A Little More Human

I have been sick all this week. It actually started a little over a week ago, just the scratchy throat feeling like my sinuses were acting up. Mason had been sick the week before, so I wasn't really surprised. Then on Monday at work, my voice started to crack and sound something like a 12 year old boy sounds like, and by Monday night it was pretty bad. Tuesday morning I woke up with no voice at all, but I actually didn't feel too terrible.

By Thursday when I still didn't have a voice, and was starting to feel like complete garbage, I went to the doctor. She put me on antibiotics, gave me some super strong cough syrup, and sent me on my way. Today is Saturday and I'm just barely starting to feel a little better. My voice is back, although it still sounds deep and nasally. I'm not sure if the antibiotics are doing anything yet or not, but they sure do make me feel sick to my stomach.

All I really want to do is stay in bed and sleep, maybe wake up long enough to catch up on some Real Housewives drama on Bravo. My reality, unfortunately, is that Todd is at work all weekend so I'm left at home with Mason. Luckily, he's been fun and happy...and he's of course thrilled when I let him watch a movie at night (little does he know it's actually for my own lazy benefit)...but he isn't very sensitive to the fact that Mommy feels like crap! He can always manage to make me smile, though, like earlier this week when he was rather interested with where Mommy's voice went, and tried to find it for me.

Wee Bit Wednesday 1

This is just a fun new thing I thought I would try. We'll see how often I actually get it done on a Wednesday :) 

{one} how often do you do laundry?Usually just once a week. With my new HUGE washer and dryer,I can fit so many clothes in one load it has really cut downof the number of loads I have to do.
{two} what is your favorite type of cookie?That's a tough one. Macaroons, probably. But mymom makes AMAZING snickerdoodles.
{three} what would you do with an extra $2000 per month?Wow, I don't really know. I'm boring, I'd probably save it.
{four} what was/is your favorite subject in school?I always loved English/Literature. But I really liked biology, too.
{five} have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?No, and I can't say I've ever wanted to.
{six} what was your high school mascot?Thunderbirds
{seven} if you had the chance to go into space, would you?Probably not. I have a hard enough time just flying oncommercial flights for vacations.
{eight} how often do you go dancing?Never. I used to go out ALL the time, but that was probably 10 years ago. I do dance regularlyaround the house, though, and with Mason.
{nine} would you rather drive or fly?If I lived anywhere other than Alaska, this answerwould be drive. Living here pretty much forces you to fly if you actually want to go somewhere.
{ten} have you ever been caught re-gifting?Not yet...

How time flies by

This year will be our fifth wedding anniversary. But before we get to that milestone, I'm always reminded that we lost Todd's parents in the months before our wedding. Today marks five years since Todd's dad died, and in July it will be five years since his mom's passing. I know I bitch sometimes, ok, maybe a lot, about Todd's family and how their family dynamic is so different than mine, but I can't help but wonder if it would be different if his parents were still alive. I can't imagine how awful it will be when I have to go through losing my parents, and I need to remember how blessed I am to have them around and have such a great relationship with them. It always makes me sad to think that Mason is missing out on getting to know his Grandpa Don and Grandma Pat. I hope they are both in a better place, as cliche as that sounds, and that they are at peace. I also hope they know they are loved, and missed, and thought of often.

Gorilla Park

Down the bike trail from our house is a little park with just one swing and two big gorilla statues. This used to be across from a bunch of AK Housing apartments, which were all recently torn down. Any time we drive down C Street, Mason talks about the excavators, and I've been promising him to go see them for weeks.

Today after breakfast all five of us (three people and two pups) went for a walk. Here's how Mason describes how to get to "gorilla park". Go down street, over bridge, by the water, by the other bridge, under the tunnel, over next bridge and there they are!

We had a lot of fun on the tire swing and of course walking around the excavators and the loader. Mason never ceases to amaze me with his knowledge and memory of construction equipment. He knows all the correct terms, and will absolutely correct you if you call something the wrong name.

Checking out the gorillas

Fun on the tire swing

Look at those tracks!

Mason and Daddy in the big scoop

Mason brought his little excavator along, too

All of us in the excavator bucket

The dogs, waiting patiently 

Our happy boy

This boot was made for walking

Even with the super annoying boot I've been forced to wear since being run over with a gurney in the OR (ok, that was slightly dramatic, but whatever) I managed to still do the Walk MS this year. The weather was GORGEOUS this year and I'm so proud to report that Team Hope raised $5000!

Mason was in and out of the stroller the entire walk, but he did great. He was totally into all the airplanes on Lake Hood, and was excited to see a couple take off from the runway. Only in Alaska would a walk have to stop to let a plane go by!

I know I say this every year, but I am so overwhelmed by the love and support of our family and friends every year. Thank you all who donated, and thank you all who came out and walked for our team. So many people aren't as fortunate as I am to have such an amazing support system, and sometimes I need to be reminded of just how lucky I truly am.

My baby brother. His sign says "I walk for my sister"

Mason's friend Ashe and his daddy came

Mason and Todd running around 

My sweet boy. His shirt says
"I wear orange for my mommy"

Trying to get that kid to look at the
camera is impossible sometimes! 

The kids all got balloon animals after
the walk. Mason and Haily each got monkeys.

Ashton and his alien

Me and my boys

Finally looking at the camera and it's the
most phallic shot ever! Ugh!

Sticking out his tongue like monkey

Couldn't get everyone together for a picture, but
here is some of Team Hope. Check out Mason, what
a bookworm! Just like his mama :)