Hannah Montana

Most of you know by now that with Piper - you never know what she's going to say. She's 4 years old going on 16. Oh, and complete girly girl. Geez ... we are in for it.

Well, last night she made the official transition to "tweenager". We were in Michaels and she saw a Hannah Montana poster. Piper said, "Mom, I want to get a Hannah Montana movie. I need to know what this is all about."

The fact that she "needs" to know what "this" is all about screams foul to me. I've never seen a single episode of the show, but I've caught my fair share of commercials. The thing that scares me is that I know she'll love it. This, my child that has 4 plastic microphones and cried at the Italian Festival when we wouldn't let her get on the stage and sing. And, I would bet money that if you looked in her purse right now (yes, she carries a purse), you would find (1) lip gloss, (2) a microphone, and (3) a toy dog of some sort - because you know all glam celebrities carry dogs in their purses.

Maybe we'll start with "young" Hannah Montana ... prior to the Hannah Montana that now dates 21 year-old boys.

Better yet, I wonder if I could persuade her to start with Mary Kate and Ashley. Remember how cute they were. There's a thought ... let's try that.

If you want to get rid of any old DVDs - send them my way!!!!

NOT HAPPY w/ HEALTHCARE

I'm a little miffed right now. This has not been the greatest week in Click Healthcare History.

Here's the 30 second summary:

Monday - Avery throws up in Target. Yes, I said, in Target ... not in Target's bathroom. The most puke I've ever seen come from a child, btw.

Tuesday - I leave for a 3 day work trip. Don stays home with Avery (who also has diarrhea) - Piper goes to school. Pediatrician won't see Avery. Says it's a stomach bug, so no need to come in. I didn't know the doctor could "not" see us. I was "not" happy. (PS - I miss our Franklin pediatrician SO much!!!)

Wednesday - 6:45 AM Don calls to tell me that now he's throwing up and has diarrhea. He and Avery are dueling banjos at this point. Both drag Piper to school. Thank goodness we live close.

Thursday - I pull into town and go straight home to bleach the entire house (Don/Avery still sick) BEFORE I get Piper from daycare. As I'm pulling into our street, daycare calls - Piper's throwing up and has diarrhea.

Friday - Send Avery back to school. Don's still sick, Piper's still sick. I stay home to get everyone uncontaminated. Around 3:00 PM, Piper quits throwing up/diarrhea and starts running a fever. WHAT??? Where did this come from? With that, she starts this deep cough (think 70 year old man that has smoked for 67 years.)

Saturday - Doctor finally agrees to see Piper. She prescribes a breathing treatment for which we have to rent a machine. Can't find a place to rent a machine.

Sunday - Finally figure out that Kroger rents machines. Start Piper on treatments.

Today - Everyone is back to work and school. Hallelujah.

Tomorrow - Don gets the epidural with steroids in his back to help alleviate the pain he's had (since January 8) from the herniated nerves.

UNTIL .....

Don gets a call from the surgery center. He happens to ask what the co-pay will be. (Our policy says that if it is an out-patient PROCEDURE, then the co-pay is $50. If it is an out-patient SURGERY, the co-pay is $500. Big difference.) It's $500. I'm not kidding.

This is especially not cool since we already KNOW that we've reached our $1,000 deductible getting MRIs, X-rays, etc, getting prepped for this PROCEDURE. I'm waiting for the bills to start rolling in on that.

Here's the catch: Don's deal tomorrow is a PROCEDURE, but because he's having it done in a SURGERY CENTER - we're expected to pay the SURGERY co-pay. Seriously.

Needless, to say, he immediately called the doctor to see if we could schedule this PROCEDURE at a different place, but they are out to lunch. Of course.

Pray for this to be sorted out. That Don can get the treatment and that we don't have to rob a bank to pay for it.

Oh, and Aetna ... you can suck my foot. We're not friends anymore.

Bible Verse Video

As promised ... here are the kids singing Luke 6:31 (last week's Bible verse!)



If it doesn't load, go HERE

Next week is Ephesians 4:2 - "Be patient bearing with one another in love." Sung to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It ..."

The Bachelor

I'll admit it ... I'm completely addicted to The Bachelor.

Jason is hott ... There I said that too!

I'm really happy with the three girls that are left. Melissa is my favorite, followed by Jillian and then Molly. However, for the first time in history - I like all of them. (I LOVED Stephanie, but just wait ... I'm betting on her to be the next "Bachelorette".)

I get way too emotional over these things. It's almost like I have a stake in the outcome. But, I think Jason is sweet, so he deserves the most happiness of any Bachelor in the history of Bachelor-hood :) By the way, was anyone else surprised to find out he wasn't a Christian? I was shocked!!!!

I'm assuming that there are two episodes left until the finale. I can't wait - I'll be a nervous wreck! I absolutely hate suspense.

Weekly Bible Verse

If you'll remember, one of my resolutions for this year was to do a weekly Bible verse with the kids. I was a little slow getting started, but we're on it now!

This week is Luke 6:31 - "Do unto others as you would have them do to you."

Now, sing it to the tune of "This Old Man" ...

Do un-to
O-thers
As you would have them do to you
L-uke six
Thir-ty one
L-uke si-x
Thir-ty one

It's preciously cute to hear the kids sing it! It's been a great way to talk about the entire concept of how we treat our friends. We started this on Wednesday, so next Wednesday we'll graduate to a new verse, and I'll upload a video (fingers crossed) of the kids singing this one for you!

Our Little Pageant House

This my friends in Miss Indiana, Katie Stam ... I've seen her crowned Miss America seven, yes seven, times!!! Piper is STILL obsessed with watching the pageant. If she wasn't so blasted cute while she was watching it, I would have erased it by now. She knows what events come in what order and has her favorite contestants. AND ... she's still not over the fact that Miss Texas didn't make the Top 12. What a rip-off!

I was thinking that maybe we could enter Piper in a little local pageant. Just for fun, you know. Well, all was on course for that until TLC's show "Toddlers and Tiaras" came on last night. Don was blown away. I loved the little girl that was all glitzed up (probably because I understand and appreciate mascara) and Piper would love that, but the little girl was completely over-coached. It definitely took away from her on stage. She was so cute and lively backstage - then turned like a robot (Don's words) once it came to her turn.

So, for now - Piper can continue on with her nightly evening gown competitions in nightgowns with baby blankets clothes-pinned on to make a train and plastic high-heels from Target, and her tap-dancing talent in her "Snow White shoes" that make a clicking noise on the tile. We have 13 years until she's eligible for the Miss Texas pageant, and if we start saving today - we might be able to afford to buy her a pageant swimsuit by then!!!

Don's Neck Trauma

Don's had some horrible neck problems lately. It started on January 8, and as of today, he has still not gotten any relief. He's been to a Family Practitioner, who then sent him to a Neurological/Orthopedic Surgeon. 4 co-pays, a set of x-rays, and an MRI later (not to mention the LOAD of drugs he's been prescribed) - he's still in pain.

Yesterday, we got word that he will need to have four weeks of Physical Therapy and three deep injections of cortizone in his neck (OUCH!!!) Should the PT not work, then the only other option will be surgery. We're praying hard for the therapy to effective and provide some immediate relief. As is usual for us -- the therapists are on vacation this week, so it will be Monday before Don can even be evaluated!!!

Bless his heart ... I hate to see someone I love in pain. He's been pitiful.