365 Project - Day THIRTY SIX

Some time ago, Jack was contacted by his former preschool teacher, Mrs. Eakin, about attending their bike day this year. Jack was able to present a short bike safety speech and demonstration last year and the kids and teacher loved him so much, she invited him back again this year. It was cute when Jack got the phone call - Mrs. Eakin spoke with him personally about bike day and I heard Jack tell her he was 'available' that day. When he got off the phone, he was all puffed-up (as manly men do) and he casually told me about the conversation, like he did these things every day.

Mrs. Eakin's son, Kim, has a childhood background in BMX, which evolved into downhill mountain bike racing, sponsors and eventually a spot on the Cannondale racing team (if you are not familiar, Cannondale bikes are extremely engineered, top of the line bicycles). He now works for Cannondale and HAS TO ride bikes for a living. He's really got his dream job. Anyhoo, he took time out of his schedule to do bike day as well. This is Jack's second time doing bike day with Kim and Jack gets stars in his eyes when it comes to this guy. Kim did not disappoint and brought with him an expensive cannondale which made Jack's heart go pitter-pat. Kim also brought his 7 year old son with him and Jack was sort of a mentor to him (because of their vast 2 year age difference).

Jack put on his racing gear, grabbed his pit bike and unicycle and his prized plastic ramp. He gave his presentation to the class and then the whole class headed outside for bike day. Bike day consists of riding whatever wheeled item you bring from home (scooter, bike, trike, etc...), riding it in a tight circle around orange cones for the duration of class and occasionally stopping at the cleaning station or the decorating station.



Jack spent his time with Kim's son and gave him pointers for jumping the ramp. Kim graciously let Jack ride his muy expensive Cannondale bike. It was an adult bike, but Jack didn't care - the bigger the better.



Kim spoke with Jack randomly through the day and spoke with him like Jack had been riding just as long as he had. Jack kept up - acting like he had all the knowledge Kim did.

It was a fantastic day for Jack.

365 Project - Day THIRTY FIVE

I know - cop-out, right? Well, I didn't take any pictures today. It was a busy, crazy day and there was no picture taking going on.

I did go to new student orientation, where I found out that I have some prerequisite classes to take and there's prerequisite classes for the prerequisite classes. Then, after all that's done, I can apply for the Radiologic Sciences program....

Long road ahead of me...

365 Project - Day THIRTY FOUR

Cinco de Mayo. I'm not sure the history behind it, but I know it's an excuse to drink some yummy Dos Equis with lime. And party like you're hispanic.

It's also a reason to celebrate the dog's birthday. Today is Eddie Ray's 3rd birthday. I make him a hat every year and every year he hates the hat. Who doesn't love a festive party hat? Every year though, he's getting more tolerant of the hat, but he did need my assistance this year with holding it on. So, Happy 3rd Birthday Eduardo!

I also had my needle biopsy done today. It was fascinating watching it on the ultrasound monitor. Interesting how the biopsy needles get their samples. I likened it to spear fishing. They would count to three, then pull the trigger on a pinball plunger-like thing and you would see the needle shoot through the core of the mass (on the US monitor). They took 7 cores, but I didn't feel it - only pressure.

The radiologist told me that in her 25ish years of experience, she's seen many breast masses and can generally tell when one is cancerous. She said she is 95% sure (possibly more) that what I have in my boob is not cancerous. She also added the caveat, "However, sometimes the biopsies surprise us...". So, I'm not sure what the final prognosis is, but I'm feeling better about the whole situation. I hope all the tears and worrying will chalk up to nothing and once again, I fretted for nothing. I'll find out Friday if my worries were for naught.

I tried to convince them to take a picture of the procedure to add to here as well as the 'Anomalies" folder on my computer, but they weren't buying it. Most likely it's because the camera probably wouldn't tolerate a betadine swab.

365 Project - Day THIRTY THREE

Thank goodness for cell phone cameras. I hate the picture quality, but they sure come in handy in a pinch.

Tonight, Jack and I went to the walk-in clinic because we both had sore throats and a mild fever. With the news these days and the swine flu pandemic hype, I guess as a mom I felt it was better to be safe than sorry? I don't know. I knew in my mom way that this wasn't the case, but there was the little devil on my shoulder screaming, "WHAT IF?" So, me, Jack and Mazie trudged our way to the clinic.

When I explained what was going on to the less-than-receptive receptionist, she damn near threw these masks at us. The look of horror on my metrosexual son's face was priceless when he discovered that he had to wear one in PUBLIC. He asked if there was a special room that we could sit in. When the not-so-charming receptionist heard us discussing the possibility of not wearing the mask, she bitterly announced that if we didn't wear it, there was a big chance that they would not allow us in a clinic. In a show of solidarity, I boldly put on my mask and then put Jack's on his face (like I learned on the airplane).

We had to sit in the waiting room for about 45 minutes and watch the newcomers to the clinic make a wide berth around us mask wearers. While we were waiting, we entertained ourselves with taking pictures and writing our names in cursive. They had taken all the magazines and papers out of the waiting area in the interest of sanitation. We were pretty bored.

When we got back to the room, we had our throats swabbed. The kids got a kick out of hearing my garbled voice when I was told to say, "Ahhhh" while I got swabbed. The doctor then came in and told us that we tested negative for strep and discussed our symptoms with him. He then examined both Jack and I more closely.

When it came time to put the tongue depresser in my mouth to look at my throat, my kids nearly passed-out from laughing hysterically. They know about my extreme aversion to anything that could pass as a popsicle stick. If I even smell the stick smell or talk about it, I break out in goosebumps and my voice becomes so strained it's hard to talk about. IKEA has a lot of items that exude that same smell, therefore making it difficult to visit that store. My kids were clapping their hands worthy of a self-stemming behavior and gleefully laughed when the doctor brought out the giant stick from hell. It was as horrible as expected.

The doctor determined that our symptoms were far from being severe. He told me that we merely had a mild cold and not to be concerned. That was good news.

I think I can still taste the stick.

365 Project - Day THIRTY TWO

On our way home from the 5k, we stopped at the shopping outlets in Woodburn, OR. I immediately went to the Fossil outlet that I LOVE where Donna spied this shirt. She recognized the quotation as something I regularly say to my kids when they're fighting.

Maybe the whole world should adopt this concept of hugging it out in times of crisis.

I should have bought that red leather purse there that I really wanted. Dammit!

365 Project - Day THIRTY ONE

Wow, day thirty one. I'm proud that I've done this for a month now!

Day thirty one was a fun one. My sister and I met my cousin, Kaycee (who lives in Albany, OR), to participate in the 5k portion of the Eugene Marathon. It's an event we'd been looking forward to for a long time. At one time, I had aspirations to run the 3.2 miles, but that fizzled and I committed to walking faster than I usually do at the mall. I will build myself up to running a 5k and I will get it done. I'm determined to do it. All in all, we had a great time. Kelby ran most of the course (yay Kelb!) and my cousin Kaycee, coffee in hand and fanny pack attired, stayed with me and motivated me through it. There were times we even ran and managed to run across the finish line in Chariots of Fire fashion.


Pinning on the numbers...



Buddig in your fanny pack? I spied a mid-course snack in Kaycee's fanny pack. She wasn't sure if she'd be hungry or not.


The yellow-shirted nemesis. This woman had the gall to RUN ahead of me. Well POO POO on you courageous yellow jogger...I smoked you at the end.

Mile 2 - obviously

Mile 3 and where I began the run across the finish line...

365 Project - Day THIRTY

Who's the cutest backseat baby? We all know who...

Here's a shot of her from the backseat on her first road trip to Oregon. Myself and her mom were meeting my cousin, Kaycee in Eugene in the morning for a 5k. Aunt Donna graciously sat in the back and entertained the munchkin, who was incredibly well-behaved for a 5 hour car ride...