We got our electric bill from Amigo Energy the other day. Guess how much it was...... Go on....... Nope. Think lower.................. LOWER.....................even LOWER. Our bill was a whopping $29 this month. (I'll wait while you do a double take over that figure.......................)
Surely it's a mistake, right??? I mean, that is too good to be true since the Kilgore house does not like to be hot or cold. (That A.C./heater runs non-stop. How did the pioneers do without it?) I called Amigo Energy and they said that yes, it was a mistake, but at the moment that's the number Centerpoint read on our meter, so that's all we need to pay. No problem, Amigo Energy. This is one electric bill I will GLADLY hand over and bask in its splendidness while doing so.
The down side: If Centerpoint finds that that they obviously made an error when reading our meter, it could be reflected in our next bill. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they are too busy to even notice...............
Monday, March 30, 2009
The Best Electric Bill EVER
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Grant Was a Singing Weed
Tonight was Cornerstone's (Grant's preschool) spring performance. The girls were flowers, and the boys were weeds. I was a bit offended by this at first because I didn't like the stereotyping that seemed to be going on, but it was actually done rather well, and although the boys were weeds, they were tough and mean weeds - and I liked that. I was imagining that the weeds would be in the way and cause and trouble since that is what weeds do, right? Thankfully the imagery in my head did not occur.
Anyways, this was Grant's second year to be in a preschool production. And let me just tell ya - he's pretty shy on stage. This totally took Kerry and me off guard as we, well - we perform a lot (and Kerry was a Sing Song Host for that matter!!!) and we never imagined one of our kids would be less than vibrant on stage. We were wrong. Sure - there is still time for him to come out of his shell, but in the meantime, we get a kick out of this surprising character trait exhibits.
This year the child actually did some of the movements and sang some. This is QUITE a change from last year's performance where he just stood there and looked like a clueless bump on a log - like he was the new kid and had not attended any rehearsals and had no idea what to do. (Yes, we thought that was funny as well.) So needless to say, Kerry and I enjoyed watching him emerge out of his little performing shell, if you will, tonight. He seemed more at ease on stage, and I know I saw some smiles here and there on his sweet face.
I discovered tonight that I was one of "those" parents. You know - the obnoxious kind that wave to their kids on stage like they would if they were stranded out at sea and were trying to signal a rescue boat for help?... Well, that's me. Most of it can be explained by the fact that Grant was up on the stage looking for us, so of course I HAD to wave. But then I realized I was doing more than waving: I looked like I was performing "Hanging Tough" by New Kids on the Block. (remember that arm wave thing they did to that song???) Upon that thought, I decided to take it down a few notches.
Rhett awaiting Bubba's performance. What a nut!
Grant the Weed
This weed does not like loud clapping.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Signs that your pet gerbil might be dead:
Grant: Momma, I picked up Rolie, and he acted funny.
Me: What do you mean?
Grant: Well, he just laid in my hands and his mouth was open and he would not close it and he would not even move.
Me: Oh, no! Let me see him.................(I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to find, and I am feeling a little nervous since I've never had to deal with a dead animal in my house before)....................... Yes, honey, I am sorry, but Rolie is dead. (Rolie was actually as stiff as a nail. Not sure how that happened so quickly since we had played with him just a few hours prior to his sudden death.)
Grant: (in a disappointed voice)I guess we will have to bury him up. (I'm not quite sure how to bury something "up"...)
And how much of a dork am I? I am a little sad that sweet Rolie is gone. What an innocent and short little life he lived, and even in his insignificance to the world, he meant so much to Grant and Rhett. It just reminds me how precious and delicate life is. I know, I know - I'm being too emotional about this. I just for sorry for the little fella. I hope he is happy in gerbil heaven. What am I going to do when our dog dies? I think I'll cry a river!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Doc's Report
Our visit with the pediatrician went well today. He looked at Rhett's morning glucose numbers and said they were fine. He is concerned that none of those readings happened on a day when Rhett was really shaky, so my orders are to A) Continue taking his blood sugar reading every morning, B) Be certain to take it on a morning when he has tremors, and then immediately take him to the lab at the nearest hospital so they can run their own glucose test.
Not much more to report until a "shaky" morning presents itself and we can get a coordinating glucose reading.
Another Rhett Update
Glucose level Monday morning = 83
We've got an appointment with the pediatrician this afternoon. Wish us luck!
Friday, March 20, 2009
Update on Rhett's Glucose Levels
Wednesday morning's level = 80
Thursday morning's level = 105
Friday morning's level = 72 (Whew! That's pretty close to 70 - the "bad zone". I wonder if this lower number has anything to do with his FOUL mood today...)
It'll sure be interesting to see what the endocrinologist has to say about these random and scattered numbers.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Kilgore Spring Break Curse
Ahhhhh - the replenishment Spring Break was going to provide us with was keeping a smile on my face for weeks prior to the actual holiday even though we didn't have big plans. (Not true: Any holiday away from writing stinkin' lesson plans ROCKS!) Our Spring Break was going to take place in Granbury for a few reasons: 1. I wanted to attend Marijon and Baby Drew's shower in Arlington 2. This is STILL Kerry's busy season and he was sure not going anywhere 3. We couldn't go to the lake house since Kerry's parents are in Japan visiting Uncle Kory and Aunt Kelly, and last but not least: 4. I didn't want to spend ANOTHER week at my house - alone- with two kids.
As it turns out, staying home alone with two kids was probably my best option as it seems that we have really ticked off the Spring Break gods. "The Kilgore Spring Break Curse" has been tapping on our shoulders the past three years - this year included. I was hoping to escape it this year, so I planned way ahead in the hopes of keeping The Curse at bay.
The first time The Curse struck was during Spring Break 2007. This time the misfortune fell upon Grant and our pocketbook. L-O-N-G story short, it involved two E.R. visits (one to Granbury's hospital and the other to Cook Children's) and an ambulance ride in between all due to Grant's asthma. I've become quite the asthma pro since then (it really is an art), so I packed every inhaler, vial, the breathing machine, both allergy meds AND Grant's steroids (oral and inhaled) because I was determined that NO ONE was going to the hospital this year.
I failed.
Spring Break 2009 has proven to be worse than Spring Break 2007 by a LONG shot. This time the misfortune fell on ALL of us, but especially Rhett... Rhett was admitted into Cook Children's Hospital Monday for two reasons: #1. Dehydration from a stomach virus (HOW do kids get dehydrated so quickly??? The kid ate dinner the night before for goodness sakes, and he kept it down, and then he wrestled with Uncle Garrett!! He was feeling GREAT!) and #2. Low blood sugar and tremors. I happened to mention to the doc (gotta love Dr. Steinman - he's always there for us when we're in town) that for almost a year now Rhett shakes first thing in the morning and immediately leads me to the kitchen whereupon he usually demands a fruit bar and some milk. After about five minutes, he snaps out of his "eating fixation", the tremors stop and he's the Rhett we all know and love. I honestly thought NOTHING of this as I do this all the time. I am hypoglycemic, and tremors and NEEDING sugar is just part of my life - has been for about 23 years. My sugars can get so low I shake like a leaf and have to focus with all my might in order to open a DrPepper or even hold the DrPepper for that matter. I can get so bad that I can't walk, I can barely talk, I become depressed and perhaps the scariest thing of all is there is NO way I could drive. NO way! But the good news is that after five minutes of having a snack, I am FINE. Just ask Kerry, my family and Marijon. They'll tell you how truly unbelievable it is. With help from a nutritionist though, I have been able to keep it under much better control the last 6 years. Life is soooooo much easier now since every day is not controlled by low sugar levels. So what I am trying to say is that low blood sugar is a big part of ME, and shaking is just an every day thing around our house which is why when Rhett shakes I think nothing of it; especially since he is fine after he eats. But when I mentioned this to the doc on Monday, he grew concerned and immediately did a blood sugar test. Rhett's level came back EXTREMELY low - frightfully low - 34 to be exact!!! (It should've been around 100.) His blood sugar was so low that he could've seized! This certainly explained the tremors he was having at the moment. We were immediately sent to Cook Children's (why we did not go by ambulance remains a mystery) where they did two things: Replenished his liquids and electrolytes and began running tests to determine the exact cause for the tremors and low blood sugar. Sure, the low sugar number could have been related to the illness, but that did not explain the long history of tremors, the need for immediate food, and the relief the food brought. Cooks wanted to do a fasting glucose test on Rhett once he was well, but I talked them into letting us do it once we got back home since it would require an even longer hospital stay and poor Rhett had been poked and prodded so many times already. The doc agreed under one condition: An endocrinology nurse came up to Rhett's room to teach me how to test his blood sugars at home like diabetics do so I can keep a close eye on his levels between now and when we get back to Sugar Land. The main goal is to prevent levels below 70 (I'm learning more and more how scary that 34 reading was!!) I know how to poke his skin with the "poker", how to reload the "poker", how to test the strips to see if they are reading correctly, where to poke and how to poke and when to poke (it is a VERY thin needle, so you can barely feel it - I know - I had to do it to myself!), and what to do if Rhett gets a reading below 70. Basically I have to test Rhett's sugar levels every morning since that's when the tremors and need for food are the most extreme, and I am supposed to test any other time he shakes or shows an immediate need for food.
I took his levels this morning for the first time out of the hospital. He got a reading of 80. That's a bit too close to 70 to me, and I would really like for his levels to be around 100 - but since it was above 70, I will try to relax. He was not shaking much, and by the time I did test him, he had had a few bites of a cinnamon roll. I am assuming that could affect the test, but I'm not sure. Oddly enough, and as horrible as it sounds, I'm hoping he'll wake up tomorrow morning with significant tremors and I can test him BEFORE anything touches his lips so I can get a more accurate reading. I have all of the supplies laid out and ready to go.
Long term plan: If the fasting glucose test that we will have done in Houston (has to be one overnight in the hospital) shows that his blood sugars are fine after all, we will then go to Plan B to determine the cause behind the tremors.
But the fun doesn't stop there. Rhett has spread his stomach virus to EVERYONE at Mimi and Pops' house. This includes Mimi, Pops, Aunt Jessica, Uncle Garrett and myself. The only person not yet affected is Grant - and that's just a matter of time. We're sitting here in a house of germs, waiting out stomach cramps and other symptoms you'd rather not know about while breathing in the scent of Lysol and sipping Gatorade. Good times.
I am sad because poor baby Rhett was so ill and was not only given an IV, but he was also poked every four hours his ENTIRE stay in the hospital to test his sugar levels. I am sad because he had to endure so much, and he was sooooo very tired. I am sad that Garrett and Jessica had big Spring Break plans and we totally ruined them. I am sad that I had big adventures planned for Grant, Rhett and myself including a trip to the zoo, the museum, fishing, and more. Obviously none of those have happened. I'm sad because my dad rearranged is patients so he could spend more time with the boys, but instead HE got sick! I'm sad that I made St. Patrick's Day shirts for the boys and myself, and we didn't get to wear them since we spent St. P's Day in the hospital. I am sad that before she got ill, Jessica had to take care of Grant for me while I was at the hospital with Rhett. Undoubtedly that was a FAR cry from her original plans. (I am so lucky to have Jessica though. Grant loves her, and the hospital experience would've been much more dramatic had it not been for her.) I'm sad that my mom needed to clone herself in order to not only take care of us at the hospital, but she had to take care of those at home getting ill, the house, errands, laundry, and herself. Hopefully she could add another clone to the mix and that one could have some fun during her long deserved break. And for that matter, I'm sad because instead of getting to refresh our mind, body and spirits during Spring Break, we endured a stomach virus and a hospital stay, and there's NOTHING refreshing about either of those. I am sad that I wore the SAME horridly gross clothes for the 36 hours we were in the hospital. These clothes were spotted and stained with Rhett vomit, Rhett diarrhea, Rhett blood, Rhett pee, and last but not least, he spilled Gatorade in my shoes for cryin' out loud!! (Pretty sure I deserve the Mother of the Year award.) I could not wait to get home and disinfect! And if you know germ freak me (I'm the gal that carries Bleach with me to hotels. I'm the gal that cleans the toilet and shower every day.), you can only imagine how hard being in that hospital was for me. I lathered and scrubbed, and lathered and scrubbed some more. I still don't feel clean. I am sad, maybe "afraid" is a better word, that Grant has not been on the receiving end of the virus and his time is coming...
I'm really ticked (can't think of a more appropriate word as it truly is quite fitting) that this is my SECOND Spring Break that I've spent in Cook Children's Hospital. When Rhett was released, I half jokingly said to the nurse, "See you same time same place next year!"
But since then I've decided that we are NOT going to Granbury for Spring Break 2010. Maybe, just maybe, that will break the Kilgore Spring Break Curse. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure we'd be allowed to come back here next year. They might change the locks so we can't get in and bring yet another FAB Spring Break to those we love.
I hope everyone else out there is getting their relaxation buckets filled during the break. I hope everyone is enjoying family time, fun adventures, this PERFECT weather, I hope you are partying like it's 1999, and last but not least, I hope you are all pigging out and NOT throwing it back up.
PS. Garrett just back from the ER here in Granbury. He was doing some water sport (wake boarding maybe...) and the board flew up and hit him right above the eye. He had to get stitches. Not sure on the number, but at this point, does it really matter???? Bless his heart: He finally started to feel better, and now he's got stitches. I think we are ALL ready for this Spring Break to end. I sure am - I am D.O.N.E. with it! As far as I'm concerned, Spring Break can be completely wiped off the calendar from now on for all I care!
Monday, March 9, 2009
The new floors have arrived!
Do you realize what this means????? It means I can have people over and not be embarrassed by my carpet anymore. This is HUGE!
Quick view of the living room: (ignore Naked Rhett)
It took the boys a millisecond to realize how much fun they could have playing cars on the hard flooring:
And just for fun: A quick anatomy review with Grant and Rhett.
Monday, March 2, 2009
What is little, afraid of nothing, and soggy all over?
Grant didn't let Rhett's little swim spoil the day's plans though.
He went right back to fishing while Rhett and me snuggled. (Notice the wet/dry line on my jeans - I had to go in the water to fish Rhett out. Too bad I didn't bring a towel for myself!)
Rhett decided to have a good time despite his almost nakedness.
He brought me things...
And he climbed on the rocks.
The day's outcome:
The fish did not make an appearance, but the turtles did.
And I had some pretty good luck if I do say so myself. I didn't catch a fish,
