Halloween 2010

Happy Halloween from the Tax Department!

the happiest place on earth

While in Orlando last week working at our east coast convention, I was able to visit the happiest place on earth with my co-workers Myrna, Tyler and Austin. On certain nights in October, the Magic Kingdom has a special event - Mickey's Not-so-scary Halloween Party. As you enter the park, everyone (grown-ups included) get a candy bag and throughout the park are candy stations where you can trick-or-treat. And they are not stingy about their candy!

Giddy like schoolgirls. Really, I was surprised how excited I was after I purchased my ticket!!!

Lots of kids and adults were dressed up. I was very impressed and wished that I had a costume on myself.The park patrons from earlier in the day are sent home at 7. Those with a wristband have the whole place from 7 till midnight.

The monorail ride from the ticket booth to actually get into the parkSplash Mountain, we were trying to see if we could hold our composure enough to look bored when we went over that first big drop. It was HARD but we succeeded. There was a little scream in my heart thought - I'll be honest. Waiting in line at Thunder Mountain - my favorite rideExhausted! We rode every ride we wanted to and saw the Halloween Main Street Parade. It was a well spent $63 and I am so glad that we had the chance to go while we were in Florida.

on the mend

Just thought you might like an update. I took Maddy in to the doctors office Wednesday morning since her fever was still up (104!) and they checked for bladder infection and ear infection - both look fine. No throat problems they could see - no real reason for the fever. "We'll just have to wait it out" they told me. I took Maddy to Scott's mom in Payson so I could go into the office for a few hours. She keep alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen to keep the fever down and we found that as long as that fever was gone, she was a little more normal!

That night on the way home from Payson she screamed the whole way home. It was the longest hour of my life! Ok, maybe not, but it was painful for sure.

Thursday she had a lower fever 102 and Stacy said I could bring her over for the day - figuring that the infectious stage (if there was one) would have been before the fever. Well, by noon the fever had broken and Stacy mentioned that she had a good day and wasn't too miserable, just a little more quiet and subdued than normal.

Friday morning - NO FEVER!!!!! Wahoo! Of course - now there was a rash . . .

Saturday morning there wasn't a fever but I was a little nervous about the rash that was spreading and the fact that Maddy wouldn't stop crying. We took her to the doctor again and (of course) by this time she had calmed down. They checked her ears again just to make sure an ear infection hadn't developed. The rash is caused by a virus and isn't anything to be too worried about - in fact, by the time the rash develops, that is the upswing and Maddy should be feeling better.

Happy to say that she is feeling much better. She is more clingy than normal and as long as I'm not trying to accomplish anything - clingy is good. :)

So, I could have just let it run its course and not spent $40 for two visits to the doctor - but, that $40 bought me peace of mind (sort of) twice. At least nothing is terribly wrong with the little one.

mother's intuition

Madelyn is sick! I hate this. She woke up with a fever Monday morning - 102.5 by 6:30 that evening it was 103.8. When I called the pediatrician they suggested I give her Motrin and watch her behavior. He said, "it's more about her behavior than the temperature".

I am trying to not be a hypochondriac but I just don't know whether I should take her to the doctor. I don't' want to be one of those mom's that the doctor sees coming and says "oh, it Mrs. so-and-so again." they he checks her and sends her home and says - "give her Tylenol". But at the same time, after now two days of fever in the 103 range, should I be more worried? The doctor last night said to see if medicine brought the fever down - it does, to watch for really lethargic behavior - she only is sort of lethargic when her medicine has worn off and not "really" lethargic, and to call if she has a hard time waking up - so should I try to wake her up to test that?

This mothering thing is hard. I don't call because I think she's doing okay and because I figure "a mother knows" right? But what if I'm just not practiced enough yet and I don't actually know? What if I make a bad call here and her brain gets damaged from having a fever too long? These are the stupid thoughts that enter my head and then I think - please, I'm not that out of touch that I'd let her go that long - to where she'd get brain damage. I at least keep it down with medicine so she can't get to that point - right?

I think I'm going to give in after Maddy gets up from her nap. If her fever returns to the 103 range when the Motrin wears off at 4:30, we'll hit the doctors office - maybe the KidsCare simply so that I can stop second guessing my "mother's intuition".

crafty

Boy, there is something about this weather that is bringing out the crafty in me! I bought this candlestick and cheese block-thing 2 or 3 months ago. I wanted to do something I saw on a blog. I finally got around to sanding and painting

I think it turned out pretty cute. Of course, now I have to make sure to keep my counter cleared or it won't look nice!

It's Autumn Time!

I love decorating in the fall. It is just so warm and cozy - makes me want to curl up with a book and some hot chocolate.