Happy Thanksgiving!! 11/27/2008 01:51:00 PM
From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! We are celebrating this Thanksgiving by giving thanks for employment--I'm on call and Mark has to work all day (today is the mountain's opening day). In light of what more than one friend is going through (hang in there guys!), we can't complain at all.

Mark's parent's (Granimal and PopPop) left here a couple days ago after a wonderful visit. We celebrated Thanksgiving last weekend, and now that we've finally cleared the leftovers out of the fridge, we'll be going to my partner's for dinner with her family. Should be fun--I'll need to swing by the hospital quick once Mark gets home from work, but hopefully it shouldn't take too long.

This is a picture of us on a short hike with Granimal and PopPop up on Buffalo Pass (Buff Pass to the locals). Caroline really likes her backpack--we've only been taking her on short trips so far so she can get used to it, but she was easily in it for 20-30 minutes on this hike. I'm hoping to do some snowshoeing with her this winter.

Let's see--trying to think what else is going on. C's been sick with a couple colds recently, and was kind enough to share with me. I've been dealing easily with a mild one for the past week or so, and on Tuesday must've caught something new as I was completely blown over--spent most of Tuesday in bed, and as soon as I could, left work so I could get back to bed again yesterday. Feeling a little better today, but pretty happy to be able, for the most part, to lay low.

Mark put some new pictures up on Picasa, and there's pretty fun video of C eating her birthday cake on YouTube. Today she's been standing on her own a lot, and once tried to take a step, but fell right down and started crawling. We'll count it as a half-step.

OK, speaking of bed, I'm going to get a short nap in while C is still sleeping. Happy Turkey Day!
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 HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 11/20/2008 09:34:00 AM

Today, Caroline turns one!

It's hard to believe she's already one.

Latest stats (I'm sure D will comment with added information):
6 teeth (four top, two bottom)
Favorite words: "Books" and "Doggie" (with little 'woof woof' sounds following)
Favorite parent: Dana, without a doubt. But I get some good hugs every now and then.
Signs: "All done" and "bye bye", which end up looking the same.
Loves to dance (which is more like bouncing up and down).
JUST figured out how to make her little leapfrog ("Lily") sing. This will get old quick.
Extra-special note for TK: Her third favorite thing to say is: "Boodgie-boodgie". We don't have her holding her ear and scratching yet, though.
Special note for Lauren and Roy: She now TRIES to say "Buzzy bee", but it ends up sounding like "Boodgie-boodgie". But she's trying! And she's been able to pull the cord and make it buzz for like three months now.
Basically sleeping 12 hours straight every night. Which is AWESOME.

My parents (grandpa/"paw-paw"? and "Granimal") are coming today for her birthday and an early Thanksgiving. We'll get video of her eating cake, which will probably be on Sunday. Our trusty Canon is finally dying, so hopefully Santa brings us a new point-and-shoot for XMas. Maybe next year if I'm good I'll ask for a DSLR finally.

It's going to be a pretty packed weekend with a snowshoe tomorrow, surely grandpa and me working on the house Saturday, birthday gathering/celebration Sunday, and "Thanksgiving" on Monday, but we'll try to get an update in...
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 MRI (updated, again) 11/14/2008 01:11:00 PM
No update yet! But I have someone on the inside keeping an eye on things for me. When the radiologist has a reading of it, we'll let you know! (I'm not expecting anything earth-shattering).

Also, I asked for a CD on my way out. Here's a little screencap for your enjoyment.

The little dingus on top of my foot in the lower middle frame is a little tracking thing they taped on my foot for reference.

UPDATE: Apparently an "acute stress reaction", I've been told over the phone by my hospital spy. I'll post the text of the tech's diagnosis when I get it over email.

(basically, this means that it's behaving like a stress fracture when there is no actual stress fracture). My body is AMAZING. Maybe my Level 2 mutant power is to feel pain as if I've been injured when there is no actual injury.

UPDATE 2: Here's the complete text. Still haven't spoken to the doc yet, though.


EXAMINATION: MRI OF THE LEFT FOOT, 11/14/2008.

HISTORY: One month forefoot pain.

TECHNIQUE: Multisequence imaging techniques employed in the sagittal, axial and coronal planes.

FINDINGS: A vitamin E capsule is seen on the dorsum of the foot (dorsal to the third metatarsal). There is ill-defined marrow edema and cortical irregularity involving the base of the shaft of
the second and third metatarsals. The clearly defined fracture lines are not identified. There is no subluxation or overt disruption of the Lisfranc ligament. There are no fluid collections or
joint effusions. There is significant edema in the pericortical soft tissues along the proximal shaft of the second and third metatarsals.

No other significant abnormalities detected.

IMPRESSION: Ill-defined marrow edema proximal shaft second and third metatarsals associated with some cortical discontinuity along the lateral aspect of the second and medial aspect of the third
metatarsal. There is significant pericortical edema in the soft tissues around these two bones. The findings are most consistent with a stress reaction with no distinct fracture identified.
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 Winter is here! 11/12/2008 08:34:00 AM
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM MST FRIDAY

I get weather reports every day in my work email (I work for a ski mountain, remember?), and seeing notices like this, while it means more work for me (shoveling, snowblowing, etc) also means good things for my work. Apparently in hard economic times, mountains aren't really hurt as long as there's good snow. So here's hoping for another 40-foot year. We're off to a better start, for sure! We started snowmaking last week (miles of new lines were installed off season), and though the few inches of snow we've had in the valley is mostly melting off, it's sticking on the mountain. Last year, our first big snow didn't come until the day after C was born, and we put off opening by a week - then had a record-breaking year. People are expecting another good snow year this year - I guess we'll see.

In other news, the laundry room walls are patched and primed - hopefully I'll be able to get at least one coat of paint on before the weekend (though that's not looking terribly likely, since I don't have a color picked out yet). We had a minor scare with the washer (small leak due to excessive shaking during the spin cycle) that I rectified last night, but it forced me to deal with the fact that our machines will need replacing in the next year or so (after last year's dryer failure).

Grandpa and Granimal visit next week for C's one year bday, and her present should arrive today (we got a very nice new hiking backpack, as she doesn't really fit in the bjorn anymore - especially not with winter clothes on). We decided this would really be all we get her for her birthday and Christmas this year, as (A) it's wicked expensive, and (B) we're told that at 1, kids are more interested in ripping the paper than the gifts themselves. We'll wrap up a couple books she hasn't seen yet (she loves her some books!) and I'm sure there will be a deluge of toys from relatives, especially with a trip to Fargo on the books.

Other than that, not much is happening. Oh yeah, except for the fact that I'm getting an MRI sometime in the next week (they're going to call me back when they've set up a time). Long story short, my foot has been bothering me for about three weeks now (to the point where people are used to seeing me limp around). I finally gave in and went to see a local orthopod, and he was as baffled as Dana is with my condition. Apparently it presents like a stress fracture, but I haven't done anything that would give me a stress fracture. Unless I've been living with it forever and I'm just so tough I never noticed until Caroline brought out my softer side.

So he said we could wait and see, or get an MRI. I think it bugged him that he didn't know exactly what was going on (very Type-A, this guy), and he wants to figure out what the heck is up. So into the MRI I go. Luckily, they don't have to irradiate me (*ahem* sorry, they prefer to use the word "contrast"), so that's a bonus.

Last little bit (I realize this is reading like a novel): Dana and I instituted a "no TV night" last night - I think it will be Tuesdays from now on - because we watch way too much TV. A lot was accomplished! I got some grocery shopping done (usually do that on the weekend), fixed the washer, fixed the printer, and taught Dana - a little too late - how to use the wood stove. (It kept going out when she closed the door. Because she didn't open the vent. Thank god there's no flue, she would have smoked us out!) D got some work done for a presentation she's giving to SSWSC today, and we ate fishsticks. I didn't get as much reading done as I had hoped, but it was a more productive evening than I had expected, so that was a bonus. Maybe in the future we'll be able to extend to two-nights as non-TV nights. (it really is sad how much TV we watch).

THAT IS ALL! Feel free to go back about your lives.
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 Beautiful Day 11/11/2008 10:06:00 AM
Friends of Mark's P's gave Caroline some scrubs embroidered with her name on them--they are super cute, but we usually have to put some girlie pants on her with them, just because people think she's a boy otherwise. But they are pretty cute!!

Gorgeous day in Steamboat today--a light snow is falling, but the temp is probably right around 30, so it's super warm. I just went on a 4 mile run up on one of my favorite trails, which is about a half mile from our house. It's beautiful up there--you'd think you were in the middle of a forest on that trail. But then again, I guess you probably are.

Things are good here--Mark's trying to get a bit more done on the house before his parents come to visit next week. I'm just so ecstatic that we have a babygate now, anything else he does is just super bonus. He's been patching the holes in the wall in the laundry room, and just finished priming it last night. Only problem is that now the laundry machine is leaking water on the floor, so no laundry for me today on my day off!

C is fantastic as always, set to turn one year old next week! She's getting pretty good at giving hugs and kisses now (when she wants to, of course), knows the sign for "all done", and almost has those front two teeth in. She was really off on Sunday--kinda crabby and whiney, so Mark had some quiet time with her while I was rounding at the hospital. Apparently she loved watching an old Muppet Show with Daddy (the one with Candace Bergen, if you were wondering). She's a pretty fun kid.

OK, I need to shower quick and meet Mark for lunch.
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 Baby's in the Tank for Obama! 11/05/2008 09:26:00 PM
I cried tears of joy last night. Did you?

Amazing. Historic. As one CNN commentator last night said "America's finally grown up". My comment today: "seriously Homes, don't eff this up".

(I don't think he will.)

If you need a good dose of liberal political blogging, and the funnest blog comments EVAR, check out: www.wonkette.com

Let me leave you with this thought, courtesy of my personal political genius, my hubbin':

Can you imagine telling Cubs fans in 1908 that the U.S. would see a black president before the Cubs would win another World Series? They'd think you were completely insane!

Amen.
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 Tip: How to vote! 11/04/2008 04:44:00 PM
VOTE McCain!

:)
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 BREAKING election news! 11/04/2008 02:54:00 PM
Aliens in the tank for McCain!
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 Family Sideways, best Family News Team EVAR 11/04/2008 08:25:00 AM
for all your Colorado election coverage!
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 Election Schmelection 11/04/2008 06:52:00 AM

From the National Weather Service:

(HOORAY for early voting!!)


WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM MST THURSDAY...

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM MST THURSDAY.

A STRONG WINTER STORM WILL BRING 5 TO 10 INCHES OF SNOW... WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE... TO THE UPPER YAMPA RIVER BASIN. EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS TO INCREASE TO 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH CREATING WIDESPREAD AREAS OF BELONG AND DRIFTING SNOW. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST AND DECREASE LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING WITH STRONG WINDS POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

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 Happy Halloween! 11/01/2008 06:44:00 PM
(it's a trap!)
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