Another poll

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So, you all probably know I live with Eric's parents at the moment. I have an amazing relationship with both my MIL & FIL. They are the most easy-going, fun, generous, caring in-laws EVER. At this point they are going to have to kick us out because I'm not sure it will be very easy to leave!! But on to the poll. Regardless of our great relationship I have only ever called them by their first names (mainly because if I ever started calling them mom & dad I think Dean would get a slight bit offended) and it hasn't really been a big deal. I am wondering if this is becoming the norm. My older sister calls her in-laws mom & dad and I know my parents and Eric's parents call their in-laws mom & dad as well, so has it all gone by the wayside for our age group? Please indulge me by voting, I have always wondered if I am the only one doing this.

PollPub.com Vote

How do you all address your MIL/FIL?

I call them both mom & dad.
I use their first names only.
I call my MIL mom, but call my FIL by his first name.
I call my MIL by her first name but call my FIL dad.
I have no in-laws.



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MOD SQUAD

Last weekend we hit up a restaurant in Ladera we like to go to every once and a while.  We were almost finished eating so I asked Ethan to come here so that I could dose him.  A few seconds later a woman came over to our table and introduced herself and her son because she saw that we were using a pump and had to say hi.  Her son, who is about 10, also uses a pump.  She went on to tell me all about this group in Orange County that is affiliated with the Orange County chapter of the JDRF called the MOD Squad.  

I am assuming that at it's beginning the MOD stood for Mother's of Diabetics, but people have started to freak out about saying "he IS diabetic"... instead they think it is better to say " he has diabetes".  Personally, I don't care either way.  So, when I attended the meeting of these mothers this morning and saw that the MOD stands for Mother's of Children with Diabetes I had to laugh a little.  Anyway.

The meeting was super informative.  There were about 30-40 women there, all with children who have type-1.  The majority of the women had kids in middle school but there were a few with kids Ethan's age.  It was impressive.  In attendance were the head nurses from the three surrounding school districts and the Health Coordinator for the entire OC Dept of Education.  She gave a presentation on the frustrating issue of obtaining a 504 plan.  A 504 plan is a legal document that spells about what type of accommodations a student requires due to a physical or mental disability.  Let's just say there were only 2 women in the whole group that had one.  School districts and certain principals make it very difficult to have one of these drawn up.  Mainly, because they feel diabetes isn't a severe disability.  The discussion got pretty heated at times.  The nurses kept saying "if we have met with you and everything has been discussed and laid out so that we know what we should be doing, then there is no need for a 504".  I wonder if they are paid to say this.  Well, there is a need, especially when this document could hold the school liable if something were to happen.  

The women at this meeting were so eager to share what they have gone through with their school.  I heard some of the craziest things...

- they made my daughter eat lunch in the nurses office

- they limited the amount of times my son could go to the bathroom

- they wouldn't let my kid test himself in the middle of class if he was feeling low/high

- snacks had to be eaten in between classes

- PE participation was mandatory and missing activities resulted in a lower grade

I couldn't believe it.  I mean come on.....the kid is feeling low, but he needs to wait until the bell rings to eat.  Isn't this all common sense?  Exceptions need to be made.

I felt the need to blog about this because I will probably be venting on here a lot as I try to get one for Ethan.  It seems so odd to me that a document that is guaranteed and more specifically, a legal right for all people with a disability to have, is impossible to get.  I am hoping that having Ed (FIL, lawyer) on our side will help.  

Guess what I did today...

I crossed #11 off the list.  I went to legalzoom.com and applied for a patent search for my little invention.  Once the search is completed, assuming there isn't already a patent for my little invention, then I will be able to file my own.  Bada bing, bada boom.  

I should have done this before my hair appointment

Ok, here you go Karen. Here are the pictures I made at yearbook yourself.


















I am positive I have seen a picture of my mom that looks
just like this one.













BUTT















I think this is my favorite.




























Shoulder pads













I had this hair, but with about half the volume
and no hairspray.













Kelly Taylor

These make me smile!

Ethan's school proofs are here! I like #2. I am so relieved he actually smiled this year. I can never get him to give me a normal smile.

Cohen's new fetish, cont...

I failed previously, to include this picture from E & C's bathroom. This is just E's drawer of toothbrushes. Cohen's is in the next drawer down. They BOTH have a problem. See that one at the bottom with the white neck and the green and blue bristles - that's MINE! Such kleptos.

Loving this

Isn't this kitchen amazing? Maybe it's just me, but I was reading Domino the other day and saw this kitchen and had to rip it out for future reference. I couldn't find an image of it online so it's a picture of a picture but still you get the idea. It's from the home of the creator of DwellStudio. Drooling.

To do list

Amanda, a friend from college, who writes likes no other, whose blog you should all be reading if you aren't already, who inspires me to think about trying to be a better mother, just had a birthday. She saw on another blog, a woman who wrote down a list of things (the amount corresponding to her age), little things that she would like to accomplish before her next birthday. I am thinking I need one for myself, but since I'm already 5 months down I am going to be pretending I am 21 one last time (instead of 31) and shoot for 3 items/month. Here goes.

1. Read with Ethan more.

2. Save as much money as possible to speed up the student loan repayment.

3. Start washing my face at night, no I have never done this.

4. Lose the weight that babies and marriage have given me. Oh and cookies and brownies and everything else I have eaten along the way.

5. Raise money for Ethan's JDRF walk.

6. Maybe do some visiting teaching?

7. Clean out my closet.

8. Sell old things on ebay.

9. Smile more.

10. Go to bed earlier.

11. Apply for a patent on such things not to be discussed without a patent.

12. Take C to the park more - once it gets below 80 degrees here.

13. Write up a will.

14. Sew a skirt with the sewing machine that is getting dusty and the pattern Diane picked up a few weeks ago.

15. Finish the books I have started and put aside.

16. Take the boys camping again.

17. Have a low key Christmas. Do not go overboard on gift giving - try to prepare ahead of time.

18. Buy myself flowers every once and a while, if I didn't it might never happen.

19. Replace soda with water at home.

20. Learn how to edit our home videos so that I can burn them onto a DVD.

21. Be grateful always.

As for my hair

I went shorter, about at my collar bone, a tiny bit layered and highlighted once again. I can't find my Photobooth program anywhere on my computer so not only can I not take a picture right now but my babysitter is now gone. Ugh.

Buy a Mac, get a free babysitter.

I sat down just now to take that picture for my last post and I found all of these pictures that E & C had taken of themselves. There's only one of C because the majority of them were just his forehead (he needs a taller chair). And E's are a little repetitive because he only uses the mirror setting, it's his fav. Anyway, enjoy!

Help

This has been my hair for what seems like my entire life. Always below the shoulders, slightly highlighted, layered, brutal. Please help. Are there any stylists out there that would like to weigh in? I have always been jealous of banged people. I cannot do bangs. I have a huge wave at the top of my forehead. Comments please, I have an appointment on Monday.

Cohen's new fetish

The kid loves everything dental. Floss, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toothpicks - he can't get enough. I have lost three toothbrushes in the past few months. Many of them have made their way outside. He will eat toothpaste too. Nasty.

Visitors!

This post is long overdue, considering our visitors were here a week ago, but anyway the Ehat's came to visit us! Stephanie and Carter had a few free tickets so for the boys birthdays we planned a fun weekend for the two of them (Carter turned 5 a few days after Ethan). We went to Legoland, it was Carter's first time there, but after our last visit to Legoland Ethan was very unadventurous. He refused to go on any of the big rides thanks to the traumatic experience on the roller coaster. They still had a great time. It was nice to go on a Thursday where there was hardly anyone there. The next day we headed to the beach. It was all going smoothly until Carter got some sand in his eyes. It wasn't pretty. The tears brought sunscreen into his eyes which didn't make it any better. Saturday, Eric watched the kids and Steph and I went shopping and got pedicures. It was nice to shop without kids for a change. Steph just happened to know a few people in our ward so she got to catch up with them at church. Mix in a ton of swimming in the pool and it proved for a very busy, tiring weekend. It was still a great time, our first real visitors - who's next??

Birthday, part 2

Ethan had a few friends over on Saturday to finish off his birthday week. I was a little nervous about the whole thing because I invited four boys from church/school - and left it open for their parents and siblings to hang around too if they wanted. Ethan just wanted to have a pool party so the more the merrier, right...? But the problem is that this left the door wide open for an unknown amount of people so I was stressing about not having enough food. I planned for 12, but we ended up with 17 - luckily we had some frozen hot dog buns and plenty of chips! Ethan had a great time and I got to know his friends' moms a little better. They ended up staying for over 3 hours, and I am not the chatty/social type. It was a good time though. If nothing more it made Ethan ok with going to Primary today. He had no problems - unlike two weeks ago when he was crying before hand because he didn't want to go.




Cupcakes for dessert













Cohen, post cupcake...











Ethan and his new friend Jacob

That's my boy!

Happy 5th Birthday E-man! You have become quite the little man. So sweet and nice at times and other times, well, not so sweet and nice. You are such a good big brother to little Coco, and he loves you tons.

Here he is trying to say cheese for a picture, but all that comes out is sheeeeezzzz and this funny thing his lower lip does.






















You really have a good heart inside that little body of yours. You are kind and social and always wanting to make friends. You are a brave boy - never complaining about finger pokes and having to drink diet soda instead of regular. I think you are enjoying kindergarten, but because you are a boy of few words (you take after your mother) I can't really tell one way or the other. I guess if you hated it I would know. I am so blessed to have you as my little guy. I love you so much.


















I don't know what we were thinking buying you more legos. And then both grandma's bought you legos. And then Martha bought you a set as well. I am toast. I will be putting together legos for weeks. At least we will have some new additions to the Lego Corner!

Don't you look so proud of your haul... like, check me out, check out what I got...hand on the hip and all. It looks like Christmas in September to me.