Update Before We Travel

We were spared illness for the most part during the winter months. No such luck now. I thought we were all battling seasonal allergies. I should've known something was up when Rachel was lethargic at gymnastics last week. But, she hasn't run a fever or otherwise acted ill other than sneezing and some sinus drainage. I brought the girls to the Pediatrician today (I think they need to start a frequent visitor rewards program; we'd rack up plenty of points) due to the ongoing coughing and continuing nasal drainage. Rachel tested positive for the flu. Anna did not. And, her feet continue to heal nicely which is a blessing. I visited my physician this afternoon and he believed my symptoms to be flu-like so he put me on tamaflu. Anna is also taking this in the hopes of preventing her from getting the flu. Did I mention I had the flu vaccine twice? A shot in the fall and nasal mist last month. A lot of good it did. I'm just hoping we'll all feel a bit better by Friday when we leave for Texas. And, I'm praying Jeff doesn't get it. We would all love a good night of sleep where we aren't all coughing non-stop.

Despite the illness news, I do have some good news to share....we got Rachel's report card from school yesterday. This is what her teacher had to say,

Rachel is reading 1st grade level books and continues to be interested in reading all kinds of books. She is writing "little books" about many topics in our writing work shop time. She spells many words from memory and spells words phonetically in her writing also. She can read her writing back to me and others as well. We will be working on writing poetry in our next unit.

I asked Rachel's teacher about when we might hear some feedback regarding Rachel's evaluation for the gifted program. She said the evaluations are continuing through the end of the school year and that I probably won't hear anything back until almost at the end of the school year.

Update on Anna


Anna is recovering nicely and quickly thus far. She had a check-up on Friday morning and her pediatrician said we didn't have to bandage her feet anymore. We bought her some shoes that are loose fitting and she wears those with socks. She can walk independently and she was able to return to school on Friday but is not allowed to participate in physical education for one week.

Jeff took the photograph above on Thursday. I wrote a thank you note for the emergency room staff and we included the photo of Anna. We wanted to thank them for their quick, compassionate, and professional treatment of our daughter. We figured those guys could use some positive feedback when their days and nights are many times filled with pain and frustration. Truly, they were awesome and we are so thankful for their treatment. And, thank you to our friends and family for your prayers, thoughts, and concerns for Anna also.

Last night I made popcorn again. And, as soon as I began to cook it, Anna asked for a fruit roll-up with a smirk on her face. It appears she inherited her parents' warped sense of humor.


Preparing for Easter and Our Upcoming Trip


We'll attend church service in the morning and the girls will participate in a Easter egg hunt at the church. I boiled eggs this morning and we dyed them this afternoon.

The rest of the weekend will be spent preparing the RV for our upcoming trip to Texas. We are looking forward to the trip and I'll share pictures, etc. after we return in April.

Until then, we wish our friends and family a blessed Easter and a safe Spring school break.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ~~John 3:16

Angela and the and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Rachel's teacher invited me to participate in a class field trip yesterday. The field trip was to the Macon Grand Opera House to watch a play based on the book authored by Judith Viorst called, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." I had no idea that the title of this book would be applicable to my day too. And, Anna's.

Actually, the play was enjoyable. And, even after living here for many years, I had never attended a play or show at the Macon Grand Opera House. The only non-enjoyable part was the bus ride to and from Macon. Imagine yourself locked in a small room with 100 very loud 5- and 6-year-old children. This is what it is like riding in a school bus. I told Rachel's teacher that if they really wanted to torture prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, they would record this sound and play it to the prisoners all throughout the day and night. I developed a whole new respect for school bus drivers. They are either deaf and/or have the patience of Job.

And, it was interesting watching the teachers prepare everyone for the trip. Before we leave our home to go out, we are always telling the girls to use the restroom prior to leaving the house to avoid potty runs once we arrive at our destination. I have two children that I have to do this with. Now, multiply that times twenty. And, having twenty children tell you "I don't have to go." And, I heard the Parapro telling them, "Please try and go. There is no bathroom on the bus." It's like having twenty children to care for throughout the day. Truly, teachers aren't paid nearly enough money.

After spending the entire day with Rachel and her class, we took the girls to gymnastics in the evening. After we got home, Rachel was eager to watch her new Enchanted DVD. The girls requested popcorn so I made some. However, I don't cook it in the microwave. I cook it the old fashioned way....with oil, popcorn kernels, and a pot on the stove top. However, as soon as I brought the bowl of hot popcorn into the living room, started the movie, and sat down, Anna asked for a fruit roll-up. I asked her to have some popcorn instead and that I would get up in a few minutes to get a fruit roll-up. I just wanted to sit for five minutes to catch my breath after a long busy day. Jeff was out roller blading so he wasn't around to assist. Anna then decided she could not wait and proceeded to the kitchen to climb onto the counter tops to reach the upper cabinets herself. And, here is where my day (and hers) goes south. As Jeff once said, if we survive Anna....we'll have lots of interesting stories. And, here is one.

I heard her crying and I ran into the kitchen. She decided to climb onto the counter top on the right side and walk across the stove top to reach the cabinet with the fruit-roll ups on the left side. She stepped onto a hot stove top where I had just cooked the popcorn and burned the bottoms of both of her feet. I quickly put her feet into a pot with cool water to stop the burning but I could not yet determine how badly or exactly where the burning occurred. Yet, every time I removed her feet from the cold water she started screaming. So, I called the pediatrician and they recommended that I bring her to the emergency room at the local hospital. Thankfully, they got her in pretty quickly after we arrived. But, again, she would scream when her feet were removed from the water. They applied cream and wrapped her feet in bandages but it took a shot of morphine to calm her down. I imagine the trauma of the burn coupled with a hospital and the fact that it was way past her bedtime contributed to Anna being in such a state of panic. I was happy that they gave her the shot to relax her. She quickly fell asleep and after monitoring her for a while longer, they sent us home around 11 pm. They determined that her burns were second degree.

This morning I brought her to the pediatrician for a follow-up. He thought the burns were between first and second degree in different areas. Luckily, she didn't burn the entire bottoms of her feet. And, since the skin on the bottom of the feet is thicker than other areas of our body, this helped her to some extent. She has been able to walk for short periods by using the heel of one foot and the tippey toes of the other. She is by no means able to go to school or walk around independently for long periods. We have to change the foot dressings twice daily and we'll have to go back to the doctor on Friday to have her feet re-checked. Here is a picture of Anna taken today with her bandaged feet right before our afternoon nap (we both needed a nap).

It never occurred to me until now to put things down lower--a snack drawer, cups, etc. You know...easily accessed at a child's height. We've always gotten everything for them if they could not reach it. I'm going to set up an area down low with snacks and cups that is within easy reach so they aren't so dependent on us to get everything that they need and to discourage any future climbing on cabinets. However, I don't think either child will even think of climbing on cabinets after this experience. I just wish this had occurred to me sooner. And, like other parents, I'm left wishing that I had just gotten up to get the fruit roll-up like she asked. Hindsight is 20/20.

I'm thankful the burns weren't worse. And, I'm even more thankful that Anna doesn't appear to be in significant pain today. We were very fortunate.

Massee Lane Gardens

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day. ~W. Earl Hall

I brought Rachel and Anna to Massee Lane Gardens in Fort Valley, GA, last year right before Easter. I decided to do that again for some candid photos. There were still quite a few camelias in bloom. And, the peach blossoms are out and they look absolutely beautiful. I just love the colors of spring but I have to admit, the pollen is just about to kill our allergies.

Here are a few of the photos that I took of our little ones in the gardens.

Our Imelda Marcos In the Making

The one thing children wear out faster than shoes is parents~~John J. Plomp

Anna is hard at work at trying to surpass Imelda Marcos with the amount of shoes that she has. The most recently purchased shoes were acquired last night. She saw some galoshes she just had to have...she dubbed them her "happy boots." It does not matter that these boots are made for rainy day wear. Anna will wear them as part of her daily attire. Why? Because she likes them.

And, did I mention she has decided she wants her hair to be long again? Unfortunately, it's in that in-between stage at the moment where it's too short to effectively use a rubber band or barrette yet too long and hangs in her eyes. It probably bothers me more than her. Of course, I hate that tween hairstyle that is popular right now with some local kids where the bangs are long and hanging over their eyes. Drives me bonkers! She is determined she is going to have it long again though so we are working through it.

Oh so tempting...........

Everything I know I learned from my cat: When you're hungry, eat. When you're tired, nap in a sunbeam. When you go to the vet's, pee on your owner. ~~Gary Smith

Jeff called me in the living room to point out something he found. That something was our cat sitting in our fireplace with his tail sticking out from in between the screen. Of course, after dealing with his lick-a-thons a few nights this past week, my immediate thought was, "where is a match?" But, in the end, I think I'll keep him around. If nothing else but for the entertainment value. In that manner, he fits quite well with this family. Plus, he likes to travel in the RV.

The Tooth Fairy Is Just About Broke

Now, Rachel is sporting the opened garage door look. She may be toothless but she's got money!

Rachel Lost Tooth #3

And, this is a top tooth. Just in time for her spring pictures at school tomorrow. The two bottom teeth that she lost last year have already been replaced by her new teeth.

Question of the Day

As I'm getting Rachel's snack ready for school yesterday morning, I hear her ask me, "Mommy, what are booby socks?"

Thoughts are running through my mind and I turn to see she is attempting to read the outside of a package of bobby socks that I had purchased recently and had left on the kitchen counter.

I smiled and replied, "that's BOBBY not BOOBY."

You've just got to love it when kids are mastering the art of reading.

Milestones

There are so many milestones in childhood. Each one is both a happy and sad moment; except for potty training...there was nothing sad about not having to change diapers anymore. I'm thinking more of their first words, their first steps, their first day of school, and now.....riding their bikes without training wheels.


Jeff decided to let Rachel try riding without her training wheels last week and she did beautifully. Today, he decided to let Anna try. Like always, you can clearly see the differences in personality in something as simple as riding a bike. Rachel is cautious. She takes it slowly and is methodical in her approach. Anna is wide freakin' open from the moment she took off. Jeff could hardly keep up as she wrecklessly zoomed down our cul-de-sac. I had the song "Born to be Wild" running through my head as she barrelled by time and again.


They both bear watching. Rachel hasn't quite learned yet to master the art of paying attention to her surroundings and taking the turns cleanly. While Anna can ride straight and stop independently, she still has much to learn about turning, etc.


What a happy and sad moment for us as parents. I was thrilled that they have mastered this new milestone. But, at the same time, I realize how quickly time goes by and it saddens me that they won't be little forever.


Here are some pictures of my wild women on two wheels. And, yes, the protective gear (helmets, etc.) came out quickly after these photos were taken.

Roosevelt State Park, GA

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.~~Franklin D. Roosevelt

We made our first trip to FDR State Park in our RV. Jeff and I visited on a day trip years ago BK (before kids). This was our first trip to camp there. The camping area is very nice although it seemed a bit tight to navigate in certain spots with a 40' motorhome.

We received a nice surprise on Saturday morning. Rachel and Anna have been wishing for snow all winter. And, snow is just not something that we experience much in the middle to southern parts of Georgia. But, we awakened Saturday morning to a steady snowfall. The girls couldn't wait to get outside to play in it. Unfortunately, it didn't stay around for long. As the day started to warm, it quickly melted.


Jeff, Rachel and Anna walked on a trail behind our RV prior to us leaving on Saturday morning. They encountered a goose at the lake who was either very territorial or simply in a bad mood. Either way, what followed next wasn't a pleasant experience for Jeff. The goose approached Jeff. She was honking at him. Jeff, thinking it was entertaining, stood his ground and honked back. The goose proceeded to charge at him and bit his crotch. After that, Jeff was a bit more careful with this goose. But, she had decided she didn't like him and any time he approached the lake, she would follow him and honk at him and chase him. She didn't do this with the children. I was talking to another guy camping by the lake and he said this same goose bit his arm and flogged him. She must not like men. Here is Jeff with his new girlfriend on Sunday morning as she followed him along the trail.



After breakfast on Saturday (and after Jeff's pride healed), we drove to the Pine Mountain Wild Animal Park. This was our first time to visit this animal park. While they do allow you to drive your own vehicle through the wildlife preserve, Jeff had read this isn't a good idea as the animals with horns may accidentally scratch you vehicle, etc. We decided to pay the $11 fee and rent one of the park vehicles for one hour. We were the first people there and it wasn't crowded at all so we had plenty of time to drive through twice. In addition to the car rental fee, you also have to pay the admission fee. And, if you want to feed the animals, you also have to pay for food to do so. We did enjoy our visit and recommend it for our friends to try at least once. I was glad the weather was cool because there was not any unpleasant smells to deal with. There was lots of animal feces throughout the preserve and I can only imagine the unpleasant aroma along with the bugs that would accompany that in the warmer months of the year. Since we were the first ones to enter that morning, the animals flocked to our vehicle. I have to say that the zebras were our favorite. The different types of cows were very friendly too. You had to be careful with them though or they'd lick you or slime you with their drool. All animals would eat from our hands and many would allow us to pet them.





We walked through the rest of the park to see the animals that they had in the cages and then we drove to town and had lunch at the Purple Cow Cafe. We had dinner there on Friday night as well. The girls like it so much that we decided to return there for lunch on Saturday. Jeff ordered a grilled cheese sandwich Friday night. The girls ordered a ham and cheese sandwich. After we sat down to eat, both Rachel and Anna were looking at Jeff's sandwich and asked for a bite. After their bite, they decided they liked it better than what they had. Being the thoughtful Dad that he is, he gave up his sandwich to them. I felt badly for the poor guy but it was humorous at the same time. He wanted that grilled cheese sandwich so badly. On Saturday, the girls ordered their own grilled cheese and Jeff was finally able to enjoy the sandwich that he wanted on Friday.

After lunch we drove to Warm Springs and visited FDR's Little White House. Rachel and Anna enjoyed their visit there and learned some interesting things about FDR. I purchased a book at the FDR Little White House gift shop titled "Little Hands Celebrate America" authored by Jill Frankel Houser. This book is great for teaching young children about American symbols and traditions using crafts and activities.

Jeff and Rachel in front of FDR's Little White House

We drove back to the park after that and stopped at Dowdell's Knob. This was a favorite place for FDR to picnic at and the park erected a statue of his likeness looking out over Pine Mountain to remember his visits there. (That is the photo at the opening of this post)

The park was hosting several events to remember the era that FDR lived this past weekend. We visited the event where the park rangers provided period toys for the children to play with. Afterwards, the girls went outside and played on the playground with other children camping at the park.

We had dinner at our camper on Saturday night; complete with a nice fire. We grilled hot dogs. I made homemade hot chocolate and s'mores for dessert.

On Sunday morning, we relaxed at the campsite. The girls had a good time playing in the streams and trails behind our campsite for a while. We wanted to get back home early as there is plenty of laundry to wash and we'll have lots to get caught up on during the next few weeks while preparing for our trip to Texas for spring break.

The Rally

Yes, they actually have RV rallies. And, one of the largest in the country is near to our home town. It's called The Rally and it's in Perry, GA, each year. This year it is being held March 14-17. We have yet to attend one but we may have to try it out this year since it is so convenient.

This rally is a 4-day event including a huge RV show including product and service booths. It also has the most extensive seminar program offered at any rally. This year's highlights include more than 150 seminars, taught by industry experts, covering such topics as healthy cooking on the road, chassis systems, RV troubleshooting techniques and RV caravan travel. Exhibits showcase the lastest products and services to enhance the RV experience as well as more than 1,000 new rigs from top RV manufacturers.

They also provide entertainment and activities for children.

I'm not sure what, if any, part we'll attend but I thought I'd post the information here as friends who read the blog may be interested in purchasing an RV or already have one and may be interested in attending.

Volunteers

No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor is given by what he gave. ~~ Calvin Coolidge

We visited Veteran's State Park last July. However, the trip wasn't quite as enjoyable at that time due to the heat and the swarming gnats. This trip was much more pleasant.

We arrived on Friday evening. Jeff built a nice fire, we cooked hotdogs and s'mores and then turned in for the evening as we had a busy day planned for Saturday.

During our last visit, we took the Sam Shortline train. While we did enjoy this, the main complaint I had about it was that it didn't spend enough time at each stop to really enjoy them. One town in particular that I had wanted more time in was Americus, GA. So, we drove to Americus on Saturday morning to tour the Americus historic area and visit the Global Village & Discovery Center.

We went to the Global Village & Discovery Center first. They no longer charge an admission fee but do ask for voluntary donations which goes towards Habitat for Humanity. They show a video describing the work they do, then you tour examples of housing used by poor families all over the world. Then, you tour examples of homes that Habitat for Humanity has built in different countries. Children are given a map and when they enter each home for the various countries, they can stamp their map. It sort of reminded me of Disney's Epcot where you get a different stamp for a passport as you visit the different countries.

Habitat for Humanity is truly one of my favorite charitable organizations because it's not about giving a free hand out. I volunteered in college and helped build houses with Habitat for Humanity and it was truly an enjoyable and rewarding experience. I learned something new about Habitat for Humanity that I'd like to share with my fellow RV'ers. It is called "Care-A-Vanner." This is a program where people who own RVs can travel to help with Habitat for Humanity home building projects. To learn more about it, visit the link I have provided.

After visiting the Global Village and Discovery Center, we were ready for lunch. This time we decided to try lunch at the Windsor Hotel. This hotel was built in 1892 and it is absolutely gorgeous inside. We ate in the hotel restaurant. They serve a buffet which costs $8 per person. I'm not sure what the cut off age is for children eating free but Rachel and Anna ate free. The lunch included a full meal complete with salad, soup, and dessert. The buffet menu included fried chicken, roast beef, green beans, potato salad, rice, greens, and other items. The desserts included peach cobbler, lemon cake and banana pudding. It was delicious and definitely a bargain for what we got. Specifically compared to the restaurants at the Lake Blackshear Resort which I was told charges around $9 for a hamburger.

Shortly after lunch we returned to the park as they had a special program about raptors at 2 pm. The husband and wife team that presented the show normally do it at Rock City. They did a phenomenal presentation and we all enjoyed it. I even volunteered for one portion and Jeff got it all on video tape. The cost was $3 per adult and $2 per child; and worth every penny and more.

We spent a short period at the playground and then the remainder of the evening at our camper.

We enjoyed a special treat on Sunday morning. While in Americus, I learned of a special Sunday school being held at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, GA. For those who are unfamiliar, Plains, GA, is home to the 39th president of our country; Jimmy Carter. President Carter (or "Mr. Jimmy" as the locals call him) presented the sunday school lesson. We attended this and were very fortunate that we were visiting at a time of the year where the tourism is slow. We arrived about ten minutes prior to start time and was able to enter the church and get a seat with no problems. Well, we were able to enter the church after the Secret Service agents scanned us all to ensure we didn't have weapons and such. Rachel and Anna were amused by this. We did hear though that during the busier times, we would not have been so fortunate to enter and find a seat as easily due to the crowds. While my views differ in many areas politically with President Carter, I do respect him as a person and enjoyed his lesson. After church service, everyone was allowed to get a picture with President & Mrs. Carter outside of the church. I know our children didn't fully appreciate how special this photo below is but we sure do. It may be the only time in my life that I'm ever photographed with a United States President. I was extremely pleased with the photo. You only get one photo and I just knew the kids would have an odd look or one of us would have our eyes closed....you know, the typical family photo. But, not this one. We may have to use this for our Christmas card this year since it turned out so well. LOL!

We ate lunch at Mom's Kitchen in Plains. I'm not sure but I think it may have been one of the only restaurants there. Plains is a very small town. The food was good and reasonable. It was $6 for the meal and it was served cafeteria style. Again, traditional southern fare.

We had to return to the park after lunch to return home. There are still other activities in the area that we did not get to do this visit so I know we will be back. There were people flying their remote controlled airplanes in the park. They have an area for people to do so. The girls enjoyed watching these miniature versions soar through the air.

I chose the opening quote on this blog because I think it encompasses the spirit of the post; volunteers.

The state park that honors our Veterans who serve our nation to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Those who volunteer their services through organizations like Habitat for Humanity and others to help build better communities for their fellow man.

And, the couple who works to educate the public on birds to help protect our wildlife.

A former President of our nation who uses his position to help his local community and to help spread Christianity to people around the world.

I think all too many of us have such full plates that we can't see how we can give to help out. For those who have the money but not the time, give money. For those who have the time but not the money, give of your time which is even more valuable in many instances. And, for those who have neither time nor money, you can always still help your fellow man in small ways...recycling or picking up a piece of trash left by the roadside or providing a home to a stray animal, etc. There are ways we can all help make the world a better place.

And, in parting, I leave you with this thought from Winston Churchill:

You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.