Cleaning fools!

We are going on vacation to Indiana starting at the end of next week, so this week and next are packed with all the big and little preparations needed to leave home behind for a couple weeks. We are having a friend house sit/dog sit for us, because our dogs are 15, 14 and 7 years old we don't feel comfortable leaving them at a kennel, especially our two geriatric doxie girls. Since we will have someone staying at our house, we've been cleaning like crazy. I always joke with people that, while I have a strong OCD/clean freak gene, I'm also fairly lazy. So, my house isn't sparkling clean all the time, but at least I feel bad about it. :) Really, it's fairly clean but we're doing DEEP cleaning before our house sitter arrives- we took down all the vertical blinds and cleaned them all, scrubbed the shower tiles, that sort of thing. Heck, tomorrow I'm even giving my wirehaired dachshund a bath before I take her to the groomer (for a bath and hair cut)- wouldn't want the groomer to think I'm a bad dog parent! Today we also got new tires on our camper that we will haul behind our SUV, we're slowly getting everything done. I have a class tomorrow on running a TV production class at school, sort of a reminder of how to use all the equipment. It should be interesting, but it starts at 8:30 and I haven't gotten up before 9 in a couple weeks- I enjoy my summer vacation to it's fullest extent! Joey got the rest of his braces on today, he'd only had the top row on before. He was not a happy camper, for sure. But, he did get camoflague colored rubber bands on his braces so he did like that! He is really excited about vacation, he can't wait to see his grandparents and great grandparents and aunts and uncles (and greats) and (probably most of all) his cousins. It won't be long until we're there!

Father and son sunset pic

I recently posted this picture to my Facebook account, but I wanted to post it here as well for those of you who aren't part of the Facebook cult. This was taken 06/15 (last Monday) at Fort DeSoto beach in St Petersburg. We went camping there earlier in the week, and had a really great time. We climbed up about a million steps to the top of the historic fort (built circa the Spanish-American War) to see the sunset from there, then came back down to the beach to finish watching the beautiful view. I snapped this picture quickly, because I know that Joey won't tolerate holding either of our hands for long so my window of opportunity was narrow. (On special days, like my birthday or Mother's Day he actually makes a special effort to hold my hand- I love that!) I was really pleased with how the picture came out, I hope that you all like it too.

Doing the happy dance over the cardiology appointment

Joey's cardiology visit went beautifully, his regular doctor did an EKG, an echocardiogram and three people listened to his heart and then the cardiologist said "see ya next year!" which is his shorthand that nothing has changed- always good news. We asked for more details, and he said that there is "minimal" stenosis (narrowing) below Joey's aortic valve, but that it isn't a membrane blockage like he's had removed before- what's there now is just scar tissue from his first two surgeries. He said that the leakage in his aortic valve is "trivial" and it's nothing to worry about. He also said that since we are three years out from the 2nd surgery with no recurrence of the membrane blocking his aortic valve "maybe the 2nd time is the charm"- meaning that he should be in the clear for quite some time. All in all, it was a very reassuring doctor's visit. John took the whole day off work for the cardiology appointment, because in the past they've sent us back to the children's hospital for more tests, etc and it's been an all day thing more than once. This time though, we were home by 10:15 AM! Now we're just getting ready for the "parents night" at Vacation Bible School tonight- I can't wait, Hooters donated 400 wings and I haven't had those things for a good 20 years. I consumed a mountain of them my senior year of high school but I haven't had any since! I am gung ho to have a dozen or so tonight! Yummm....

summer vacation is in full swing!

As you may gather from the title of this blog entry, this is the first full week of summer vacation for me. (The flip flop pictured are not mine, but I do think they are fabulous! My flip flops of choice are purple and blue Crocs Cleo flip flops- so comfortable, I wear them everywhere in the summer!) John has to work in the summer, but Joey and I are enjoying time off work/school to the fullest. All week, we've been sleeping in until a disrespectable time (9:30, 10:30 something like that)then having a mellow day until John gets home. Yesterday we went to "Plato's Closet" (a consignment shop for teenagers) and got Joey some new jeans (with skulls on them, of course) for dirt cheap then had a leisurely lunch at Chick-fil-A. We have Vacation Bible School all this week, Joey is in the "youth" class and John and I are doing the snacks.
We went today and bought a new couch, as our circa 2000 couch has completely given up- springs are sprung and cushions are sagging to the extent that we have to rescue the dogs as they fall into the abyss that used to be their favorite couch spot. The new couch will be arriving on Saturday. On the way home from the furniture store, the new principal of my school called my cell to say that he's "shifting resources" (that's code for messing with people's jobs) and he's put me in charge of the school morning news show, complete with a class of students to be responsible for 60 minutes daily and somehow coax a profanity free live 10 minute news show out of each day. It should be interesting, I haven't actually had a class of my own since...um..1990! I just signed up for the TV production class that the school board offers in two weeks to remind myself how to use all the equipment. Oy!
Tomorrow is Joey's yearly cardiology checkup, he'll have an echo, EKG and an office visit with his regular cardiologist. As always, we're hoping to hear "nothing has changed, see you in a year"- feel free to send good mojo our way if you're reading this before 9AM on Friday.
Joey got his report card a few days ago, he did manage to get all A grades for this grading period. He also got his standardized testing results, he did great on those as well. The only disturbing yet somehow amusing score- on "Biblical Knowledge" he scored a 666. Yes, he scored the number of the devil on his Bible standardized testing. I found that worrisome at first, but we've decided it's just a statistical anomoly.
We're heading off on a short camping trip early next week, just a few days at Fort Desoto to try everything out in the new camper. That's all the news from here for now, I'll no doubt post another blog tomorrow after Joey's cardiology appointment. Here's hoping that all of you are enjoying a mellow summer as well!