New find

A friend of mine shared this video on Facebook today. After listening to it, I immediately had to watch a bunch of this guys other videos on You Tube. AMAZING voice and talent in this kid!

Had to share

I will admit, I am addicted to Bravo reality shows. Especially the Real Housewives ones. It's basically like a train wreck that you just HAVE to stop and look at. This spoof from SNL is perfect!

Not much new to report

Things have returned to normal around the Loy house. But, of course, things are changing, as well.

I started picking up extra hours at the imaging center. It's been good so far. They're training me on the DEXA (bone density) machine and I'm going to be working my first Saturday this weekend by myself. The UAA students also started up their spring semester, and that always adds a challenge to my days.

Todd and I are changing Mason's preschool/daycare situation. It was a LOOOOOONNNG and very hard decision to make, but I (we) really feel like it will be the best for everyone, especially Mason. He has two more weeks left at JEC and then he'll start at the Providence daycare in their preschool room. Hopefully sometime soon we'll get a chance to take Mason by there to see it and meet his new teachers so it won't be such a huge shock on his first day.

I'm going on almost 7 weeks without any MS meds. I'm not sure if things seem like they're worse because I know that or not, but hopefully everything will calm down either way. I did go by my neurologist's office today to fill out the Copaxone paperwork. Dr. Burt (Chicago study doctor) wants me to at least be on this while we wait for my insurance to respond and the Tysabri to fully get out of my system. I'm not looking forward to doing shots every day again, but hopefully it won't be for too long.

Today was 15 degrees above zero, which felt so warm after what felt like forever of 15 degrees below.

Like I said, not much new to report.

Tebowie

This is probably the funniest Tebow parody I've seen yet. I love you, Jimmy Fallon!

Oh, and, just for the record.....GO PATRIOTS!!!!!!!!

He knows me so well

Todd got me personalized plates for Christmas. I was first shocked they weren't already taken, and then I just smiled because my husband knows me so very well (and loves me anyway)

On the Big Screen

It should be no shock to anyone reading this that actually knows me that I love to read. In fact, that is probably the number one complaint I have about motherhood is that I have no time anymore to read, and when I do have time I usually fall asleep! That being said, it should also be no surprise that I am absolutely one of those people who are incredibly reluctant to see a movie that has been made from a book I love.

My faith lately has been somewhat rekindled, however. First, there was the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series...the subtitled, Swedish version (I basically refuse to see the Daniel Craig, American version). AMAZING! If you haven't seen them, you need to. Even without reading the books, they are fantastic.



It was even further rekindled when I watched The Help on my recent flight back to Anchorage. (I also watched Friends with Benefits and laughed my ass of on the plane). Anyway, The Help was probably my favorite book that I read last year. So much that I even read it twice! I was really reluctant to see the movie, but I kept hearing so many wonderful things about it I finally checked it out. It was so wonderful, and even more incredible was that, not one time did I think, "Ugh, this is nothing like the book!" I still recommend reading the book first, I just wouldn't be me if I didn't.



So this leads me to actually wanting to go see a movie that just came out. Jonathan Safran Foer is up near the top of my list of favorite authors, and "Everything is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" are two of my favorite books. The fist was made into a movie a few years ago, it was a small, independent film that didn't get much attention, which is probably why it was actually done very well.



Now the second has been made into a move, and with my faith being rekindled, I think I may go out on a limb (test my luck, so to speak) and see it.



And to FURTHER test my luck, I also want to see The Hunger Games. I am currently reading the second book in this series and am IN LOVE with all the characters!

Hot Tub Time Machine

Mason recently went in our hot tub for the first time. He thinks it's just the funniest thing to have a "bath tub" outside, especially one that is so deep and has so much room for playing.

Getting ready to go

Mason thought the thermometer was hilarious

Hi Mommy!

So much fun

I don't know why the water level is low, Daddy

We had to show him to dunk down if his arms
or shoulders got cold to warm back up

Funny Nativity

After my last post about Mason being quite the "singer", my mom sent me this video. Todd and I both laughed so loud and hard we were in tears. 

Gishy Goo

I'm not sure if I mentioned this yet or not, but a couple of months ago I got braces. Yes, real metal braces. Just on my bottom teeth, but still...they're the real deal.

Here's what happened. I had braces as a teenager and they put one of those permanent retainers on my bottom front teeth. As time as passed, my teeth surrounding the retainer have shifted, one tooth in particular. My dentist has been "suggesting" for years that I go back to an orthodontist, but since it was really just cosmetic, I didn't go. At my last cleaning, my dentist didn't just suggest, he basically told me to go. Apparently, my teeth shifted enough it was causing bite problems and TMJ issues.

The dentist told me it would be just a simple fix, like Invisalign.

HA! Not the case.

Basically, I forgot how much they could hurt. And how torn up the inside of you lip gets! To make matters worse, the little colored bands that they put on the brackets are made of latex, which I am allergic to. Those little bands, while making your braces any lovely color of the rainbow you could possibly wish for, also help add a little cushion for your lip against the metal. So I'm out of luck there. It hasn't been too terrible, but when it does get bad, I have GISHY GOO! This is something new, well, at least since my previous experience with braces. It's a strange silicone thing that goes on your brackets and works WAY better than that stupid wax they give you. It's a life (and lip) saver!

The only good thing to come out of this is that the orthodontist I'm going to is incredibly good looking :)

As promised

I've been doing more quilting lately. Mason is such a helper.

Spending time at the fire station with dad...

...learning all the really important stuff

At the museum

Only an AK kid would get his summer pool out in the garage

He told us he needed to check his oil

Anything left in there?

Landon goofing around with his dad

Everyone carved pumpkins at my aunt's house

Mason with our pumpkins

Like a little school girl

We all know how in love I am with Anderson Cooper, so it should be of no surprise that my DVR at home was set to record this week as he debuted his new talk show "Anderson". What do I think so far? Well, considering that already on day 2 he stripped down to get a spray tan with Snooki....let's just say this may well be my new favorite show on television.

I'm sure you all have seen this giggle-fest video (or, as Anderson described it "Giggle-gate) but I just had to share it. He's so stinking cute when he gets the giggles!



Now all I can think about is how to manage a trip to New York to be at his show.

Awkward

So, does it make me a traitor to sit inside a Barnes and Noble and read my Kindle?

Took an unexpected trip up to Fairbanks for the weekend. Sarah's (my brother's girlfriend) mom was put in hospice care. Not really anything to do expect sit around, but I just got that feeling like I needed to come be  here for them.

It's always an interesting experience being on the "other" side. And it's always a HUGE reminder of how patient's and their families perceive our actions as healthcare workers. Not an easy situation at all.

Why you should always have cheese in your house

I needed a laugh, so I thought I'd check out my girl Hannah at My Drunk Kitchen. Although, I am greatly disturbed by this episode...who doesn't have cheese in their home? That is a staple. A STAPLE, do you hear me?



Also, I think I need some MDK schwag...pronto.

Steroid Ramblings

This week has sucked. I think that basically goes without saying.

My house is a mess. Dishes aren't done. Laundry isn't done. Toys aren't picked up. You get the idea.

Normally, by steroid day 2, I'm feeling better enough to get more work than I probably should be doing done. Today, I walked (with Texas Ranger) to check the mail. That's about all I've got in me.

Texas Ranger and I seem to be getting along fairly well. No offense to the walker, of course, but as helpful as he is, I'm not planning on this being a long term affair.

My MRIs are all finally over. Thank the lord for Xanax. What a beautiful, amazing, glorious drug! Brain, cervical and thoracic spines. Ugh.

As far as MRI results go, I'm torn. Nothing enhancing (which means no active demyelination right now) which is good, but it doesn't help to explain why I'm having the biggest flare I've ever had.

Still don't really know what this means for Chicago, either. On top of not even knowing if I'm going or not, tickets right now are so freaking expensive.

The saying "you find out who your friends are" is so amazingly true. You know who you are. Thank you.

Not sure about work right now. Not like I can take care of patients or run to the OR with a freaking walker. It's stressful. The nice part about being PRN is the flexibility it allows. The shitty part is that I don't get sick or vacation time.

My dear friend Guilt has decided to come back and join the party. I feel so bad the last few days that Mason has me for a mommy. I can't pick him up or run around with him or jump or do really much of anything except sit while he plays or brings me books to read. He didn't ask for this and I'm so sorry for that.

Today is Todd and my 5th anniversary. Bet it's times like this he wishes he had a return policy for me. Funny though, it's times like this I realize just how lucky I truly am to have him.

Have you eaten at Table 6 yet? So yummy. Great service, great drinks, great food (I love that they have think french fries) and super casual atmosphere. 

You know what true love is? For Todd's anniversary, I got tickets for us to go see k.d. Lang in concert. He loves her...me, well, not so much.

Know what else true love is? For my anniversary gift, Todd is knocking another thing off my "bucket list". A flight seeing trip around/on Denali! It won't be until June because the weather is so crappy this time of year, but at least that gives me a whole year to be walking normally again.

Mason as another play date set for Monday with his "new friends". That's what he's been calling them, which is funny because they aren't really "new", we've known them for a while, but we just recently started getting the kids together more. Hopefully it's nice and they can play outside.

I started watching Desperate Housewives on Netflix. I've never watched it before and I am incredibly disappointed that no one told me how freaking HOT the guy that plays Mike Delfino is! How is it that I have gone on this long without this knowledge?

Fun with Mac

Mason was in a pretty cranky mood tonight. He's typically pretty tired by the time Friday rolls around each week, but he also didn't take a nap at daycare today, so he was beyond tired tonight. Anyway, he asked to look at pictures on my laptop, and instead of clicking on iPhoto I accidentally opened Photo Booth instead. Mason thought it was really funny, and we ended up playing around with the different "effects" for a while.

More ideas

Still wanting to cut my hair...and still too scared to do it! I know, it's just hair, and it will always grow back. But for anyone who has ever had a haircut that they HATED, you understand just how long it seems to take to grow out a bad haircut! Anyway, found these pics that I also like. Which do you think? The Sienna Miller ones? Or these?

And, just in case I totally chicken out once I get in the chair....I'll probably just add more layers, like this next pic....

Something new

I am feeling like I need a change...I don't know. I worry because usually what happens is that I cut my hair into some bob-like style and I hate it. I'm totally loving these pictures of Sienna Miller, though. What do you think? Can I pull this off???

More random news

The summer seems to be in full swing, and the weather is even trying to cooperate. Mason is so happy with all the time we get to spend playing outside, especially now that he has a new bike to ride. I was worried it would be too big for him and he would just get frustrated, but it turns out he's a natural! He loves to go around the cones in our driveway and have Todd wave the checkered flag for him.

Helping Papa put his new bike together

Having fun

This summer has been my worst allergy summer in a LONG time! I just finished my THIRD round of antibiotics trying to get rid of whatever is going on in my sinuses/ears. I have been put on a new oral allergy med, new allergy eye drops and a new allergy nose spray. I called back in April to see the allergist again but my appointment isn't until August. Bring on the benadryl until then!

I am totally counting down the days until I go to CA to see my friend Mariah. I got my ticket for the Sonoma County Shuttle in the mail and now I'm even more excited. Petaluma, here I come! Oh, wait, it isn't July 13th yet? Damn.

Duncan had his blood levels rechecked. It's been six months since his dough eating ER visit. As expected, the damn dog is indestructible, and that includes his liver. Everything was back within normal ranges. 

We had fun on the boat this last weekend. I'll try to get pictures up soon.

My new favorite person

I have been watching these My Drunk Kitchen videos and laughing my ass off! So, of course I decided they were a must share item. I want to be friends with this girl!

Pet Peeves

One of my biggest pet peeves are people who are constantly late. I know I have had the occasional late time or two, but usually I'm the person who is there 10-15 minutes before you told me to meet you.

Now that I am the clinical educator at work, I've become more and more aware of people, especially students, who are 5-10 minutes late. Most jobs, you'd be fired. Just saying.