The Gang's All Here!

The Gang's All Here!

Friday, July 25, 2014

Summer Daze

It's been a rather slow week here in the Hinman house. I am not complaining about this, since things are about to ramp up very soon. Next week we have several doctors appointments (including a pediatric dentist to deal with Stella and her thumb sucking...I'm sure that appointment will be joyful...), get togethers and so on. The public schools here have their first day of school on August 4. Holy crap, right?!?!? Yes, that seems early to me, even by Georgia standards. Luckily, my guys don't start until August 18, which gives us a few more weeks of summer! I feel like we've (mostly) made good use of this time off, between travelling, playing at the pool and park, and some good old fashioned time running around in the backyard. It's been a little more difficult to play in the yard the past week as it's stormed almost every afternoon.

Stella has been moved up to another level of swimming - we are so proud of her! She has really taken to the water, which is not surprising given that Steve swam competitively in high school and I was a lifeguard for most of my high school summers. And no, I don't particularly enjoy swimming for exercise (<--- such a dirty little word), I do enjoying treading water and soaking up some sun. Anyway, Stella has become quite the little fish and it's fun to watch her take such interest in it. That's also good, because I'm really not sure soccer is going to be her sport...

I'm also happy to tell you that Simon has really done well with the whole potty training event. I refer to potty training as an event because it does, in fact, take over your life. Be jealous of the delightful conversations Steve and I now have regarding the toilet, poop and so on ;). Simon is also really into riding his bike, which, incidentally, is Stella's old pink tricycle. Thankfully he doesn't seem to mind the color.

So, that's our life right now in a nutshell. The calm before the storm that is back to school, schedules and setting the alarm clock. It'll be here before we know it. YIKES!!!

Friday, July 11, 2014

Weather Geek

It's storming here, and given that the power is flickering, I think I'm on borrowed time with this blog update. So, should this little ditty appear unfinished, you know why! Hopefully my house will not be on fire simultaneously, but who really knows.

We spent a wonderful 4th of July in South Carolina with the Hinman side of the family. Hurricane Arthur paid a small visit, but thankfully we were driving to South Carolina the whole time he was letting loose. We made it just in time to take a late afternoon stroll on the beach and watch the fascinating clouds left behind. My children have become quite the little beach rats (yay, no complaints there!) so we spent the majority of the time soaking up some sand (or gallons of it in Simon's case) and surf. I'd like to say sun, but it didn't completely cooperate. Steve also managed to snap one of the boogie boards completely in half in the wild (it was pretty rough) surf. Have you ever seen that happen? I certainly haven't - it was pretty dramatic! Luckily he was fine and we all had a good laugh over it.

We've spent most of this week getting back into our groove. Lots of laundry, picking up and general errand running. I had treatment yesterday, not really much to report there. I do get a little tired of the looks I get sometimes in the chemo lounge. I'm not sure if it's because I'm significantly younger than everyone there or that I look completely healthy or maybe both. Oh, and I have also achieved VIP status with the nurses in the chemo lounge, which is awesome! But, as someone who has spent two and a half years there, it's nice to feel loved ;) and appreciated. Also, my darling children were fighting so loudly over a plastic stethoscope (we love all things medical up in this hizzy) on Wednesday, that I turned on the vacuum so I couldn't hear them. Isn't angry cleaning the best kind? I feel like it's so much more efficient and therapeutic!

Stella just informed me she turned on the lights. I looked up from typing and realized that's it dark outside... at 5pm. So, I'm going to sign off here and check the weather (as if it's not obvious it's going to do something dramatic outside). Pretty sure I'm right in the fact that this storm is escalating in the wrong direction. Batten down the hatches people, I think we're about to get quite the southern summer storm. I hope this mess clears out before the supermoon event tonight. Total weather geek, at your service!!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Pink & Ink

It's been an exciting day for me! Literally two years to the day (minus one), I am finished with surgeries and reconstruction!! This morning I had the "tata's tatted up". (Had to quote a dear friend on that little phrase!).   I may have to do a little touch up in a few months, but that's it! The tattooing itself was easy and very fast. I have a tattoo (for shame, says my mother), so I knew what to expect for the most part. I will say it was quite strange having "the gals" tattooed. I really have no sensation there, but could still feel the vibration from the needle, if that makes any sense? The clinician warned me that they would look terrible for a month or so (always neat to hear those words during a medical procedure) but that eventually (because all I have is time, people...) I should look great. Apparently she looked at my before photos and thinks that her ink will be a close match. That's cool, although I guess I just don't really care all that much? Steve was hoping I'd get something "awesome" for my tattoos, but, well, I do have to look at myself everyday and I'm not sure artwork, cartoons, symbols or otherwise are exactly what I'm going for in that area :).

In other news, I ripped off the proverbial band aid over the weekend and started potty training Simon. Really, is there anything a parent of a toddler dreads/ avoids more? I freely admit that I waited WAY too long with Stella, but I get to play the Cancer Card on that one. Plus, she is possibly the most stubborn child I have ever met, so there's that. Anyway, I am proud to say that Simon has done awesome!! For a temperamental, grumpy and opinionated guy that he can be, he has taken to potty training remarkably well. Fingers crossed it continues! I will share that potty training a boy is an adventure in accuracy. We'll just leave it at that!

I am happy to tell you that I have officially started my training for the Tour de Pink! FINALLY. I am on week two and I *think* things are going well. Who really knows, but I'm dragging my lazy butt onto the bike almost every day. I hope I can keep it up! We're headed to the Hinman Family Compound for the holiday weekend (yay for family and beach time!) and my goal is to get in at least one ride there. It's the perfect place to ride a bike and completely flat!! Happy 4th everyone!