Halloween FUN

Yesterday was all about celebrating Halloween. I woke up early and surprised Robby with ghost and pumpkin shaped pancakes for breakfast. I even dyed his milk orange. Unfortunately he refused to drink the festive milk because he was somehow convinced it came from a pig, not a cow.  Lesson learned!

He was delighted that he was able to wear his Halloween costume to school. He looked like such a cute little paratrooper. Apparently I am not the only person to have found him particularly adorable. When we walked into his classroom, a little girl dressed as Alice from Alice in Wonderland looked up from her coloring, smiled broadly and said, "Well hello there, soldier." By the time I had hung his coat on the hook, he was being chased around the room by a line of girls all clad in various princess dresses. 

His school party was a rousing success. I fully solidified my role as "World's Best Room Mom." We had a costume parade, various arts and crafts, did a lively Monster Mash dance contest and made eyeball cake pops. Everybody had a blast, and Robby thanked me for being "the most awesomest Momom in the whole world." 

Keeping with our Halloween theme, I promised Robby "mutilated rats and ghost toots" for dinner. I spent two hours making and freezing mashed potatoes into silicone ghost molds and forming meatloaf into the shape of rats. Robby sat at the table, looked at the food (artfully decorated) and refused to eat. He declared that he would "never ever eat a rat or a ghost fart." We tried to convince him that it was a joke and that I had made meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but the damage was done. He had two rice krispie treats before dressing to go trick or treating.

This year Robby decided to go as a paratrooper army man. I was hoping that he would choose to be a Ghostbuster, but he was adamant in his decision. It wasn't my favorite Halloween costume for the boys, but I suppose that the years of picking his costume are long gone. Seeing Robby in fatigues made my heart sink, but his smile quickly dispersed any premonition Mommy fears I was experiencing. He was delighted with his costume, and the fact that his Daddy was also an army man made his night!

Finally, after nearly four months, Scott has found a good use for his scooter. He and Robby scooted around the neighborhood, trick-or-treating at more houses than ever before. They came home twice to empty their stash and Scooter bragged that Robby couldn't stop giggling between houses. 

 

 

Counting Our Lucky Stars

Monday night felt like a nightmare. We heard howling winds, sounding like planes were flying above us, followed by the ominous cracking of wood. Every once in awhile the ground would shake, and we knew that another tree had fallen. It is a terribly vulnerable feeling trying to protect your family when you know that your safety is no longer in your control. It was one of the longest nights!

We were relieved when the winds finally calmed and our house was not damaged. Despite the sounds of falling trees, nothing hit our home. We finally fell asleep, comforted that we were safe yet dreaded what we would see when we awoke. 

When the sun finally came up and I gathered my courage to peek behind our curtains, I saw a large tree embedded into what had been my neighbor's kitchen. The tree looked like it just sliced through the roof with the ease of a knife through softened butter. Every direction provided another view of the aftermath of the storm.

Our neighbor on the opposite side lost three trees, one of which was lying in the center of what had been her porch. Root balls are now sticking up like large bushes throughout her previously manicured lawn. I was panicked when I saw a tree landing on the roof of the elderly lady's house at the end of our street. Although she frequently calls the police on us, the result of her dementia, I certainly didn't wish this damage upon her home. Thankfully I saw her walking in her front yard, so my panic about her being injured quickly faded.

Looking across the street we saw a large tree laying on Mr. Bill's shed. Thankfully it missed his prized, fully restored 1957  Chevy! I saw him standing in his driveway, in the cold rain, stunned and staring at the storm damage. I threw my raincoat on over my pajamas and went to talk with him.

Seeing me leave, Robby immediately threw on his cowboy boots and coat and came running after me. We had to maneuver around the large branches and sticks which were littering our yard, but thankfully all of our trees were standing. Walking outside, I began to appreciate the scope of work that was going to be necessary to restore order to our small neighborhood.

Robby, amazed by the sheer size of the downed trees, walked over to his friend and gave him a hug. "Mr. Bill, I am going to help you when the rain stops. I don't want you to worry because you have a lot of sticks that need to be picked up. I'm good at picking up sticks and I'm going to help you because we're friends and friends help each other out."  I was proud of my little guy for stepping up and instinctively offering to lend a hand simply because it was the right thing to do!

All of our neighbors sustained structural damage from the storm, yet we were spared. It's surreal seeing the massive destruction surrounding us while knowing that we had nothing more than debris. Robby's tree house didn't even lose a shingle! We have to contend with little more than a few fallen branches and a lot of leaves.  Surveying our neighborhood, it looks like our home was protected from the winds by an invisible shield.

The rain continued yesterday, thwarting any cleanup efforts. Instead, Robby and I turned our attention to what we do best: we baked treats for our neighbors. Scott and I both felt like we were in a daze, so grateful that we were spared the damage sustained by our neighbors. I can't help but believe that, for some reason, we were protected. I remain thankful that nobody was hurt and happy to be able to help our neighbors with their clean-up!

*Along a completely separate theme, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  My boys go trick-or-treating tonight... can't wait to post their costume pictures tomorrow.  *

Hurricane Update

Yesterday morning Scott and I woke early, probably out of nervousness, to finish preparing for the highly touted "Frankenstorm." I was delighted that the school cancellations were reported on Sunday night, although to be completely honest I had no intention of sending Robby out in 80 mph winds. I was relieved to hear of Scott's school closing because I knew that our little family needed to be together to ride out this storm.

I worked to clear a path to the safest part of our house, underneath the steps in our garage. I am hoping that we won't have to retreat, but I wanted to be prepared. If a tornado warning is declared, the last thing I wanted to do was contend with boxes of Christmas decorations, wrapping paper and assorted metal tins blocking access to our safe zone!

Scott visited five stores before securing ice for our coolers. We packed them full with milk, hotdogs, cheese and Robby's medications. Looking at our six coolers and counter overflowing with junk food, I think we might have been a bit overzealous in our preparations.

As the rain began to fall Scott and I made a final mad dash outside to grab firewood. We filled our fire rack, which we moved inside next to our front door. Bringing the wood inside, although seemingly a good idea at the time, was perhaps not our best idea.  Within 15 minutes large black ants were marching out of the wood and exploring their new home!

We quickly moved the firewood back outside and piled it against the house, under the overhang. In the meantime, Charlie Cat had a great time hunting for little bits of protein!

Robby, Scott and I moved downstairs when the winds began to pick up.

**If we lose electricity, this is where my blog post will end. Rest assured that we have done everything to remain safe and to prepare for an extended outage. The winds are picking up, the trees looking like they are bowing in unison. At this point I'm expecting to see Dorothy and Toto fly by our window!

I am worried about a tree landing on our house, so we are going to "camp out" in our safe spot. Wish us luck! **


UPDATE--  power is back on. Our house survived without damage! I suspect our day will be spent helping the neighbors clean up- they were not nearly as lucky.

The Storm.

On my way to pick up Robby from school on Friday afternoon, I decided to surprise my little guy with a trip to Cupcake Heaven. I knew that he was going to be excited that it was Friday and eager to celebrate the start of Halloween weekend! Peeking into his classroom window, I instantly knew that my plans had changed.

Unbeknownst to me, Robby had become sick during the day. I was angry when I learned that the substitute directed him to just "sit quietly and put your head down" when he complained of a headache in the morning. I wish that they would have called me, or at least taken his temperature. By the time the school day was over, he had a fever of 102 and was visibly ill. 

A trip to the doctor revealed that he had a trifecta of illnesses: double ear infections, a sinus infection and strep throat. Antibiotics, lots of water and cuddling on the couch were the doctor's orders for the weekend. Saturday was spent watching Ghostbusters (three times) and the Bearenstein Bear's Halloween DVD twice. Thankfully by Sunday morning his fever broke, and he was feeling better.

Robby recovered just in time to help Scooter and I prepare for the much touted "Frankenstorm." According to the meteorologists, our house lies in the middle of the anticipated path of this monster storm. We are hoping not to lose power but realized it was better to be proactive and to prepare. We bundled up and headed to our new Walmart to buy supplies.

We bought new flashlights (yellow, of course) and bottled water. While I scoured the store to try to find batteries, Scooter and Robby headed over to the food aisles to stock up on provisions. By the time I found them (after nabbing what I suspect were the last eight batteries in the store) the boys had filled the cart. I should have sent them to find the batteries. Left alone to buy hurricane food, they overflowed the cart with soda, potato chips, crackers, summer sausage, a variety of cheeses in a can and assorted cookies. Apparently nutrition has little value during a storm! 

I threw a few cans of soup into the cart, grabbed fresh bread and a new jar of peanut butter before checking out. I ignored Robby's protests as he informed me that we didn't need the soup because during the storm "daddy and me are going to eat man food, not healthy stuff."  Seeing the man in front of us check out with three cases of beer and a box of Honeybuns, I realized that our storm preparations were probably typical. We bought our junk food and flashlights and headed home to batten down the hatches. 

Robby and his Daddy spent the afternoon in bed, quietly watching football and the Weather Channel. I worked in the yard, packing up our Halloween decorations and putting away our outdoor furniture. I noticed the sheer size of the trees that are around our house and immediately felt an ominous sense of vulnerability. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to thwart damage from fallen trees. At this point, all we can do is hunker down and hope for the best!

Wish us luck!

Limited

For some still unknown reason, I thought it would be fun to challenge myself by walking at least 100 miles in the month of October. I have been diligent, although some might say obsessive, about logging my daily miles. In fact, I surpassed my goal last week and I am now looking to walk at least 200 miles by Halloween!

The beautiful weather has certainly been motivating me towards achieving my walking goal. I found that I thoroughly enjoy hopping into my jogging leg and taking off on a stroll through the neighborhood each afternoon. Most days the temperatures have been perfect, necessitating that I wear only a vest.

On the rare days when it has been raining, I've logged my miles on the treadmill at the gym. Thankfully these days have been few because I find the treadmill both physically uncomfortable and dreadfully boring. I doubt that I'll maintain my walking routine when the weather forces me indoors because of my hate-hate relationship with the treadmill.

A few days ago, discouraged by the rain yet determined to meet my mile goal, I hopped on the treadmill at the gym. After walking the requisite amount, I dismounted the machine and prepared to walk into the locker room.  I was intercepted by the manager, who asked to speak with me.

I immediately sensed that he felt uncomfortable, which made my guard rise. I knew that I hadn't broken any rules and, aside from setting off the lunk alarm because of singing, I try to fly under the fitness radar. Curious, I followed him into his office.

After exchanging pleasantries, he finally reached his point.  In a polite way, he asked me to only utilize the two treadmills closest to the attendant desk. When I asked why I was restricted to those machines, he informed me that my using any other machines presents the club with a liability issue. He proceeded to explain that my disability (I'm assuming he means my amputation and prosthetic use) puts me at increased risk and that the warning labels affixed to each treadmill clearly states that individuals with physical handicaps require supervision.  He apologized for the inconvenience, but remained steadfast that I utilize only the designated treadmills.

I left the gym and instead of feeling satisfied by a work-out well done, I felt deflated. I know that was not the intent, and I respect the rules of the facility. Still, it bothers me that I am being limited simply because I use a prosthetic. I know how to walk, and I disagree that I am more of a liability than the individuals texting or surfing the internet on the same machines!

Leaf Fun!

The foliage this year is nothing short of breathtaking.  I don't remember another year where the colors have been as vibrant and the sky has been routinely blue and clear. The weather this fall has been spectacular, and I've been taking full advantage by being outside.

Robby has adjusted to his full-day school routine and instead of picking up an exhausted little guy, he is now full of energy and ready to play. Each afternoon we have been spending a few hours playing outside. Although I still don't understand some of the games we play, he seems to know what is going on and is having fun so I've learned to just go with the flow.

A few days ago Robby found the rake in our garage and began working on the leaves in the yard. I was delighted that he was willingly helping with raking. I didn't want anything to interrupt his working, so I quietly began to pick up and bag sticks. After about 30 minutes he managed to create an imposing leaf pile that was at least four feet high and six feet wide. Unfortunately, it was created in the middle of our yard, so I knew that it was going to have to be dismantled and moved.

It turns out that my little helper had a plan that had nothing to do with helping. After I acknowledged the mass of his pile, he walked up the hill turned towards the leaf mountain and took off running. The fact that his boots came off in the middle of his sprint did not diminish his belly flop dive into the middle of his pile!

After crashing into the leaves, he urged me to run and jump in as well. Although I knew that the leaf pile was large, I also realized that it wasn't nearly big enough to cushion my bum. I'm too old to dive into leaves, but not wanting to disappoint him, I came up with the next best option.

Leaf fight!  Robby and I spent the next 45 minutes chasing each other around the yard, trying to throw handfuls of leaves at each other. By the time the sun was setting, we were famished, exhausted, and covered with dirt, leaf bits. and more than a few spiders.  Our fight managed to disperse the leaves that were had been carefully piled, saving me the trouble of having to move the massive collection.

Robby may be too big to kiss me goodbye in front of his classmates, but I'm happy that he still wants to play with me. I know that these times are limited so I'm thoroughly enjoying every moment!

Cruise Anticipation!

According to my countdown clock, we only have 60 days until Christmas. I love the holiday season which for me starts with Halloween. I relish decorating the house, baking yummy treats to share, and playing "room mom extraordinaire" during Robby's school parties.  I know that the next two months will fly which is why I am vowing to make the most of every moment.

We have a few adventures scheduled before Christmas with the biggest being what Robby has dubbed "our free cruise." I was invited to join a group of amputees on what is being called the "AmpuCruise" during the first week of December. When I first received the invitation, I was cautious about becoming too excited. I just didn't want to deal with the disappointment if it didn't work out.
  
The timing of the cruise is not ideal which has been the source of most of my cruise anxiety. Thankfully, Scott has been able to swing things at work so that he can take the leave time. After talking with his teacher, Robby will be sailing with a backpack full of assorted worksheets and school projects that will be due when he returns. Everything seems to have worked out to make this adventure possible, and I'm finally allowing myself the luxury of becoming excited.

Robby and I have spent hours pouring over the ship plans and activities. I've also tried to prep him so that he does not say or do anything inappropriate when he meets our fellow amputee passengers. We have talked, in detail about the different types of amputees and what he may see. I'm going to continue reiterating that he can ask questions privately to avoid staring or doing anything inappropriate. 

Technically, I will be working on the cruise, so all of my time will not be my own. Rest assured I am anticipating plenty of opportunities to enjoy the cruising fun. After all, working on a cruise ship sounds like an oxymoron! I can't believe I'll be saying Bon Voyage in 40 days!