Published on Thursday, September 10, 2009 by Katherine To vaccinate or not to vaccinate, that is the question.  Let's see what I can get stirred up in the pot with this one. I work in a hospital which is requiring everyone to not only get a flu shot, but to get a Swine Flu shot as well.  REQUIRING.  No shot, no job. When I first read about this policy I was concerned.  Has the H1N1 shot actually been tested?  W...

Published on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 by Katherine The social experiment is complete.  I would tell you all about it but I am currently laughing too hard.  So hard that I am afraid my head will pop off. You might remember from my previous post that I was soon to meet up with my best friend from high school.  I had not seen her in 15 years.  Would things be the same?  Would things be different?  What if we don...

Published on Friday, September 4, 2009 by Katherine This weekend has great adventures in store.  With STUPID school already in session, weekend beach house trips have pretty much come to a halt.  But tonight, come 9 pm we will be on the road, heading for the amazing OBX!  Woop! Woop! With the past two weeks of stupid school, I've already had two kids down sick.  The second is on the couch as I type - I hope he w...

Published on Monday, August 31, 2009 by Katherine Invisible Illness Awareness Week runs from September 14 - 20.  I recently found a "30 Things You Didn't Know" list that is tied to invisible illnesses.  I filled it out in support of the many people who suffer in silence, and dedicate this post to everyone with gastroparesis and Lyme disease.  I hate the fact that I am actually able to fill this out, due to my own ...

Published on Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by Katherine We live on the East Coast, which saw a significant storm surge from the recent hurricane this Saturday.  While at the grocery checkout on the worst day, the skies opened up and the rain came down. It was so heavy that a row of shoppers lined up under the roof outside, hesitant to race into the water and lightening filled parking lot. There was a mom with her daug...

Published on Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by Katherine The art of patience.  I may not be a master, but I'm pretty darned close.  That is what many say.  You are so PATIENT.  Perhaps I'm too much of a pacifist.  When I see someone in public yelling at a sales clerk or screaming at their kid it is almost painful to me.  I would much rather keep quiet then stir up trouble.  For many, this would be considered a fault....

Published on Sunday, August 16, 2009 by Katherine My heaven is in Corolla.  Do you have a heaven? In the last few weeks, times have become hard.  School is approaching, which inevitably brings work, stress and more work.  School physicals. Medications.  Doctor's prescriptions.  New uniforms.  New high school clothes.   All three kids need two pairs of shoes.  Haircuts for the boys.  A few hundred in scho...

Published on Thursday, August 13, 2009 by Katherine Sixteen years ago to the day it was Friday the 13th. To add to the excitement, there was a meteor shower and a full moon.  How do I remember this?  It was the day my first child was born. Today this son is sixteen years old.  SIXTEEN YEARS OLD.  And what a ride it has been.  From 8 months of screaming and multiple doctor's visits to food allergy and digestive ...

Published on Thursday, July 30, 2009 by Katherine When I was young and childless, I used to look nice.  I was never one of those women who had to have the right outfit and shoes, but at least I was presentable.  It was fun to get a new outfit or two, and I usually had at least three pairs of shoes to choose from. That was then, this is now.  For now I have three children, all attending private Catholic schools....

Published on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 by Katherine While we were in Corolla last weekend, my dog was at home putting her life on the line while single-handedly going head to head with an unnamed animal with teeth.  Sharp teeth.  This remained completely unknown to her caretaker and therefore unknown to me.  Sunday night Dottie met us at the door wiggling and wagging, just as she always does.  I reached around h...

Published on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by Katherine My oldest son is all about sports.  No time for girls.  Just sports.  This makes me a Happy Mama. BUT My 13 year old son - he is a different story.  He is the "middle child."  He is unique.  He is funny.  He is an actor.  And... sigh... he "has a girlfriend." Last year during the final few weeks of school, my son announced he had a girlfriend.  My he...

Published on Friday, July 17, 2009 by Katherine Today I have been contemplating how things change as your children become teenagers. They aren’t better or worse, just different. I’m not talking about the big things – the obvious things. I’m talking about little things that were always the same and are now just different. Case in point. Medication. Remember when antibiotics were always the “pink stuff?â...