For me by far is this song:
Runner up (thanks to SYTYCD):
The catchiest:
It's your turn, what are your favorite songs of '08? And aren't you glad this year is finally over? Me too.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Each one comes with a storybook and a "field guide" explaining ways your child can take care of Mother Earth.
Watch their video below for their steps and suggestions for a greener world.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ever wonder what happens to all the plastic milk jugs you throw in your recycle bin? A company in California (Made in the USA!) transforms them into Greentoys!
The USA Weekend supplement in the Sunday paper had a small section in their gift guide write up; that's where I found out about these companies. If you would like to know more about them and where to find their products please visit the links to their websites.
This is kind of a weird aerial view of Cub, and it doesn't really reflect the close proximity to our house, but it's the only picture I have.
- 44 skylights that illuminate 75 percent of regularly occupied spaces using a solar powered GPS system that tracks and redirects sunlight as needed.
- The first commercial parking lot in Minnesota illuminated using only LED lights that need to be replaced every 40 years and provide 50 percent energy savings. (35 percent savings in lighting costs compared to typical Cub stores.)
- Half of the waste from buildings torn down on the construction site
has been reused in the construction of the new building or recycled.
- A maintenance-free floor that eliminates the need for chemicals during the cleaning process. (love the floor!)
- A landscape irrigation system that uses 50 percent less water than typical systems.
- 75 percent of the building construction waste did not end up in landfills. Instead, it was recycled and turned into other useful materials.
Would half way into the woods the pessimistic point of view and half way out of the woods be the optimistic? Then I'm definitely somewhere right square in the middle.
We were suppose to enjoy a free (Yes free) pancake breakfast on Saturday morning as part of the Grand Meander but instead I was in line at the Urgent Care because I could swear up and down that I was not getting any better, instead I was feeling worse.
The doctor basically told me I was already on the correct medication and sympathized with me and my symptoms by prescribing some cough syrup with codeine to help me sleep and some nasal spray. I asked her if it would be okay to take my husband's left over pain medication too and she was very to quick to say "yes." This got me rather excited. To where she asked if I wanted her to write out my own prescription. I thought about and then said "No." She then warned that I might have a Heath Ledger effect going on if I combine too many medications. Ha.
I popped the pain pill in my mouth about half hour before we left for the Meander. We only had a hour remaining on all the free soup samples and pictures with Santa. Better to escape the pain for awhile then let the day go to waste. Jon would ask me occasionally if the pill was working and I would gauge its strength on whether or not I could still feel my face. Well it must have worked because getting back to my old self and the pain was like two fold. I felt horrible and so thankful I didn't agree to have my own prescription because I would have never let myself feel normal again.
After a bath and heading to bed early I looked forward to taking the cough syrup. Hum. Up an hour later. Up another hour later. Still up. Four hours from first dose, take another. It's not really working. Whine to husband that I'm not feeling well and kind of sick to my stomach could he get me some fizzy orange soda? Anything for you my darling poor sick little wife. Ok he didn't say it exactly like that. The soda was flat but it still hit the spot. I think I needed it in order to have something in my stomach in which to throw up. Because that is exactly what I did all morning. Barf. With a world's largest throbbing ear ache pain ever. I thought my head was going to explode.
Sunday morning we were suppose to be at a Church service viewing a Celebration of Life Ceremony but instead I was in line at Urgent Care AGAIN. This time with a list of all my brand new symptoms. Because I had just been there the day before they put me through triage (I love saying that for some reason) and I didn't have to wait that long in line (there were a lot of sick people and kids in that waiting room). The nurse said to stop taking the cough syrup (duh!) and that yes I did indeed have an ear infection! (The size of Texas? Because that's what it feels like.) Basically I'm back to finishing all the medication I was originally prescribed.
I pulled out the ol' trusty NyQuil from under the counter and took that last night and slept an entire night's sleep with no interruptions. No peeing, no coughing, no nose blowing, no sniffling, no aching, no fever, the best sleep I could ever get with a cold medication. It was blissful.
Before I leave my friends would like to say "Hi" to everyone:
Holy hell can we have a holiday when one of us is not sick? Jon is excluded from this- somehow he has managed to steer clear of any cold catching. Joe and I however, have been sick, on and off, since (before) the last week of October. Halloween was prefaced with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (which I swear he passed to me) followed by a nasty cough/cold plus ear infection treated with a fourth round of antibiotics (for Joseph).
The weekend before Thanksgiving I had a killer sore throat, went to the doctor on that Monday because I was sure I had strep. Yay! Not strep! No I don't need any antibiotics! By Tuesday feeling better! In a good, rather celebratory mood. Wednesday still feeling well. Pick Joseph up from daycare Wednesday afternoon- he's got a fever! Thursday (Thanksgiving) Joseph's fever returns plus cough. Mom forgets to pack baby Tylenol. Dad runs to Walgreens (Open! On Thanksgiving!) saves the day. It was that or go home. We were not quite ready to leave yet- the games were just about to begin. Baby's fine.
Spend Friday coughing blowing nose (me and Joe) and enjoy a lovely little visit to the Como zoo. Saturday morning we get a spontaneous/last minute invite to lunch at the Mall of America. Feed Joseph his breakfast. Poor little thing coughs so badly he spits (barfs rather) up most of his meal. Contemplate skipping lunch and taking baby to doctor. Nah, he'll be fine Jon says. I argue that I didn't want an exorcist baby spewing baby food at the restaurant. He was fine. Hardly any coughing from what I could tell above the noise of the Rainforest Cafe. Sunday Joe and I are still coughing and endlessly nose blowing. Baby has a rough night, am certain I need to take him to doctor Monday. He's wheezing, please don't let this pneumonia!
At late day doctor's appointment mom is wiped out can hardly breath herself, sitting with sick infant on her lap barely alert enough to comprehend what doctor is saying. Wheezing not pneumonia, good! Wheezing bad. Doesn't mean Joseph has asthma. Ok? But let's hook him up to a nebulizer and see if he's breathing any better. Huh? After ten minutes of trying to determine his oxygen levels through many hundreds and thousands attempts to attach meter it finally works. Joseph's remained remarkably calm through all of this poking and prodding not to mention he's been in only his diaper this entire time. Poor little guy. The nurse returns with a nebulizer machine, albuterol medication and an infant mask. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes she forewarns. What? I'm holding Joseph as calmly and steady on lap as I can (if I'm not stressed out- he won't be stressed out), balancing him and the mask to his face. Its no surprise to me that he grows upset. Nurse enters to find Joesph crying- apparently I was holding it too high on his face and it was irritating his eyes. "Here you can give him this," she says and sticks his pacifier in his mouth. That worked. Five minutes later he's done with treatment doctor returns to hear his breathing. It's much better she proclaims. I get to take home expensive nebulizer machine that hopefully insurance will cover I-don't-see-why-not-it's-Been-Prescribed! If insurance doesn't cover it, which-has-not-happened-before it will cost you about $350.00. What!? Still in fog from whole experience, not really contemplating what is going on, I make angry call to Jon something about having to find the time to sit with Joseph four times a day at 10-15 minutes a time and how I might just take a hit off this machine myself.
Oh yeah. And I have a raging sinus infection. Got the antibiotics I probably should have accepted when prescribed a week and a half ago. Oh and did I mention that I haven't been able to smell anything for the past five days? This means no smell of food (plus taste), no smell of yummy baby hair, nothing! But this does mean no smell what-so-ever of poopy diapers! Does Joseph need changning? I don't know!
But anyway, gee, can't wait for Christmas!
