dont mean that Riley, we are a team!" Aw.....he deserves a Hero's something, I am just not sure what yet.

 

SO, we will be out of the fog soon. I will post pictures of the Halloween Party as soon as I can get Harry to download them. We keep getting distracted, as I am sure you can understand. Still, we are home, we are recovering and soon I hope all will be better. It is already getting better....slowly....VERY slowly.....everyone heals differently and she is obvisouly hurting which is hard. One thing I was NOT prepared for was three days after the surgery was THE WORST. When I called the Hospital to make sure this was right they said it is the case with some kids, three days after, so the first day you are completely home, everything bottoms out. SO if you go through this, may you have a speedy recovery as is the case for a lot of kids. If you are like us, grit your teeth, stock up on the caffeine and allow your friends to help you. I am VERY fortunate that I had some awesome friends help out by bringing us dinner every other night that first week. It saved my butt. Thank you thank you.

 

Last note, when they give you the Tylonol with Codeine ASK FOR THE FLAVORING FOR KIDS! It tastes horrible and they have flavoring to help it go down easier. We did not know and she was refusing to eat, drink, or anything and spitting the medicine out. It sucked. Then we heard about the flavoring and we called the pharmacy and said, "Remember how you messed up Patrick's medicine last week? We found a way you could make it up to us....." luckily they did add flavoring to the medicine we had so we did not need to buy more or get a new Rx. Whew.