And the birthday just continues

The thing about birthdays in this family is that we celebrate all week long.  We have an immediate family, and neighbors, on the very day of the birth.  We have a celebration with the rest of the family a day later.  Iif there is time and money then we throw in another birthday celebration party with friends.  Oh, and there is also the birthday celebration held at school.

Here is Darcy's birthday week:

Elliot helped me wrap the gifts

 The birthday pile

 Aunt Susan and family's gift to Darcy...

which she hated

 Darcy opening Madison's gift...

which happen to go with Aunt Susan's gift

 Darcy's slumber party

where they went on a Kelly E. treasure hunt

and she got lots of cool gifts

and played lots of odd made-up games.

Darcy's last party with family at Macaroni Grill Restuarant

 where she got more gifts

and had fun with her cousins.

Paying attention to detail

Cake Lady: "What can I get you?"
Me:  "I want to order an 8" inch cake."
Cake Lady:  "What kind?"
Darcy:  "I would like a marble cake with white icing."
Cake Lady:  "How would you like that decorated?"
Darcy:  "With pink and green flowers, fluorescent colors if possible.  I want "Happy Birthday Darcy" in blue icing on the cake.  I want ribbons around the sides in a color of your choice.  And if you could do some type of theme having to do with a slumber party such as a sleeping bag or pillows or something like that it would be great.  But I don't care what you come up with because I want to be surprised."

 We think they did an amazing job!

Thanks IR Publix!

Hoping these friendships keep evolving

 

High school here she comes

Madison's 8th grade graduation went well.  She has attended this school since she was three and it was so nice to see her graduate with some of the same kids she played with since she was tiny.  The ceremony is put on by the 6th and 7th grade students.  There was singing and then each graduate was celebrated with a speech from several of the middle school students.  

Madison was celebrated first.  One student read a poem.  Her friend Sarina read a speech about how smart and kind Madison is, and how much Madison has helped her through the years.  Darcy spoke last.  She read a speech she wrote.  It had her own brand of humor and warmth.  Madison got very teary.

Each of the seven graduates were honored this way, and when the middle school was finished, the graduates themselves got up and gave a speech they had written.

They went in alphabetical order so again Madison went first.  Her speech was well written, to the point, and full of memories of her time spent at the school.  She thanked her teachers and her family.  She was poised and self assured.  Her voice never wavered, and she made us very proud.

The head of the school passed out diplomas and gave his own speech.  The lead teacher gave a speech and advice to the graduates.  Then the graduates passed out scrapbooks to the parents that they have worked on all year.

And then it was over.  Twelve years at the same school ended just like that.  And my little girl was no longer a little girl, but a high school student.  Sigh...

Almost a teen

Today my little baby girl turned 12.  She has been very excited about her birthday, but unfortunately, with her older sister's graduation her birthday hasn't been top priority in everyone's minds.  Even twelve years ago she wasn't suppose to have her birthday this soon.

She came early, two weeks to be exact.  She came into the world quick and easy and sweet and cuddly.  She was very different from her older sister.  She liked to sleep.  She liked to suck on her fingers.  She liked to talk.  And she loved to swim.

Today she awoke early and opened a gift with her father.  Then she waited patiently while Madison and I caught up on much needed beauty sleep.

The two of us went to her favorite donut place and got her favorite donuts, glazed with vanilla icing and sprinkles.  We joyfully opened the rest of her birthday gifts and then gave up the rest of the day to her sister who was preparing for her graduation party later that night.

Which is why she is so special.  And cuddly...

Happy Birthday Darcy!

Time....goes by so fast

It seems just like yesterday...

 She was getting her Kindergarten diploma

And yesterday she walked again; a little taller

to receive her 8th grade diploma

Three times? Huh uh, not this shopper.

Before I went to Costa Rica I had some eye prescriptions filled at my local Target pharmacy.  Since my bionic eye surgery I have experienced dry eye and use Restasis, along with another medication, when traveling by air which tends to dry out my eyes.  My doctor's office called the medications into Target, and when I picked them up I knew there would be two prescriptions.  The girl at the counter pulled two bags out of the "B" pile and rang them up.  I knew the bag with the Restasis would be bulky as it comes in two large plastic tin-like containers and so I recognized that bag as she set it down.  I assumed the other bag was the second medication, the name of which the girl and I discussed as she rang up my purchases.  I knew what the purchases would be having gotten the two of them together before, and I was perplexed when the total was $10 over what it should be, but there was a line behind me and so I paid and left with the prescriptions.  My bad.

I was heading to pick up the girls from school and got stopped at a light.  Still perplexed over the extra $10 I looked at my receipt and noticed three charges.  My first thought was that the counter girl had hit an extra key, but immediately following that was the thought that she had rung me up with the hand held bar code gun and that this meant there were three purchases.  I pulled out the prescription paper insert and discovered that the medication was nothing that I took.  Upon further investigation I discovered that the name on the paper  wasn't mine.  The first name started with a "C" and the last name started with a "B", but the name was not mine.  I had been given someone else's medication.

First I was pissed.  I was on a time crunch here and needed to finish errands and homework and packing for my trip.  I did not have time to be running back and forth to Target.  I looked in the Restasis bag and found it and my second medication so technically I was good, but I had been charged for $10 worth of medication that was useless to me.  It wasn't even a narcotic that might have been useful on my trip.  No, it was some type of monthly maintenance drug that didn't do me any good.  So after I picked up the girls I headed back to Target.

Now I have a personal pharmacist besides the one at Target, and I have heard her tell stories about her time as a pharmacist in a shopping area.  I knew that this medication that had been dispensed to me incorrectly would, legally, have to be thrown out.  I knew that HIPPA laws had been broken as the paper insert gave me the patient's name, address, phone number, date of birth, doctor's name, and type of medication that she was taking.  As far as I was concerned, Target owed me big time for returning this medication and alerting them to the error.  I expected profound apologizing and maybe an incident report filled out.  I must admit I also envisioned a gift card as a thank-you, but deep down I knew that wasn't probably in the cards, but it should have been!

Instead the man behind the counter handed the bag to the pharmacist, who nonchalantly refunded the $10 back to my credit card without any type of apology.  When I whined about how I had to turn around and travel back to Target after being at home, she smiled and said, "Sorry about that.  Here's your receipt."  Are you kidding me?  Sorry about that?  I actually stood there with my mouth open after she returned to her perch behind the tall-can't-see-what-goes-on-behind-here counter.  Sorry about that?  You just handed me the wrong medication.  What if I had popped that into my mouth?  Sorry about that?  Oh, hell, no you Target pharmacist did not just say that to me.

But she had.  And I left because I couldn't think what in the world to do about it all.  I bitched all the way home about the incident, but within two days I was in Costa Rica and the whole thing flew right out of my head.  Then I returned home.  And on my machine was an automated message from the Target Pharmacy alerting me that my auto prescription was ready to be picked up at the pharmacy.  This auto prescription is one of my BP medications, a combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene.  The pill is a capsule that is white with black stripes.  I made a note to pick it up as I had about a week left of the medication currently.

Kelly then called me a few nights later and told me she was at Target and did I need anything.  I said no, but then, remembering the prescription I asked her to pick it up for me.  I told her the cost would be $10 and no more than $25.  She picked it up, brought it to my house, and informed me the cost was all of $3,  something  she thought wouldn't send her to the poor house.  Alarm bells immediately went off in my head, and I pulled out the prescription.  It was for HCTZ alright, but it was missing the TRIAM portion.  The pills were about the size of a fairy turd, were light pink, and there were only 30 pills instead of the 90 I usually received.  What the hell?

I called the pharmacy the next day and spoke to a counter girl, or maybe it was a pharmacist, she didn't say, and it wasn't a name I recognized.  I explained that I had received a medication that was not what I had been taking for the past five years, and that it did not have the same Rx number as the medication I received every three months from them.  She cheerfully explained that no they certainly were not the pills I normally took, that those pills were on back order and hadn't come in, and so the pharmacist had called and spoken with my doctor and these were the new pills that she recommended.  I was flabbergasted.  Did anyone think that maybe I might have wanted to be included in this decision about my health?  Wasn't it my right to have been informed of the situation?  Shouldn't I have made the decision to call my doctor to discuss the problem instead of the pharmacist?  All of these thoughts ran through my head, and once again, there was no apology from Target's end.

I hung up the phone and called my doctor's office.  I spoke with her medical assistant, who was horrified to learn that I had not been consulted by the pharmacy before the call to the doctor had been placed.  Yes, Target had called the doctor regarding the "nationwide back order" on this medication, and yes, my doctor had reviewed my chart and written out a new prescription.  But the office was under the impression that I had been informed and had asked the pharmacy to look into things on my behalf.  What a responsible patient I was in double checking instead of just popping the medication.

But what if I hadn't been?  What if the medication really belonged to someone else?  While I understand that mistakes happen I like to think that companies and employees are aghast at these mistakes and will attempt to right the wrongs.  My personal pharmacist friend, upon hearing the story, agreed the supervisor should be made aware of the two situations so that she can educate her staff and put into a place a more efficient way of handling things to avoid these mistakes.  In the meantime, I wonder...do I continue to allow this pharmacy to fill my prescriptions?  I think not.  Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.  Fool me a third time and possible kill me?  Not going to happen Target Pharmacy.

Why I'm not a gourmet chef

Me: "What should I make for dinner? Give me some ideas." 
Connie: "Why don't you make that chicken dish that my lady made last night? You liked that didn't you. It was easy to make."
Me: "Yeah I liked that but I don't want to have to buy little chickens and do all that work."
Connie: (long silence)  "Those were chicken thighs. You didn't know what you were eating?"
Me: "Not really but I knew it was good."
Connie: (This would have been a good time for eye rolling, but my mother never liked eye rolling)  "I believe she first browned the thighs in butter in a skillet. Do you have butter?"
Me: "I do."
Connie: "She browned the thighs and then used that...oh, the stuff that comes in a box...the..."
Me: "Broth."
Connie: "Yes broth."
Me: "Beef broth?"
Connie: "Cara, you are cooking chicken!"
Me: "OH Yeah...guess that would be chicken broth, huh?"

3 things I don't miss about Costa Rica

1. Carrying a backpack everywhere - I loved the days of carrying a diaper bag and having everything I needed.  Food?  Check.  Change of clothes?  Check.  I hated the day I gave it up because inevitably I always needed something while I was out that had once been at my fingertips. But those days have been long gone for years, and I've gotten out of the habit of lugging around a ten ton pack of crap.  In Costa Rica I carried a black Jansport backpack with four zippered pockets.  I had my Steelers rain jacket and a sweater in one pocket.  A book, magazines, cards, tour brochures, wipes, and my purse in the second pocket.  Candy, pens, eye drops, glasses, change, a first aid kit, bug spray, and sunscreen in the third pocket.  Kleenex, chewing gum, bubble gum, lip balm, and medication took up the last pocket.  In the side pockets I carried bottled water.  It was all quite heavy and made my back hurt.  Then I had to unpack and pack it depending on the activity.  It was more a part of me then any of my purses have ever been.  I was not sorry to retire it to the closet where it sits waiting for me to haul it to the gym.
2. Rice & beans - We had it for every meal.  Order beef and there will be rice and beans.  Order breakfast and there will be rice and beans.  Lunch was always rice and beans with either chicken or pork or seafood mixed in it.  I love rice.  I always said I could eat rice for every meal.  I was wrong.  By the third day just the thought of rice and beans had my stomach churning...in more ways than one.
3. Throwing used toilet paper in the trashcan instead of the toilet - Why this wasn't something mentioned in our initial meetings on this trip is a mystery to me.  It wasn't until someone suggested I take a roll of toilet paper with me that I began questioning the toilet issues.  I was one of the few who knew upon arrival that we were not allowed to throw the used toilet paper into the commodes in Costa Rica.  Yes, folks, that is right.  Poop in the toilets in Costa Rica, wipey, wipey, and that soiled tissue doesn't go down the drain into the bowels of Hades.  It goes into the trashcan placed strategically next to the toilet.  While I didn't so mind this at places I was visiting, it was a tad harder to swallow in our hotel room.  And with all the clogged toilet issues this family had prior to our vacation I wasn't taken any chances and winging it.  I followed instructions and thanked my lucky stars for the package of Charmin wipes I hauled in my backpack.  I kept thinking it would be better to have a diaper genie instead of a trashcan, but I have to say I didn't really notice any odor.  It was just the whole thought of it all.  That and the poor maids that had to clean the trashcans.  Nope, I'm quite happy to be home.

Day 7 - Costa Rica

The bus ride to Samara Beach was long, winding, and tiring. We stopped for lunch at another touristy roadside restaurant that specialized in Monteverde's famous ice cream. Dairy farming is huge in Monteverde, and we had enjoyed some of the delicious cheeses the night before, but the kids were looking forward to the ice cream so Alonzo made sure they had some. We ate, sipped shakes and licked cones, and glanced at the very Floridian tourist trinkets before getting back on the bus for more travel.

When we finally reached our hotel destination we were all cranky and tired. Dusk was settling in and the proprietor wasn't really prepared for our arrival. Apparently the hotel had been closed for awhile and had opened just for our group, but cleaning had been minimal, bugs had settled in most of the rooms, and air conditioning in most rooms was missing or not functioning. We left it all and went into town to drown our despair in sangria full of fresh fruit and spanish food. Later we showered with several ants, wiped a couple off our beds and slept in a hot and sticky room. Waking up early we all sleepily headed outside toward the pool and outdoor eating area. Only then did we realize we were in paradise.

 The hotel sat directly on the Pacific beach. Tables and tiki huts had views of the water and the palm trees and the iguanas that strolled freely on the sand. All around the hotel were mango trees ripe with fruit that we could pull off and eat and flowering plants and bushes in full colorful bloom.

The proprietor had called in local help and the rooms were opened, cleaned, fumigated, and most of us were upgraded into larger rooms with views of the ocean and with working air conditioning. Our new room had a balcony overlooking the pool and ocean and where we could keep an eye on patrons at the bar.

The kids and several parents boarded the bus after breakfast to head into town to visit with children at community center. Those of us who stayed behind sat beachside and enjoyed the cool breeze and a fruity drink provided by the hotel. As we sat seaside locals would come by with coolers full of homemade food that they were selling. We bought jamaican chicken Pockets and seafood ceviche. Alonzo provided us with a sangria recipe and the men went into town to se the ingredients. Town was just a walk down the beach and a turn to the right. When they returned the bartender whipped up the sangria, chopped the fruit, and left the pitchers behind the bar for us to help ourselves.

By the time the bus and group returned we were relaxed and happy. Everyone changed into bathing suits and headed down the beach to a place on the beach that taught surfing.

The kids were given surf shirts, long boards, instructions on surfing...

...and promises that everyone would get up on their boards to ride a wave.

 And they did!

Hines Ward DWTS Champ!

I read our local review of the finale of DWTS from our TV critic this morning and had to laugh when he talked about how Kirstie Alley was the most popular and well known of all the celebrities. While that might be true in the world of television he should have researched his other finalists a bit more. I've said it many times, and I'll say it again, " Steeler Nation is huge, loyal, and bleeds black and gold!" Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver MVP, did his dance part and Steeler Nation rewarded him and helped him win the mirror ball trophy. Love it! Fun season for us Steeler fans.

More thoughts on my guilty pleasure show:

1. My biggest complaint of all these reality shows finales is that not enough time is spent on the winners. I want to see more and hear more of the winners after they are crowned. Last night I wasn't even sure we would get to see the winner they cut it so close. Could we announce the winner earlier and then party?
2. What makes this show is the entertainment they provide along with the dancing. I love the peek into the dance studio as celebrities rehearse, and I enjoy the back stories so that we learn more about each one. I love Kenny Maine and Jerry Rice's DanceCenter, and last night's piece with Radio personality Mike Catherwood was hilarious.
3. As with Survivor, many of the celebrities on DWTS come out of the experience with more understanding and a new found confidence in themselves. It was nice to see Kendra Wilkinson, Ralph Macchio, and Kirstie Alley find that this season. It makes us realize that despite their celebrity status they are human just like us with the same fears.
4. Mark Ballas, along with Derek Hough, who didn't participate this season, are the kings of choreographing for DWTS. I'm sure they are under contract, but someone should seriously snap them up. Both take the competition seriously and even attack the judges if they don't like the criticism. Watch for Mark to come out blazing next time since he came in third.
5. That being said, I have to give kudos to dance expert, Kym Johnson, who flies under the radio and lives quietly in the shadows of her peers, Cheryl Burke and Julianne Hough. She has won two mirror ball trophies now and can count herself one of the choreography queens.
6. How hot is Maxsim Chmerkovskiy? Holy Crap, but I could watch him shake that hot tush of his all night long. He is due for a mirror ball trophy now since his pairings with Mel B and Erin Andrews and Kirstie Alley. He took all three of those women and made them real dancers, losing out only to winners with a slightly stronger fan base or talent. I'd like to see him paired with some natural talent next time so he too doesn't have to work so hard.
7. One of the items on my bucket list is to learn to play the drums, but after seeing the middle aged Go Go's performing live last night I'm rethinking that.
8. Tom Bergeron is the ultimate host able to ad-lib and hold a live show together and on time, but Brooke Burke as the eye candy is starting to get on my nerves. I didn't care for his previous hostess, Samantha Harris, when she questioned dancers backstage, but she was ten times a better interviewer than Burke. My favorite moments this season were when Kirstie Alley would make faces and smart ass answers to the dumb questions Harris asked. I much preferred Harris as a celebrity dancer then a hostess. Although her jealousy of Derek Hough's other partners is entertaining.
9. Injuries are always a part of DWTS, but none more serious then Kym Johnson's neck injury a week ago. For her to come out and do what she did was incredible, probably stupid, and heroic. I would have liked to have known more about her injury and treatment, but respect her right to privacy.  What was even better was how Hines Ward stepped up his performance and partnered her on her return dance. He was a professional at that moment protecting her in lifts and bends, and his crying afterwards really hit home the stress and severity of the injury.
10. Love the judges. They all mesh well. Enjoy Bruno and his wild sayings. Think Len brings class and integrity. While Carrie Ann annoys me at times, she does know her dancing and she can admit when she is wrong.
11.   Loved seeing all of Hines' guests this season. His present teammates, his coach, and the Steelers owner's wife?  Franco Harris, the Bus, and Lynn Swann?  Tells you what kind of a person Hines Ward is on and off the field.

Connie foot photo #18 & #19

Connie is back on the dermagraft healing track. She received one treatment while I was in Costa Rica with a bandage change two days later. (#18 photo - Friday)

Yesterday she received her second dermagraft, with the dermagraft guy hovering in the hallway with his big black cooler bag. Connie's room was readied and her foot cleaned as the first recipient got his treatment. Minutes later in came Nurse Kelly with the important remains of the dermagraft which the Foot God applied to Connie's wound with tweezers. She returns Friday for a bandage change and then receives another treatment after the holiday.

 The Foot God did trim around a bit after I took the #19 photo on Monday, but we are keeping our fingers crossed as it is filling in nicely and the dermagraft seems to be speeding things along.

Costa Rica Food

 Chicken w/beans and rice

 Avocado ceviche 

 Shrimp with mashed potatoes

 Another shrimp dish

 Italian food Costa Rican style

 Sangria that cost $26 a pitcher, but was worth every dime

Delicious fruit drink that Alonzo bought us ladies