Thursday, March 29, 2007
The Tale That Took A Twist
On Wednesday evening, The Tale of a Broken Arm took a painful twist! It all began with our first medical visit for the day which involved removing a cast from a certain boy's arm. I do not know why it takes an untold number of hours to remove a cast and x-ray an arm.
Seconds, minutes, hours. . .waiting. . .at the first stop!
In all of my necessary and some not-so-necessary visits of late, I have learned some tactics that speed up your visit:
1. Keep looking at your watch, cell phone, planner - anything that makes it seem you really need to leave.
2. Close your eyes and try to sleep.
3. Keep reading the same child's book over/over and within earshot of personnel.
4. Pull your chair to the door and keep gazing around with a sad/pitiful look on your face. (This one really seems to get them hopping! :-)
Between office visits, we had lunch, went to the zoo, and stopped by BJU to see Troy.
Alas,
another doctor's office!
This time we were getting some help for Ethan's allergies. At the moment, he looks frightful and resembles a raccoon with measles, chicken pox, rashes. . . He is allergic to trees, so this is a miserable time of the year! Thankfully, this office visit was shorter, and the staff were absolutely wonderful!! (For those of you in SC, we were at UMA.) It was refreshing to meet such polite people!
Two office visits, one zoo trip, one lunch, one BJU stop, one supper, one pharmacy, and a library visit later, we were headed to church. Until. . .
the sliding door on the left side of the van was shut on my finger! Yes, completely shut!!!! I did not take pictures of blood spewing all over the place (Sorry, Joan.), so you'll have to be content with the bandaged finger. :-) In case you are wondering, no, we did not make it to church. I drove to where Troy was working, carefully unwrapped the finger and cried. I was more frustrated with the rotten day than I was the finger! Thankfully no bones were broken, and it was my left hand.
- And the little boy's mommy has come to realize that there will probably be more broken bones and smashed fingers, but the little boy, his older brother, his daddy, his mommy, but not his pet fish, can live happily ever after in Heaven! :-)
Monday, March 26, 2007
Activities at the castle. . .
Here are a few snapshots and tales of late. . . Enjoy!
Spring is here and blooming in the front yard.
The trees are beautiful,
but they are also causing some allergy problems.
Pardon me as I rub my eyes.
Seth and Troy enjoyed a lesson at the BJU Planetarium.
How do you like my
Walmart Bag Cast Protector? :-)
I didn't want the cast to get filthy while he was outside.
"Seth & Ethan's Fort" - named by Seth.
Lunch at the fort.
The boys bought their own flowers and soil. Here are the results.
"Allergy Eyes" greeted me this Monday morning.
Spring is officially here!
Doesn't he look pitiful?!
"Doctor Wady" came to the rescue - kit and all!
"Doctor Wady" had a "helper" who assisted with the patient.
After a battle of the wills, we succeeded in getting
meds in the patient's eyes.
Whew! That has a way of wiping you out emotionally!
The day received a better tone after the "helper" informed
"Doctor Wady" that he loved her so much he felt like he could cry.
A sweet statement and smoothing music later,
I think the day will be okay!
Happy Monday! :-)See ya in your blogs!
Friday, March 23, 2007
Catching Your Eye ~ Part 2
Ready for another room challenge? Thanks so much for all the comments on the previous rooms; it was very enlightening and helpful! Enjoy some more.
Room 1
As much as I like pink, this room is too much for me! Personally, I do not care for the frilly canopy or the chair in the right corner. I would also be afraid of jumping out of bed and falling through the window. Not much about this room appeals to me!
Room 2
Ahhhh. . .Now we're talking! Love the brown!!!!! I am all about simplicity, so this room speaks to me. I love using chairs and books in decor. Do not care too much for the lamp, and I think I would use a different color on the walls. Love the floors.
Room 3
Believe it or not, I also like this room. It is very Shabby Chic looking, which I love. Great color, material, and furniture combination. In fact, I love everything about this room. I would use this as a guest bedroom or for an older daughter (if she liked it). I stray from using lots of floral in my own bedroom since I share it with a man (my husband :-).
Now, let me hear from you. . .
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Searching for the perfect. . .
dentist!Remember the
tooth ? Well, 5+ months later, I am planning to get it fixed. In case you are wondering, I
dread mouth pain and dental bills, hence the long wait!
I have spent a good deal of this afternoon (and previous others) combing the phone book. I have attempted to get personal references but to no avail. So, out plops the Yellow Pages. I was actually quite amused by some of the ads, and what they offered:
1. One office is where you may have very little or no memory of your visit. (Sounds good, but what if they dig through my purse while I have "no memory?!")
2. One place offers anxiety free dentistry. (Are they referring to the dentists or patients? :-)
3. If you are looking for a dentist who knows his stuff, is compassionate, truly understanding, and approachable, this is the guy. So unusual in his approach, you will be amazed at your own easy feeling with him. (Sounds a bit like something from a romance novel.)
4. Smile Makeovers. (Reminds me of a show.)
5.
Nervous or anxious about your dental visits? I had to laugh at this ad which claimed a particular office as
perfect for dental phobics. . . It made me think of a
fellow blogger . (Sorry, Gene. I couldn't resist! :-)
--I finally settled with the Greenville Smile Center. (If anyone from my church knows horror stories of this place, please tell me! I do not need more blogging material!) They have a nice ad, more than one dentist on site, and claim to be affordable. (Choking! As affordable as dental procedures can be.) The dreaded day is April 5 at nine in the morning. Yes, my mouth and stomach are hurting at this moment!
After finishing the phone conversation with the receptionist, I went to the kitchen to find. . .
a hungry boy who helped himself to yogurt and animal crackers. He "wikes dem." By looking at the pile, that is obvious. I only hope he got enough!
The Tale of a Broken Arm - Part 2
There once was a little boy who removed his own cast and almost gave his poor mommy a heart attack! She was not wanting to go back to the doctor or "icky" waiting room, so she tried to put the cast back on the boy. She soon realized that while "what goes up, must come down" doesn't necessarily mean "what slides out, must slide back in."
The poor mommy spent lots of time calling hospitals and trying to talk to doctors. One hospital kept sending her to a voice messaging system that did not work.
The mommy finally found someone who promised to call her back! When the lady did, she told the mommy that she had to bring the little boy back to the hospital.
This time to waiting room was empty, so the mommy was thrilled!
The little boy was given another cast and more x-rays. The mommy was happy to find out personally removing casts has happened at other times in this far, far away land, for Gene Davis had her worried! She was beginning to think that she had Houdini for a son.
This time the family only spent 2 1/2 hours at the hospital, and the mommy was happy to discover they would put a cast on the boy that could stay on until the 28th. (She was afraid they would have to go back to the doctor the next day and get a different cast, for that is what they told her in the beginning.)
The mommy
now hopes there will be
no more broken bones or removed casts (The daddy and mommy had a talk with the boy that should prevent such actions.), and the family will live happily ever after!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Believe it or not. . .
Ethan removed his own cast today! My heart almost stopped when I saw his arm! He was supposed to be taking a nap. You never know what he will do next, and after I thought I had seen it all. . . Never a dull moment with that child.
P.S. It is much easier to slide your arm
out of a cast than
back in it! I am speaking from experience!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Frustrated!
Dear Readers,
Yes, the above picture is me after reading a few of my old posts. I am a terrible proof reader of my own work! No pretense - I admit the fault. The funny thing is I can nail mistakes in the writings of others, but I am awful when it comes to my own typos. I know what I am trying to say, so apparently, that is what my brain is seeing. Must be a sign of a deteriorating brain; I didn't have that problem in college. I trust that my mistakes have given you a few extra laughs!
Happy Monday! :-)
Friday, March 16, 2007
Ugh! What's that smell?!
I had big plans this afternoon! Lots of filing, laundry, teaching, cleaning, organizing. . . and getting a jump start on supper prep.
I had placed some chicken to boil on the stove and headed to our schoolroom. Dumb thing #1 because I became very engrossed once leaving the kitchen.
A good while later, Seth and I began to notice a "smell." To be honest, there is a certain little individual who gets the blame for many "smells."
"Ethan, did you do something?"
"No."
"Well, what in the world could that be - - - Yikes!!!!!!! My chicken. . ."
Yes, it
was the chicken. Tonight we will have what's left of it, and what
is left of it has a smoked flavor. That is good, correct?! :-)
Sigh. . .I suppose I'll now start working on the Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies, and this time I will not leave the kitchen! In the meantime, I think we need some fresh air in this place!
The Tale of a Broken Arm. . .
Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived with his father, his mother, his older brother, and a pet fish.
One day, that family moved far, far away to a land called "South Carolina."
While living in that far, far away land, the little boy, his mommy, and his older brother went to a playground located at a school called "Hidden Treasures." They were having a nice time until. . .
the little boy fell from a slide and landed in mulch.
The poor mommy was so sad, for she had witnessed the little boy's fall. She quickly ran to his side and with tears in her eyes, begged him to please get up and come to her. She thought her heart would break as the little boy struggled to obey. He was very hurt and was unable to move for a few moments.
When the little boy finally crawled into his mommy's lap, she noticed his right arm was hanging limply at his side. The mommy motioned to a friend who worked in the medical field. After a quick examination, he let her know that the shoulder was still in place, and there was no bad break of the arm.
The mommy was quite relieved but was concerned that the boy was still whimpering and moaning thirty minutes after the fall. This was unusual, for he was a strong little boy. The mommy made a phone call to the little boy's daddy, and they decided she should take the little boy to the hospital.
She made a swift trip back home to drop off the little boy's older brother and pack a survival bag. The little boy and his mommy then headed for an unknown ER in that far, far away land.
And crowded it was!
This is not a picture of the one they visited, for due to circumstances that will remain undisclosed, the mommy thought it was best to not take a picture of that room. It was one of the yuckiest they had ever visited! It was tiny, crowded, dirt and food were on the floor, some child around the corner was vomiting, and one little girl possibly had the measles. The mommy was so glad she had lots of baby wipes and hand sanitizer, and she kept asking God to please not let them "take something home."
After hours of sitting there, the mommy was so glad when it was time to. . .
get the x-rays! The little boy and his mommy were finally able to breathe some fresh air.
The x-ray technician was nice and helpful. She thought it was funny when the mommy asked to take pictures. She said no other mommy had ever taken pictures of x-ray time. (What she did not know was that the little boy's mommy would almost leave her license at home before she would leave the camera!)
After the x-rays, the little family was once again subjected to the ER waiting room until they were taken to a private room.
The doctor talked to the mommy and let her know that the little boy was diagnosed as having a buckle fracture near his right wrist. After being equipped with a soft cast and a sling, he was able to go home where the little boy's mommy immediately cleaned both of them to be rid of all the yucky germs!
In that far, far away land, the little boy has many people who love him and were sorry to learn of his injury.
His daddy brought him a
Frosty.
His older brother wrote a letter to him.
His neighbors, the Russos, brought him a magnetic set to occupy his time. Another neighbor boy gave him a toy motorcycle.
The little boy had friends from his church, Josh and Christy Graham , who prepared a bag of goodies for him. He was very excited! As the mommy was trying to take a picture, the little boy tried to smile and blow up a balloon from them at the same time.
The little boy's mommy also knew that an aunt in the far, far away land of Ohio would send him a gift certificate because he had been in the hospital.
Time went on, and after four days, the little boy, his mommy, and his older brother found themselves. . .
waiting to see another doctor.
They spent hours entertaining themselves by doing school work, reading books, talking, looking at pictures. . . The mommy even carried the little boy around the room. On her walk, she noticed that all but one person with a broken arm had broken the right one. She began to think that in that far, far away land of South Carolina, it was a fad to only break a right arm.
The little boy became quite fidgety! He started pledging allegiance to the flag and talking to anyone that looked his way.
One of the men who chatted with him had also broken his right arm, but he did not fall from a slide. He told the little family that he had fallen from a bar stool. The mommy was hoping he would not give other details!
After hours of waiting, the little boy was fitted with a hard cast that he will wear for two weeks.
Throughout the whole time, the mommy had been thanking God that the little boy only suffered a small break. She had watched him fall to the ground and had seen how easily the little boy could have landed on his head or neck. The tale would have taken a different twist had that happened!
And the little boy had no more broken bones, and the family lived happily ever after. (So hopes the mommy!)
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Shots at the Zoo/Gardens
Don't be alarmed; I have no gripping tale to tell!
They were only snapshots. :-)
~ Columbia, SC~
~ Reptile House -
A favorite among the Castle boys~
~Another award winner with them~
~Equestrians in the making -
The boys were thrilled to ride horses for the first time.~
~Free tram rides~
~In the gardens~
Pardon the little leg in the photo!
~It was so beautiful and peaceful -
a wonderful place to stroll!~
~My little buddies~
~Typical boys -
Dying for the moment when I gave them
permission to stick their hands in the water!~
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Scenes from a museum
Enjoy a few snapshots from our time
at the Children's Museum in Columbia, SC.
Meet Eddie.
Maybe I should say, "Meet
Eddie!" :-) The amazing thing is that you could go to the back and crawl through his body to see the function and location of internal organs. You could slide in and out of tunnels, walk up steps, or climb a special staircase along his backbone. I opted for the special staircase so I could keep a better eye on my boys. There is an advantage to being
slender while attempting this climb but not to being tall! Due to the twists and turns, there were times I felt like a human millipede! Thankfully, we were climbing at a time when not many people were looking.
Seth standing in Eddie's head and will next go to the. . .
stomach. (Notice the huge carrot!)
Ah, yes. I will leave this part
to your imagination, but it happened to be where Ethan and I came out of Eddie. I will not be posting Ethan's questions or comments concerning this. I will also leave that
to your imagination! :-)
Climbing on the spider web in the Critter Garden.
Action shot - driving the construction truck.
In the little store.
They were probably buying all the things I never get! :-)
What a fun day -
Time well spent with the boys.
Seconds, minutes, hours. . .waiting. . .at the first stop!
Between office visits, we had lunch, went to the zoo, and stopped by BJU to see Troy. 
Alas, another doctor's office!
the sliding door on the left side of the van was shut on my finger! Yes, completely shut!!!! I did not take pictures of blood spewing all over the place (Sorry, Joan.), so you'll have to be content with the bandaged finger. :-) In case you are wondering, no, we did not make it to church. I drove to where Troy was working, carefully unwrapped the finger and cried. I was more frustrated with the rotten day than I was the finger! Thankfully no bones were broken, and it was my left hand. 
Spring is here and blooming in the front yard. 
Seth and Troy enjoyed a lesson at the BJU Planetarium.
"Seth & Ethan's Fort" - named by Seth.
Lunch at the fort.
"Allergy Eyes" greeted me this Monday morning. 
"Doctor Wady" had a "helper" who assisted with the patient.
The day received a better tone after the "helper" informed
Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
dentist!
a hungry boy who helped himself to yogurt and animal crackers. He "wikes dem." By looking at the pile, that is obvious. I only hope he got enough!
The mommy now hopes there will be no more broken bones or removed casts (The daddy and mommy had a talk with the boy that should prevent such actions.), and the family will live happily ever after!
P.S. It is much easier to slide your arm out of a cast than back in it! I am speaking from experience!
Yes, it was the chicken. Tonight we will have what's left of it, and what is left of it has a smoked flavor. That is good, correct?! :-) 
Once upon a time, there was a little boy who lived with his father, his mother, his older brother, and a pet fish.
One day, that family moved far, far away to a land called "South Carolina." 
the little boy fell from a slide and landed in mulch.
And crowded it was! 
get the x-rays! The little boy and his mommy were finally able to breathe some fresh air.
In that far, far away land, the little boy has many people who love him and were sorry to learn of his injury.
His older brother wrote a letter to him.
His neighbors, the Russos, brought him a magnetic set to occupy his time. Another neighbor boy gave him a toy motorcycle.
The little boy had friends from his church, Josh and Christy Graham , who prepared a bag of goodies for him. He was very excited! As the mommy was trying to take a picture, the little boy tried to smile and blow up a balloon from them at the same time.
waiting to see another doctor.
The little boy became quite fidgety! He started pledging allegiance to the flag and talking to anyone that looked his way.
And the little boy had no more broken bones, and the family lived happily ever after. (So hopes the mommy!)
~ Columbia, SC~
~ Reptile House - 
~Another award winner with them~
~Equestrians in the making - 
~Free tram rides~
~In the gardens~
~It was so beautiful and peaceful - 
~My little buddies~
~Typical boys - 
Meet Eddie. 
Seth standing in Eddie's head and will next go to the. . .
stomach. (Notice the huge carrot!)
Ah, yes. I will leave this part to your imagination, but it happened to be where Ethan and I came out of Eddie. I will not be posting Ethan's questions or comments concerning this. I will also leave that to your imagination! :-)
Climbing on the spider web in the Critter Garden.
Action shot - driving the construction truck.
In the little store. 
Name:
