School

I don't think I've written about where I spend most of my day. I am the school nurse at a elementary school. I have been a nurse for 38 years and a school nurse for 19 years! That really dates me! I love my job, because I love the kids and feel I really make a difference each and every day. I will write about a few of the kids I saw today.

There is the 7th grade special ed student who because of a genetic disease has been constipated for years. He is finally no longer constipated, but was having accidents several times each day. He and I worked out a reward system which he can choose a reward at school each day he is accident free (help me in my office at recess and eat lunch there, help his teacher or the school psychologist, get to come to my office at the end of the day for a healthy snack, etc). It's like a light bulb turned on in his brain. He is finally excited about and wants to be accident free. He is also talking a lot more. The past 2 weeks he has been accident free for 9 out of 10 days!

I always talk to kids about the importance of healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and lots of exercise to maintain a healthy weight. Usually I give them information on a web site where the whole family can keep track of their exercise. I gave one 5th grader who is quite overweight a journal to write about her meals and her exercise because she has no computer at home. I suggested that she write in the journal and bring it back to me in a week. She brought it back without me even calling her and was quite proud of her progress. She started out setting an exercise goal: to be able to run a mile each day. She ran 1/2 mile each day this week and kept track of her vegetable intake! She wrote about other forms of exercise she wants to do!

A Mom called me saying they would be homeless by the end of December. They are moving back to the reservation, but have no where to stay there. I wrote her a letter introducing the family to agencies up there so they can find reasonably priced place to stay. The counselor suggested we give them a food box to take with them to tide them over for a week after they leave Phoenix. We will have that ready for them next week.

I am busy non stop all day every day and really try to teach kids healthy body things they can use their whole life. For example many students come in with headaches. Most headaches are caused by stress or dehydration. I always have them drink water and lie down and relax with a cold magic towel on their head and eyes. 9 times out of 10 this works and they are surprised. We talk about why this simple treatment often works, no drugs required! Many kids come in with stomachaches. Most of these kids haven't eaten breakfast. I have them figure out how many hours between dinner last night and lunch today (it is usually about 18 hours!) when they don't eat lunch. We talk about the importance of feeding and watering your body and I feed them.

Costa'a Hummingbird

I was putting up the outside Christmas lights the other afternoon. I had just moved the ladder close to the hummingbird feeder when all of a sudden this hummingbird zipped all around me and started feeding a foot away from my head at the feeder. I had never seen a Costa's Hummingbird and was blown away by it's beauty. It has a dark purple crown and throat with a long purple gorget reaching almost to it's wing. I went in, got my camera and tried to take a picture. This picture doesn't do it justice. It is much more gorgeous in real life. Jules came home. I called him over and we just stood there with these little hummers zipping and dive bombing all around us.

This is a female Anna's hummingbird. The Anna's males have a bright red head and throat. Sometimes you don't see the red until it is sparkling in the sun.

Flowers

This is a Hollyhock from my garden. The first ones are starting to bloom now and will bloom all winter. I have pink, and red single and double hollyhocks which bloom each year, mostly given to me by my Mom or Grace. Grace died about 6 months ago and we miss her in our neighborhood. She grew up here, her father planted the citrus grove which we live in. The old farm house is still standing and her son lives in it. Grace lived in the corner house on 18th Street and Marshall. Her yard was always filled with flowers much like an English garden. I drove past her house for years before I knew that I would live on her street one day. I drove on 18th Street to take the kids to the library and would always admire and be in awe of her beautiful flowers. Grace's flowers were part of the reason that I bought this house, I got to enjoy her flowers every day. I feel so at home here because our neighborhood is in a citrus grove and I grew up surrounded by citrus groves and cotton fields.

This is an Indian Paintbrush which grows wild in northern Arizona. It is one of my favorite Arizona wildflowers.

My roses are so beautiful right now. These are called Rio Samba and they start yellowish-orange and end up a bright pink. My Peace rose tends to get the biggest. I picked one today that is about 7 inches in diameter. It is just amazing. I took a picture of it, but haven't downloaded it yet. Maybe I'll show it to you next time. Mom has taught me to grow roses. She is the pro and has always grown beautiful roses. When our kids were little she would grow experimental roses for Jackson and Perkins. They were always a surprise and she got to name them herself. She named one after each of her grandchildren. They would visit Grandma and Grandpa and get to see their rose too.

This is part of our new patio. It used to be a hot tub, but we turned it into a planter. Our friend Chris did the tile work. We also covered the cool deck with red bricks. The kids drew on the bricks with chalk when they were here and we enjoy their chalk art still. I suppose it will eventually wear away, but until then it is a fun reminder of their stay.

This is Dilly picking some white flowers around our cabin in Flagstaff. It's great to be able to go for a walk and see so many wildflowers. There's a hill where Indian Paint Brush bloom every year and lupin bloom under the big pine tree next to our porch.

Veteran's Day and the Marine Corp Birthday

Veteran's Day is always right after the Marine Corp Birthday, so we celebrate both at our house. I try to make the Marine Corp Birthday fun. This year I marched in place, saluting and singing the Marine Corp hymn to Julian who was a Marine during the Korean War. Thank's to all our veteran's. Julian, Larry, and my Dad come to my mind first. My Dad was in WWII, Julian Korean and Larry Vietnam. They represent all our Veteran's who have fought for our and the world's freedom. Thanks!

Red, White and Blue flowers in memory of all our veteran's who have died.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Country for which it stands, one Nation, under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Plees Fourward Our Mail Two Indeea

"Plees Fourward Our Mail Two Indeea" was written on the kids mailboxes of their cardboard townhouses on the day they left. Here is Dylan ready for the 30 hour trip to India.
Rowan spent longer in the bath the night before they left. Dilly constructed this sidewalk from the houses to the hallway all by himself without anyone suggesting it. I think he is good Civil Engineer material.
The kids were being various animals walking and hopping on the sidewalk. I caught Rowan in midair, hopping like a frog.

Here the kids are enjoying time in "tickle jail" with Papa.

Here are the cousins. Rowan calls Jeremy, Nathan, Niko and Maceo, "the boys, my cousins".

We miss the nightly trunky monkey races, and on the trip they were people magnets. Two blond kids on lime green trunks on wheels drew people like when the circus comes to town.

Kirsten said that when her luggage went through the scanner when it finally arrived in India, the man doing the scanning kept asking her "what is that, what is this?" (imagine him speaking in an English/Indian accent) For example she had packed a hammer and small tool kit. He said, "what is this?" Kirsten said, "that is a hammer". He said, " why do you need a hammer?" Kirsten said, "I might want to hang a picture or do minor repairs around the house." He said, "You use a hammer to hang pictures and do minor house repairs?" Kirsten said, "yes, it comes in handy around the house." By this time a small crowd was gathered around the Indian man looking at the scanner and Kirsten with 2 bored little children. He was translating everything Kirsten said and everyone was amazed, not believing or laughing, take your pick. Then he got to a very strange object that mainly showed up as lots of springs. He said, "And what is this?". Kirsten said, " that is a small trampoline that I use for exercising." He said, "You exercise? Why?" And so it went on and on for the strange blond woman moving to India!

It's lonely around here!

See how lonely the townhouses look? Kirsten, Rowan and Dilly left for India on Monday. It took them 30 hours to get to Ahmedabad, India. Their luggage didn't arrive with them, but hopefully they have it by now. Kirsten was so impressed by how helpful everyone was, especially Indians on the last legs of the trip. Total strangers would come up and help her carry stuff or help with the kids. She called us when after they arrived and the kids laughing and playing very happily and noisily in the background with Rob, their Dad.

These are the trunkies that Kirsten got for rollable carry on's for the kids. They've been having trunky monkey roller derby's around the house in Phoenix for the past month to get in shape. They propel these things full speed around the living room, kitchen, hallway circle with Rowan going full speed around the curves while yelling for their audience to cheer them on.

We were up in Flagstaff and we made a house from the window seat to the chairs. Here they are coming our the windows. "Close the doors, their coming in the windows, close the windows their coming in the doors" Words from a song that my Mom would sing about we rough and tumble kids when I was growing up.

Gymnastics! We miss you three!

Would you like to come over for tea?

The kids were helping me in the garden and every exposed body part was covered with dirt. Solution, pop them into the outside sink. Mom says that she would do the same thing with us when we were little. We had a laundry sink just inside the back door. It also worked great for removing all that Phoenix dirt. Look at those cute little Dilly toes!
This is afternoon tea. We get together about once a week for traditional Aussie/English tea. Notice the beautiful flowers. Kirsten's anniversary gift from Rob.

Oktoberfest

Rowan in a dirndl and Dilly in lederhosen at Oktoberfest. These were Kirsten's when she was little, brought straight from Germany by her Grandma and Grandpa (who bought the dirndl all by himself). Everybody called them little Hansel and Gretel and oohed and aahed over them. One couple came up and asked if the outfits are "vintage". Kirsten got a puzzled look and said, "well I never thought about it like that, but I guess they are."


There was a Alpin Horn blowing contest. Rowan and Dilly very patiently waited in line with all the older kids. Some of the kids could blow it, some couldn't. Rowan was the first little kid. She got up to the horn, blew and out came the loudest honking sound you can imagine. Everybody clapped and were surprised that such a little body could create such a loud noise. Afterwards she said, "the man just told me to put my lips on it and blow!" It was the definate highlight of the party for all of us!

Below, Rowan celebrating her successful horn blowing!


More celebration dancesAnd the dynamic duo walks off into the sunset!

Merlin, friend, protector, huggable giant

Rowan and Dilly have a kittycat Duncan who is living with Grandma and Grandpa in Oregon. They really miss Duncan, so it is great that Merlin greeted them with open cat paws so to speak. He welcomes full body huggs, in your face kisses, can't get enough of you ear pullings and tight neck squeezes. Merlin loves them back with full force cat nuzzles, patience and thunderous purring.

Never knew that Merlin loves Cinderella so much! They are both engrossed in the magical tale.
Merlin the guardian and protector! He was really trying to lie down next to Dilly, but couldn't fit all 17+ pounds on the same section of the couch. On to other things. Dilly is saying more and more words and is even putting 2 words together fairly often. We were talking to Star on the phone, he said , "Star" and "Stella Guns" (which is Stars roller derby name). He learns from Rowan who tends to talk or sing nonstop all day. He usually repeats right after her. The weather has turned beautiful. It is actually fall in Phoenix. We can leave our windows open. It cools down at night and there is a mild chill in the air in the morning. We are loving it.

Day Do, Grace and Hugs

When we say grace before dinner, we all hold hands. I usually say who wants to say grace? Rowan says, "Thank you God for all our blessings" which is a grace she made up herself after listening to Jules or I say grace. One day when I said, "who wants to say grace?" this little Dilly hand shoots up into the air. We all look at him with surprise, he bows his head and says, "Day Do" (thank you in Dilly talk). No one told him what to say. Most nights at dinner that little hand shoots into the air and Dilly says thank you. God has to be smiling and just as touched as we are whenever Dilly or Rowan say grace.
This was taken before Little Grandma and I went to the symphony, so Dilly has my dress shoes on. He loves to put on any shoes that are bigger than his feet because he can get them on by himself. Rowan is still dressed in her Goodwill costume and Tu-tu, giving her little brother a hug.
And a kiss.
Rowan in Nana's heels, putting together a puzzle. She loves to take all 3 puzzles apart at the same time, mix up the pieces and then put them together again. Kirsten does the crossword puzzle each day. Rowan comes up to her and says, "Are you keeping your brain sharp?" One day Kirsten said to her, "you are one sharp cookie." Rowan looks up at her Mom and says, " Mommy, cookies are not sharp. "
Rowan sharing her 3 paper doll "babies" with Dilly. They are all dressed up watching a movie together. The big thing the past 2 days is that Rowan has decided to be potty trained. She woke up yesterday, dressed herself for the day in lacy "dog" undies and her favorite outfit. She has only had one accident each day. She is doing great and so proud of her slim lines and frilly undies. Way to go Rowan

Super Pilot

Rowan says, “I have an ID my Dad gave me to clip on my shirt, because I’m Super Pilot.” This is Rowan flying through the air, tipping one wing. When Rowan says or does something that surprises us, we say, "Rowan, were did you learn that?" Rowan always says, "My Daddy taught me."
Dilly and Rowan in the "Big Boy Bed" He has graduated to sleeping with Rowan, except nap time when it is back into the crib. We went in last night to check on them. They had switched places, Dilly was sideways on the bed with his feet hanging off the edge, Rowan was like a wiggle worm.
Good night kiss in the Big Boy Bed.
Little Grandma, I and Rowan went to Goodwill yesterday on 50% off Saturday. We got these great dress up costumes for them. Dilly is some kind of dracula sponge Bob square pants. He wouldn't take this off for over 2 hours. This is Phoenix in early October. Our temperatures have dropped to the high 90's. We are in heaven, no 3 digit temperatures. However, it was still a little hot for this winter sleeper, but Dilly loves it. Rowan choose a pink tu-tu with a Chinese top. Very fetching don't ya think. Papa was asking Dilly to say “tray” (which he said yesterday). Dilly just looks at him with his serious expression. I said, “its too much like a performance. Dilly doesn’t always perform.” Rowan says, “Well I do!”
Little Grandma says, Grapes have been so good this year, I wonder where they came from? Rowan looks up at her, and says, “They come from the store!” With the look on her face as if to say, " Little Grandma I am shocked that you don’t know that!"

Walking boxes

We have had miraculous walking boxes at our house lately. They are the funniest things and very entertaining for all.


This was the day Papa babysat us. We were watching a movie and Dilly pooped. I told Papa that Dilly needed to be changed. Papa wasn't too thrilled about the prospect, but some things you never forget. I was watching Cinderella, my favorite movie. Papa took Dilly into the bedroom to change him. Papa yelled asking me to come into the bedroom and tell him where Dilly's diapers were. I told him that I couldn't stop watching Cinderalla. I told him Dilly's diapers are on the highest shelf. He found them all by himself!!
Tomato soup is one of our favorite lunch foods. This is Dilly really enjoying his tomato soup.