Evan update

Evan, as many of you know, is my high maintenance medical child. While he possesses many gifts...one of them is defiantly NOT a tolerance to environmental allergens!

Today, we had a check up with his allergist, a great guy named Dr. Brown. He takes the time to explain to Evan what allergies are, how they effect him and his asthma, and what he has to so because of it. In a nut shell, while explaining this to Evan, I saw the actual "list" and "severity" of allergens he was tested for. Yikes...

As it was explained to me, anything with a score of 2+ will give you allergy symptoms. Enjoy his list...I think you'll understand my surprise!

Cat = 4+
Dog= 4+
Horse=4+
Feathers Mix=4+
Althernaria (mold)=2+
Fusarium(fungus)=4+
Aspergillus Mix (mold)=4+
Helminthosporum=4+
Elm Tree=4+
Maple/Box Elder=4+
Oak Tree=4+
June Grass=4+
Timothy Grass=4+
Ragweed=2+
Kochia (Burning Bush)=3+
Mites=3+
Cockroach (eeewwww)=3+
Histamine=3+
Soy=3+
Wheat=3+


We will begin a new medication to replace his nebulizing twice a day (I'll let you know Chelle!)and - wonder of wonders...his Zyrtec is going to OTC later this month. While no price has been seen by me, we are hoping that it will be more affordable than his current $45/month tab (that IS the co-pay!).

Brandon - this one's for you!

OK Brandon, your Mom said that you really liked the pictures from the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) Chicago, so I'm posting more just for you! I'll try to have an explanation of each picture for you - the best that I can remember. If you click on the picture, it should make it bigger for you to see more detail. Enjoy!

Part of a control panel in a Mercury space capsule. Isn't it amazing how little our first astronauts were left in space with? I would have been more than a little scared!

One of the Mercury capsules. Look at how small it was compared to the boy walking along side it! They fit 3 grown men inside for hours while they orbited the earth!


Some history for you of Apollo 8, the Apollo spacecraft on display at MSI. A most interesting point for me - Jim Lovell was on this mission. Jim Lovell was also on the ill fated Apollo 13. What pioneering warriors these men were.

The Apollo 8 spacecraft. Amazing...

The following pictures were taken of MSI's model train exhibit. It shows Chicago and all of it's rail lines (the Metra and "L" trains are also exhibited in this), and the freight and Amtrack lines from Chicago to Seattle. The detail in this exhibit is awesome, and I posted my favorite of the pictures!

There are trains that run through the model, and the houses and businesses have flickering lights! I loved this 50's style diner!

The farmland actually has "fields" laid out. Again, the detail is awesome!!

Melyssa running through the molecule room. You have to try and hit 4 or 5 (I don't remember) "molecules" running through it once.

Allyson sitting in a jet turbine engine in the Take Flight exhibit. There is a Boeing 737 jet that was donated to the museum INSIDE the museum. They removed one wing, and some other portions to HANG it from the balcony. There are many activities inside the airplane - but I'm a little hesitant to actually get "on" the craft. Pretty cool all in all...

A replica of the Wright Brothers first flight...

Check out all the museum has to offer at www.msichicago.org! You would love it there!

New Year & New Puppy

On Thursday, we finally brought home our new puppy Zaoli (pronounced: zow LEE)! We were SO excited to add to the doggie family, as Gooti really needed a friend after Ares passed away. What better dog for Gooti than her sister?!? Good stuff, good stuff...

Zaoli MoMo spend her first day home with about half an hour of "on her feet" time (we were also doing "the sleep over extravaganza" that night, so three extra girls in the house!). Apparently, everyone in the house felt that she shouldn't walk!! On Friday, we discovered that not only can she walk, but she will probably be the alpha dog of the two, because this little boggie (bug-doggie) packs a punch! Gooti still isn't sure how to play with her - so it's a lot of Zaoli running after Gooti growling and yipping and Gooti backing up with a "What the hell?" look in her eyes! Talk about funny! We've been in stitches!

Gooti had hidden all of her "Greenie" bones (I thought she was eating them!!) - and has been digging them out to give to Zaoli. I woke up on Friday morning with four of them in my bed. Gooti is being a nurturing big sister in her own way.

Enjoy the pictures and captions. Allyson snapped all of these off. Aren't the girls cute?

Aww...Gooti looks after her little sister Zaoli.

Gooti sharing her favorite beef flavored rawhide bone with Zaoli.

"Uh oh...I think we dropped the bone...who's going to get it?"







WHO CAN RESIST THIS FACE?!?!?

awwww...little Zaoli MoMo...

Happy New Year!

2008. Holy Cow! I know that it is said that the years go by faster as you grow older - but I think I need to slow it down a little bit! Am I prepared for all that 2008 will bring? I'd like to think so...but then there is reality...

2007 was a crazy year. We had a lot of emotional transitions this year. Evan went to school all day, Allyson settled into middle-middle school, Manny saw just how fast high school was flying by. Melyssa discovered the joys and trials of the saxophone and Jillyan has had to adjust through a growth spurt that has left her a little clumsy. Elly has come into her personality fully. We said goodbye to our protector Ares, welcomed Gooti into the fold of beloved family members - and set goals as a family to attain within the coming 12 months.

This past year was a year for renewing friendships, gaining new friendships, making stronger connections within family and spending more family time together. I feel so blessed to have each and every one of my friends and family in my life. I am not who I am without you, can not be what I want to be without you - and I thank you all...

Sorry no artsy New Years photos...just a couple more from MSI. The top pic is the U-505 taken by Noel (he's the better photographer between the two of us!), the bottom picture is dedicated to Michelle - I took this with her in mind. It's a genetically engineered froggie that has green eyes. Sorry it's blurry Chelle, but I can't make little froggies hold still for a photo shoot and I couldn't use the flash :O)

Happy New Year every one!!

OK...I've HAD IT!!!

After much tweaking, researching and whatnot - I've decided to be ROYALLY peeved at Nero right now. Customer satisfaction my ass!!

There is some sort of glitch when you want to edit (cut) a video down from 20 minutes to 2 minutes. The good part is - it keeps the audio. The bad part is - you totally lose the video. This would be SO much better if you could actually SEE her reaction...but thanks to Nero and its dicked up software, you can't. ((If you are from Nero and reading this...it's not the amount of memory I have, it's not the file from the camcorder, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM!!!)) If the actual video plays, let me know...but I don't think that it will.

Well...now that I have let that go...(HA!)

Here's the AUDIO ONLY from Elly when she opens her Pinky Pie Pony. It's a little hard to hear - listen for the munchkin voice in the back :O) If you listen REALLY closely, you might even hear her clapping.

This makes all the searching worth while, and was the reaction that every parent looks for on Christmas!! Enjoy!

Gooti and the Pepper

OK...so we discovered just how submissive our little doggie really is!!

She was playing with a jalapeno that had fallen on the floor from fajita night (a family favorite), and I filmed part of it. Kooky, I know...but she was just TOO funny being all submissive to a hot pepper that I had to post it. Enjoy the video of my "10 inch tall and dynamite" little Gooti rolling for a pepper!! Allison - this ones for you!!

Oh...and little Zaoli MoMo is coming home on Thursday - WHOO HOO!!!!

Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago

Museum of Science and Industry

All the kids on the anchor of the U-505.

We took the kids to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on Friday. It's about an hour drive - that we made in almost blizzard conditions. Hey...we're dedicated!!

Apparently, a real brain freaks Jillyan out, leaves Evan enthralled!

Allyson and Elly resting in a tractor tire.

The kids climbing the "Corporate Ladder".

The kids always have a blast there, and I highly recommend it for anyone visiting the city for a while. Their exhibits are thoughtfully arranged and educational for everyone. This time, we got to visit "Demo Alley". This is a large hall filled with stations conducting experiments that is "hands on" for the kids. We had the ability to make slime, watch and participate in experiments with magnetism and see a team dissect a frog. All very cool for the kids. Evan surprised us all with his thoughtful questions, and the answers to questions that we had NO CLUE would even be in his realm of thinking. OK...so this is a daily occurrence, but it is still shocking to see him in action!

Jillyan mixing a solution in Demo Alley.


Evan intent on his task at hand.

The Star Wars exhibit was booked, and so was all of the other special tours that you can see while you are there (that's what we get for going over a holiday!), but we were still able to check out the new Farming exhibit and some other things that we were unable to see last time. The U-505 area is always a favorite for the whole family - we are a WWII history kind of family, I guess! Another favorite was the Petroleum exhibit, and all of the hands on stuff that is there. The kids went through a mirror maze, tried to hit as many "molecules" as they could running through a room of rolling heavy bags, and checked out the "bubble show", a room that shows kids how petroleum density is measured. What a great time!

Evan in a submarine porthole.


The bubble show.

The little ones walked the whole time, so by the time we left in search of dinner - it was quiet in the van! We stopped at an Olive Garden closer to home to feed the masses. Since this was our first trip to an Olive Garden, it was quite an experience. The service was great and the kids loved the food...it really rounded out Malabanan Family day!

Elly on her favorite exhibit - the train car!

Elly checkin' things out that are made of petroleum.