Today Nathan had his interview with the University of Kansas (KU) Internal Medicine Program for a Hospitalist position. The hospital is in KC, and it's really close to our house. It would be ideal in so many ways.
Nathan had half-hour interviews with 6 staff (members of practice), a tour of the hospital, and was then taken out for lunch. He got home at the same time as me. I had taken Allison to Wonderscope Children's Museum for 3 hours to tire her out.
While Allison and Nathan napped, I started to get ready for our night out. Four doctors from the practice (not the ones he had already interviewed with) took us out for dinner at Cafe Trios, located just off the Plaza.
Our friends April and Ryan offered to watch Allison for a few hours so we could both go to the dinner. I was nervous but everyone was nice, and although there was a lot of "shop talk", the restaurant was lovely, and I enjoyed just being out without Allison.
After a couple of hours (and a glass of wine) everyone loosened up and by hour three we were all laughing, and the conversation finally turned away from medicine so I could contribute something. Nathan thought the interviews went really well and we both thought the dinner went well.
There's no strict timeline on when he'll hear back, which is tough, because it will mean he will have to pass up on other offers from other hospitals waiting for this one. It feels like we're stuck in the same holding pattern as before. It is all so confusing, and we didn't end the day with any new answers, but we met some great people and shared a delicious meal - knowing our baby was safe and happy with friends.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
Sunny Days
So while she played in the car, I worked on her Halloween costume. And when I had done all I could without my sewing machine, I started to doodle on the driveway. Chalk has been a great source of entertainment this summer and in the last picture you can see where Nathan got creative during his holidays.
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Blood Moon
Last night was a total lunar eclipse, known as the Blood Moon, or Super Moon.
After a full day of church, Allison, and our small group, I was looking forward to sitting in the yard and observing the eclipse. I had scouted out where I wanted to place my tripod for the 9:47 eclipse last night, but when I went out at 8:30 to start taking photos, I saw that my positioning was WAY OFF. I don't know why but I never thought about the moon rising. I needed to be in the backyard (right behind our neighbors house) so I texted her that I would be right outside her window and not to be freaked out.
She got my text and came out to see the moon. We ended up chatting for an hour and watching the whole eclipse together. I thought that I wanted to watch alone, but it turned into a really great evening. She is a medical student (who lived a short distance from my parent's house for university) and went to Saba so we were laughing about the insane antics of the island.
After a full day of church, Allison, and our small group, I was looking forward to sitting in the yard and observing the eclipse. I had scouted out where I wanted to place my tripod for the 9:47 eclipse last night, but when I went out at 8:30 to start taking photos, I saw that my positioning was WAY OFF. I don't know why but I never thought about the moon rising. I needed to be in the backyard (right behind our neighbors house) so I texted her that I would be right outside her window and not to be freaked out.
She got my text and came out to see the moon. We ended up chatting for an hour and watching the whole eclipse together. I thought that I wanted to watch alone, but it turned into a really great evening. She is a medical student (who lived a short distance from my parent's house for university) and went to Saba so we were laughing about the insane antics of the island.
We started in the backyard but by the time the eclipse was at its peak we were at the end of the driveway. I had to keep looking for new views so that I could get a sequence shot and while I was looking I ran into a screeching possum. It was terrifying but Charlene had a good laugh at my fear and flailing arms.
My 300mm lens isn't the best option for astronomy photography but I think I got some good shots and I can always try again in 2033.
My 300mm lens isn't the best option for astronomy photography but I think I got some good shots and I can always try again in 2033.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Park Night
Sunday's are always really busy so we counted today as Nathan's last day of vacation. We stayed close to home, cleaned up, did laundry, and got ready to get back to a normal schedule.
Nathan and I both like Indian food, and while we have a local favorite, we decided to try a new place. We picked up our food and headed to a great park nearby.
It was packed with people - including a Hispanic family having a birthday party. Many of the people had death masks painted on their faces so I'm not sure what they were celebrating but I learned something new while watching them with the pinatas. I always thought that the birthday kid just kept swinging until it broke but instead, the sing a short song (about 10 seconds long) and that's how long each kid gets to swing. And after the birthday boy or girl, they go youngest to oldest so even the little kids get a chance. They song gets sung over and over, until the pinata breaks.
Our food was very spicy (we order medium at our regular place, but we should have ordered mild at the new place!) Allison didn't want to eat when she realized that we were sitting so close to a sandbox.
So she played while we ate a leisurely dinner. Allison played until the sun went down and wanted to stay longer but we all needed to get into bed to prepare for a busy week.
Nathan and I both like Indian food, and while we have a local favorite, we decided to try a new place. We picked up our food and headed to a great park nearby.
It was packed with people - including a Hispanic family having a birthday party. Many of the people had death masks painted on their faces so I'm not sure what they were celebrating but I learned something new while watching them with the pinatas. I always thought that the birthday kid just kept swinging until it broke but instead, the sing a short song (about 10 seconds long) and that's how long each kid gets to swing. And after the birthday boy or girl, they go youngest to oldest so even the little kids get a chance. They song gets sung over and over, until the pinata breaks.
So she played while we ate a leisurely dinner. Allison played until the sun went down and wanted to stay longer but we all needed to get into bed to prepare for a busy week.
Friday, September 25, 2015
Treat Break
Having Nathan home for the week has been very helpful. Allison is still in full toddler mode, but at least their are two of us to handle her (good and bad) moods. I'm so grateful that I have someone to watch her for a few minutes while I make meals, or that I can get a break from being the disciplinarian. I know that consistency is key but after the fifth timeout, or the 10th hour with a toddler, I'm ready to scream or give in.
Allison has started asking to have her nails painted. She likes when I paint her toes the same as mine and she likes to carry the bottle around the house. After I put the first coat on, she was had two polishes in her hands, my $1 Walmart brand in one hand, and my favorite $9 OPI color in her other. She started to clang them together and I said, "Allison, if you hit them together again, I will take them away and you will get a time out." She started right at me and SMASH.
I'm sure you can guess which one broke. I know it's replaceable but having things you love slowly ripped away from you is taxing. Last week, she ate my last tube of chapstick and I nearly cried.
Other worth mentioning Allison disasters of the week: We went to a friends house and Allison found a spray bottle of bleach and sprayed it on their painted cabinets, she took my red lipstick into my bed (without a lid), and she used a chair to reach my facewash, hid it in her room, and I found it 4 days later in a big puddle of soapy goo in her closet.
After an extensive cleanup (thankfully nothing was permanently marked) we put a shirt on Allison to cover the large strips of pink on her arms and belly and headed to meet our friends, Kyle and Lisa, at a custard shop.
The guys took over the little ladies so that Lisa and I could eat. Allison was in fine form and while I felt like I should have helped Nathan, it was amazing to eat an entire meal/snack start to finish without interruption.
We all had fun and the fresh air tuckered Allison out enough that she went straight to bed when we got home.
Allison has started asking to have her nails painted. She likes when I paint her toes the same as mine and she likes to carry the bottle around the house. After I put the first coat on, she was had two polishes in her hands, my $1 Walmart brand in one hand, and my favorite $9 OPI color in her other. She started to clang them together and I said, "Allison, if you hit them together again, I will take them away and you will get a time out." She started right at me and SMASH.
I'm sure you can guess which one broke. I know it's replaceable but having things you love slowly ripped away from you is taxing. Last week, she ate my last tube of chapstick and I nearly cried.
Other worth mentioning Allison disasters of the week: We went to a friends house and Allison found a spray bottle of bleach and sprayed it on their painted cabinets, she took my red lipstick into my bed (without a lid), and she used a chair to reach my facewash, hid it in her room, and I found it 4 days later in a big puddle of soapy goo in her closet.
After an extensive cleanup (thankfully nothing was permanently marked) we put a shirt on Allison to cover the large strips of pink on her arms and belly and headed to meet our friends, Kyle and Lisa, at a custard shop.
The guys took over the little ladies so that Lisa and I could eat. Allison was in fine form and while I felt like I should have helped Nathan, it was amazing to eat an entire meal/snack start to finish without interruption.
We all had fun and the fresh air tuckered Allison out enough that she went straight to bed when we got home.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Paint and Play
Our big to-do item is to prime/paint the house. The house we're renting is only 5 rooms but it's a huge job! The house doesn't really need a new coat of paint but dark spots are starting to appear on our ceiling and walls and although it has been thoroughly and professionally tested and it is NOT MOLD, it looks like mold.
I find myself shying away from inviting people over because it is getting worse. I spoke to my friend April, who is an interior designer and has seen this issue before and she recommended a product called Kilz. It's a primer/sealer than is as thick as glue but works really well. It sticks to everything and is an oil based sealer so we've had to cover every surface (that we don't want primed) before applying.
We are starting small and doing the kitchen and bathroom first. It is so much work even though these two rooms are the smallest of the 5. We're sticking with the original color palette of the house (green, blue, yellow) but punching it up. The original colors were all pastel and they showed the stains easily, so we're hoping with a darker tone (and two coats of Kilz), the stains will stay covered longer.
After a long day of painting, a lunch date (Nathan went out with his friend, Danny, for BBQ) and dealing with a child who clearly sleeps too well, we slowed down with sleepy-time tea and some Richard Scary. Nathan got this book from his aunt and it has been an amazing resource for teaching Allison new words. She is naming everything and loves to talk. Today she heard me call for Nathan and now she keeps saying, "Nafan!Nafan!"
This book is one of the only ways to keep Allison still for a few minutes (even if she is half off the couch).
I find myself shying away from inviting people over because it is getting worse. I spoke to my friend April, who is an interior designer and has seen this issue before and she recommended a product called Kilz. It's a primer/sealer than is as thick as glue but works really well. It sticks to everything and is an oil based sealer so we've had to cover every surface (that we don't want primed) before applying.
We are starting small and doing the kitchen and bathroom first. It is so much work even though these two rooms are the smallest of the 5. We're sticking with the original color palette of the house (green, blue, yellow) but punching it up. The original colors were all pastel and they showed the stains easily, so we're hoping with a darker tone (and two coats of Kilz), the stains will stay covered longer.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Staycation
Nathan's time off work is passing by quickly. We decided to work around the house and cross off the long to-do list we've been building over the last 8 months. Nathan gets a week of holidays every 4 months but we spent the last holiday in Toronto. Also, my parents were originally planning to come this month and my Dad is a worker/putterer so I was putting together a list of things for him to keep busy with (anyone who has a Dad who shows love through tasks knows this is not a presumptuous thing to do). But my parents are so busy lately that the trip never happened.
So Nathan and I have had to put on our grown-up pants and do the work ourselves. First, I sanded and painted the front porch railing while Nathan sanded and stained the deck on the guest house. Allison wandered between us. We borrowed sanders from a colleague of Nathan's (known in the hospital as Sheriff Woody) and my partner in the church nursery (Imogen).
You know when you touch up/redo something and you can't believe you didn't do it sooner (see the previous blog post). Well, I can't believe how much better the deck looks. Nathan has been working so hard and it looks great. He still has another coat to go but the change is fantastic.
Another to-do item was to caulk the tub. We weren't able to shower/bath while the formula set. Allison was without her daily bath, and when she realized she could go "swimming" tonight, she ran for the tub. I even gave her bubbles as a special treat.
So Nathan and I have had to put on our grown-up pants and do the work ourselves. First, I sanded and painted the front porch railing while Nathan sanded and stained the deck on the guest house. Allison wandered between us. We borrowed sanders from a colleague of Nathan's (known in the hospital as Sheriff Woody) and my partner in the church nursery (Imogen).
You know when you touch up/redo something and you can't believe you didn't do it sooner (see the previous blog post). Well, I can't believe how much better the deck looks. Nathan has been working so hard and it looks great. He still has another coat to go but the change is fantastic.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Haircut
I've been debating cutting my hair for about 6 months. I love having long hair because I love to curl, style, and braid it. Saying goodbye to inches was more than the way I looked- it was a hobby that I was losing. I follow a few really great braiding feeds (cute girls hairstyles, missy sue hairstyles) and I get so excited when they put up a new post, and I didn't want to lose that.
My hair was getting too long (and fried from bleaching it) and since Nathan was home and could watch Allison, I made an appointment at the local hair school to chop 8 inches off my hair.
I know some people think I'm crazy for going to a hair school and I wouldn't go there if I was getting a pixie cut, but I've always had good experiences. My girl today was Monica, she was 21 and did NOT get my reference to getting a "Rachel Green" haircut. When I told her it was a hairstyle on Friends, she said, "I've never seen that show." I felt really old.
I like the Mistu Sato Hair Academy because I feel comfortable telling the student when I think something is going awry. Like today, I told the girl I wanted hair to my collar bone, she was half way through my cut, coming around to the side of my head (where I could see her cutting) and I noticed that it was about 2 inches too long. I piped up and told her to chop more, and then she started at the beginning again. It took 3 1/2 hours to cut and style my hair. I get it though - they're learning and are tentitive in their cuts - which I prefer to some of the snip happy stylists I've had who think they know better than what I've asked for and bulldoze over me.
And for a whopping $10 - I more than got my moneys worth.
I love my hair and remember why I was so happy the last time I cut it this short (2011). Nathan says it makes me look "like a lady" but I heard "old lady". No matter what age my hair makes me look, I really love the change - and may go even shorter next time!
My hair was getting too long (and fried from bleaching it) and since Nathan was home and could watch Allison, I made an appointment at the local hair school to chop 8 inches off my hair.
I know some people think I'm crazy for going to a hair school and I wouldn't go there if I was getting a pixie cut, but I've always had good experiences. My girl today was Monica, she was 21 and did NOT get my reference to getting a "Rachel Green" haircut. When I told her it was a hairstyle on Friends, she said, "I've never seen that show." I felt really old.
I like the Mistu Sato Hair Academy because I feel comfortable telling the student when I think something is going awry. Like today, I told the girl I wanted hair to my collar bone, she was half way through my cut, coming around to the side of my head (where I could see her cutting) and I noticed that it was about 2 inches too long. I piped up and told her to chop more, and then she started at the beginning again. It took 3 1/2 hours to cut and style my hair. I get it though - they're learning and are tentitive in their cuts - which I prefer to some of the snip happy stylists I've had who think they know better than what I've asked for and bulldoze over me.
And for a whopping $10 - I more than got my moneys worth.
I love my hair and remember why I was so happy the last time I cut it this short (2011). Nathan says it makes me look "like a lady" but I heard "old lady". No matter what age my hair makes me look, I really love the change - and may go even shorter next time!
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Happy Birthday Nathan
Today was Nathan's 31st birthday - and it was also the start of his holidays! Nathan has a whole week off to spend with us!
I asked Nathan what he wanted to do and he said he didn't care as long as he could get BBQ from his favorite joint, Danny Edwards, for lunch.
I found a few places I wanted to explore around the BBQ place (since it's about 25 minutes from our house) and we set out by 8:15am.
Our first stop was at the home of our friends Danny and Katie. They were having a big garage sale and we wanted to stop by. They had people from the church bring stuff so it was a really big sale!
Even though I only went to show support, we ended up finding some things to bring home. I got a Mr. Potato Head, cowboy boots, a brand new winter coat (for next year), two tins full of buttons and....and APPLE PEELER. This is the best find of the entire garage sale season. My friend, Kristin, donated it and I am so glad I got there early to snap it up! I am so pumped to make a pie!
After the sale we headed to Cliff Drive. This is an old part of town that overlooks the rail yard. The houses on the road are insane! They look like old castles. Unfortunately the neighborhood isn't as glamorous as I'm sure it once was, and now most houses are in disrepair or have bars on the windows.
The best house of the street is the Kansas City Museum. The house was built in 1909 (for 1 million dollars) and has 19 rooms (35, 000 square feet). The Museum is free to tour but there was no way we were taking Allison inside. There were plenty of plaques to read around the building so we spent our time walking around the perimeter.
Parallel to the main road is a narrow two lane (paved) road that is closed on the weekends for cyclists, runners, etc. We parked at the entrance and walked the 3 mile loop. There wasn't much to see- we did enjoy the peaks of railway cars and the large waterfall, but it was wonderful to be outside on a cool morning and have few distractions while we chatted. Allison wanted to be carried (unusual for her) and Nathan spent the entire walk with her in his arms (or on his shoulders).
When we emerged from our long walk we were at a garage sale. We looked around and I found a napkin holder that I really liked - the woman told me I had to take the salt and pepper shakers that went with it, and for $2 (and Nathan found a KC mug he liked) it was a great deal.
Just down the street from Cliff Drive was a JFK memorial. I had no idea this was here! It was a big space and there wasn't anyone around - it seemed like it should be busting with brides getting their photos done!
Our last stop of the morning was a place called "Super Flea". It was in an old warehouse and it was a flea market. It was $1/person to get in and it. was. insane.
I honestly don't know where to start. Nathan said it was the kind of place where "things fall off the back of a truck." It was really strange and it felt like we weren't supposed to be there. People were even eyeing us like we didn't belong and I wouldn't feel safe being there by myself. There were many booths and tables selling clothes, groceries, dry goods, cologne, electronics, weapons (some of the most insane knives I've ever seen), and bootlegged movies and music. We weren't allowed to take photos and no wonder - I'm sure there was some illegal stuff going on.
We had a great lunch outdoors at Danny Edwards. Our food was perfect and Allison had space to run around while we ate. After lunch we headed home for naps.
While Allison and Nathan napped, I made a cake for Nathan's birthday. After dinner we went back to Danny and Katie's and met with our friends Kyle and Lisa (and some other friends who were finishing up with the garage sale) and sang Happy Birthday and ate chocolate cake with ice cream.
We had a very busy day, but Nathan said it was one of his best birthday's ever.
I asked Nathan what he wanted to do and he said he didn't care as long as he could get BBQ from his favorite joint, Danny Edwards, for lunch.
I found a few places I wanted to explore around the BBQ place (since it's about 25 minutes from our house) and we set out by 8:15am.
Our first stop was at the home of our friends Danny and Katie. They were having a big garage sale and we wanted to stop by. They had people from the church bring stuff so it was a really big sale!
Just down the street from Cliff Drive was a JFK memorial. I had no idea this was here! It was a big space and there wasn't anyone around - it seemed like it should be busting with brides getting their photos done!
I honestly don't know where to start. Nathan said it was the kind of place where "things fall off the back of a truck." It was really strange and it felt like we weren't supposed to be there. People were even eyeing us like we didn't belong and I wouldn't feel safe being there by myself. There were many booths and tables selling clothes, groceries, dry goods, cologne, electronics, weapons (some of the most insane knives I've ever seen), and bootlegged movies and music. We weren't allowed to take photos and no wonder - I'm sure there was some illegal stuff going on.
We had a great lunch outdoors at Danny Edwards. Our food was perfect and Allison had space to run around while we ate. After lunch we headed home for naps.
While Allison and Nathan napped, I made a cake for Nathan's birthday. After dinner we went back to Danny and Katie's and met with our friends Kyle and Lisa (and some other friends who were finishing up with the garage sale) and sang Happy Birthday and ate chocolate cake with ice cream.
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