Random Tid Bits

1. The sunflowers that were planted at the end of my neighbor's a few houses down are no longer a visual problem. It rained all day one day. I can see cars again!





2. Travis said that Mica HAD to sign up for something active, so he signed up for Cross Country.
   
   We made the mistake of doing what we were supposed to by getting his school paper work in. Then we got a letter afterwards saying that he had to have a school activity card, and be a member of their after school program. We didn't think he needed an activity card because he could careless about going to football or basketball games. The only time he'll be staying after school is for Cross Country, so we didn't sign him up for the after school club. We had to do some back peddling to get that new stuff done. The after school club is a 3 day a week thing (mandatory). He had to stay after school this week twice for the club, and the sport hasn't started yet.
   
   I hope all this is worth it. Travis gets on me because I have a sour attitude about things the boys don't have to do. I always wonder if it's all worth it? What if we've been through a Sport's Physical, extra paper work, an after school club and he hates Cross Country? Life experiences are important.  


3. I have to figure out how to get my 1st year students to talk. They just are workers, which is good, but they don't look outside their own brains to see what others are doing. It's important to do that too.
   
   The new Education Director came to observe me. I was in lecture trying to get my students to talk about things they learned the week before. It was like talking to empty brains. 


4. Isaak had to have this gold sequence journal at Target. I quickly said, "No! Put it back!" Then I went back and bought it for him for Christmas. He never asks for things. Ha! 






5. My Mom texted me yesterday that she has Shingles. She got the old shot, that's 50% effective. She was on the list for the new shot, but she wasn't called to get it yet. This is the 2nd living virus she's gotten. She had Polio a year or 2 before before the vaccine came out. It lives inside you like Chicken Pox does - Shingles. Polio is just called Post Polio Syndrome. Post Polio Syndrome did a number on her leg! I'm hoping Shingles aren't too bad for her!
   
   What are your thoughts on vaccines? I'm pro them, but think they are given too close together in the US. I go with it because I'm afraid I'll mess something up where the boys skip something they shouldn't skip. I used to be more against illegals coming here because of vaccines they don't get that we get here in the US. Then I read a whole article about how Colorado (in general) is really bad about vaccinating their kids. It's the highest place in the US where they don't vaccinate. Yes it's a free country, but when one's freedom is infringing on another's freedom then that's a problem. Isaak got Meningitis before he had all his shots for it, my Mom got Polio and Shingles before she could get her shots. My nephew Emerson has a compromised immune system, so he can't get all his shots on time. Anyhow I'm up for a healthy debate, so what are your thoughts on vaccinations? 

Random Tid Bits

1. This week we'll talk about my flaws. We all have them. I get then and than mixed up. The more I think about those two words, the more confused I get about them. 


2. I'm HORRIBLE with directions. Last week I went downtown to a play. It should have been fun. All I could think about was, What if I get lost? What if I can't find a spot to park? What if I can't find my car afterwards? By the way I got there just fine! The other was to a graduation for my work. No one seemed to know where it was at. I got there fine to. I was feeling anxious all week. I told the Director of the college, "See this is why I don't schedule very many field trips. If I can't get places, how in the heck to I give my students good directions in getting from point A to point B?" I really need to get out more.
   
   I'm so glad my husband rocks with directions. Although I do have to say that once I know where I'm going I'm better with getting places than he is. He goes in a lane that has a big utility vehicle in it, or the lane where everyone slows down to get on the interstate when we don't have to, and sometimes he takes a scenic route just because he forgets where we are going entirely. 


3. I don't wear very much makeup, I'm not a girl that paints my nails, and I let my hair go natural. I have frosted grey highlights.  I don't know if all this is bad. It's just me. In fact I get complimented on my grey hair because it's so even.


4. I'm not sympathetic when it comes to my kids getting shots. Is that bad? Some moms put on Facebook, "My poor son got his shots today. It melted my heart!" I think, Well it's better than getting Polio, Meningitis, Chicken Pox which isn't too bad, but leads to Shingles, which is horrible, Whopping Cough, Measles, and more. Suck it up they cried for less than 5 minutes. If they got something horrible they could be dead. I have that same conversation with both my boys when we're walking into the doctor's office when they are about to get a shot. They understand how serious things can get with illnesses. I also remind them of how I got allergy shots once a week when I was their ages. Yes I hid, but I neglect to tell them that part. 

On the opposite of my pro vaccinations, I have my doubts about them to. Like, hummmm...what's in them? In that aspect I wish I knew what they are injecting in my boys. The government lets all kinds of crap in our food, and skin products, maybe they do the same with our vaccinations. Do you ever think about this? My mom had Polio, and Isaak had Meningitis, so my pro shots way over powers my anti shots. Trust me you don't want to get one of those things!


5. Lastly I find myself in the middle of most things. I blame this on being a middle child. I grew up in the middle of my difficult older sister (whom I shared a room with) and my parents. I was in the middle of my oldest sister and my youngest sister. I usually try and see things from more than one side. Kind of a Cubistic approach. You'd think that many people would like that I do that. I'm trying to understand them, and their situation. Really it ends up pissing people off. They want me to choose them and their situation. When I bring up the other side to what they think is wrong, or right they automatically think I'm against them. I'm not. I'm just trying to make them see the light to what else is out there.  I'm trying to open their perspective so to speak. The way I describe my views on vaccinations is how I think about most things. I think about the pros and the cons. I have a mixed thought on them in the end. I make a stand on the side that makes more since to me.

I Got My Flu Shot Today

My question of the day is, do you get one? I know some people are pro flu shots, some think they do nothing and others are anti shots.

I air on the side of caution. CAUTION meaning, preventing me from getting deathly sick. I get sick a lot from being a mom, a teacher and having allergies. I just don't want the risk of getting influenza. If a shot can prevent that then I'll get one.

I've known two people that have had influenza and it wasn't pretty. My co-worker that got it had thyroid issues and along with that had eye problems. It was horrible. My husband got it and missed 2 weeks of work.

I was a skeptic about shots when my boys were younger. Mica got his staph infection a week after getting his vaccines and Isaak got his meningitis two days after getting his vaccines. For awhile I thought maybe my boys had some rare reaction when it came to their vaccines. Mica had an ear infection on the same side as his staph infection. Isaak could have gotten meningitis anywhere. I pushed all my skepticism aside.

Now I'm thankful that we have the vaccines we do today. Grandma Spiehs had Polio when she was a little tike. It's been a real problem in her life. Vaccines prevent things like that.

When I got my shot today Isaak was with me. He said, "Momma are you scared to get a shot?" I said, "No honey. It really doesn't hurt that bad. It's like a little sting." He said, "Oh. Will you cry?" I said, "Nope." Then he said, "You will get a sticker when you are all done!" I said, "Nope. Only kids get stickers. Not adults." He said, "Oh." I think he felt sorry for me that I didn't get a sticker for being oh so brave.

The boys are getting their flu shots later this month. The nurse asked if I wanted them to have the flu mist or the shot? The shot is what I went with. The boys won't like that decision, but I know they will in fact get it. With the flu mist...well they won't even blow their noses; I doubt they will suck in a mist effectively.