Holy Sh** I'm so behind on this whole BLOG thing!!!!

First and foremost, SORRY!  I have been so far behind on these blogs and have made you all miss out on so many great stories this month.  I'm going to try to do a quick recap if my memory will assist. 

Valentine's Day Weekend:  My very 1st Ski Trip to Breckenridge!  Started out by meeting Sara at the airport in STL.  She was feeling a little under the weather and I was exhausted from work. All of our flights were late, but when we finally landed in Denver, Lindsey was there ready to haul us off for an excellent sushi dinner.  We then headed in for the night to get ready for a long drive up the mountain the next day.

Saturday we woke up, grabbed a coffee and started off on our drive.  I was excited and terrified all at the same time.  The nerves were building rapidly.  There was some crazy snowfall that day, so what should have been a 1.5 hour drive took 3 hours.  We used GPS to get to the resort but it took us a little bit out of the way.  Attempting to get up a hill, Lindsey put the car off the road in a huge snowbank.  I really wish i had pics to do the rest of the story justice but at the time that wasn't the first thought on my mind.  Sara and I got out and with some muscle and a little spunk pushed the car out.  Did I mention the snow was up to our knees?  Quite a site. 

After getting checked in and getting our skiis, we headed up the gondola to the mountain.  Ted and Jenny met us at the top.  After a significant amount of time attempting to get the boots on, I was ready for my first run.  Kiddy slopes here I come!  I spent a few runs there with Sara, Jenny, and Lindsey teaching me the ropes.  The I was ready for my first green.  The lift was very intimidating put with Lindsey by my side, I made it.  Until it was time to get off that is.  The top of the lift was my first fall.  Too bad I hadn't practiced how to get up.  Poor ski instructor had to lift my sorry a** off the ground. I was too busy being mad to even notice if he was hot or not. 

Down the mountain we go.  After many spills and mastering the art of getting back on my feet, I  could finally see the finish line.  I was turning like a pro, well maybe semi-pro, the girls were cheering me on, when wham I turned right and there he was, my nemice dressed in black.  No time to turn now, I freaked out, and did quite an acrobatic fall.  My left knee was dunso.  After Sara got the skii's off of me,I headed down the mountain to wait it out.

That night, my knee was swollen twice the size of the other and I couldn't put weight on it, but dangit, I was ready to got out.  Nothing a few vodka tonic's couldn't cure.  However, after a little  convincing from the rest of the clan, we decided to call it a night.  One bottle of wine and Olympics skiing were the existence of my evening.

The next day while the other girls' went up the slopes, I did a little shopping.  Attempting some shopping is more like it.  I had to go back and ice the knee after about an hour.  That night we did hit the town.  Lindsey, Sara, and I had an excellent Valentine's day dinner at a small Irish Pub.  Fried food, open face roast beef sandwich and chicken fingers were on the menu.  After self-medicating with a few margaritas we called it an evening and headed back to the lodge for a good nights sleep.  Well, I slept well anyway.  Sara had a horrible sinus headache, but she hung in there and made it through the night.

All in all, the weekend was a success.  I had an excellent time despite my injury.

After returning to work for one day, I had to make an appointment with orthopedic surgeon.  I have a grade 3 MCL tear.  The good news is that I don't have to have surgery at this time, unless I tear it completely.  Right now, it is hanging on by a string.  The bad news is, I am currently enjoying almost two hours a day, three times a week of physical therapy for the next 4 to 5 months.  Since I am no longer able to exercise, I have had to go on a major diet.  I'll fill you in on those details in the next blog.  I've just started my first week of the Belly Fat Cure! :)

I will never ski again, but I have researched other trouble to get into in Breckenridge.  Snowmobilling, snow shoesing, and my favorite racing cars on frozen ponds.  Sounds like just my cup of tea!!!

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and that's all I've got to hear about the past week on my communte. Even Howard Stern is talking about Valentine's Day.  So sad, he's usually my go to guy when all else fails. The gas stations are full of tacky gifts, oversized cards, and jumbo candy bars.  I can't escape the madness!

I'm not a huge Valentine's Day celebrator.  Jewell and I usually just cook a nice dinner at home and he knows there are a certain few things never to buy me.  See below...

1) Teddy Bears - I'm not 8.  Buy me a massage instead.

2) Chocolate - It goes straight to my hips.  Please don't tempt me.  Shoes will work much better.  High heels make my legs look longer.

3) FLOWERS - they don't last, but I've got a better idea.  Take me on a trip to Hawaii.  There I can see all the fresh flowers my heart desires.

This year for Valentine's Day, I am leaving the significant other behind and headed to the mountains with one of my greatest friends, Sara, for my 1st attempt at snow skiing.  Terrifying!

This all started when Ryan and Jewell both decided they were leaving us for the weekend.  Sara's husband, Ryan, will be pursuing his second love, fishing. Jewell will be in St. Louis for Mardi Gras enjoying two of his favorite loves (use your imagination), and Sara and I will be in Breckenridge where we will celebrate many thing we love....

1) Friendship - sorry, had to get the cheesiness out of the way.

2) Hot chocolate (with his best friend)...peppermint schnapps

3) Relaxing by the fireplace - great for warming my cold little toes - speaking of toes...a pedicure may be celebrated also.

4) Hot tubs and champagne - I'm sure my muscles will need this after the 100's of falls I'm going to take

and last but not least...

5) Ski Bunny Fashion -  chances are I will spend most of the ride down the mountain on my butt and not my skis, but gosh darnet....I'll look good doing it.  So far, the best part of this week has been shopping for my ski outfit!

So, if any of you are thinking of getting me a gift to show your love...please see above list of do and don'ts

Cash and PayPal also accepted

Pics to be posted soon.

Kirsten

Sweats or No Sweats, that is the Question!

This post is a little late considering I've been thinking about it since last Thursday, but between my first week back at work with 10 hour days, having a few drinks Friday night with friends, and making yummy homemade lasagna Sat. for Jewell's birthday, I just haven't found the time.  Oh well, it gave me more time to stew over the subject!

So, I'm driving home Thursday night listening to a little "Cocktails with Patrick" when his co-host broached the subject of when it is and is not appropriate to wear sweatpants.  Her answer went something like this..."Sweatpants should only be worn on two occassions...to the gym and to a major surgical procedure."  She said they should never be worn to the doctor, to brunch, to the movies, grocery shopping, or even to walk the dog.  Patrick joined in by saying that GREY sweatpants should never be worn, not even in your own house with no witnesses.

Seriously, who are these people?  Do they realize what they are missing out on?

Now this is not a daily occasion, but nothing is better than going to the movies in your most comfy sweats, ordering a huge popcorn, and settling in for a good flick.  I also love wearing my sweats to brunch at Boone Tavern.  The looser the pants the more trips you can make to the buffet. Correct?  BTW, my "grey" sweatpants are my favorite, and yes, they have been worn to the Dr., grocery store, and to walk my two silly dogs.

It gets even better! 

Miss sassy pants co-host goes on to say that only Nurses and Doctors who work in a Hospital should be allowed to wear "those hospital pants."

Now, until this comment, I thought she was possibably a little shallow, but this put me over the edge.  All I could think of the whole way home was all my cute scrub outfits and how uncomfortable my job would be without them.  No, I am not a Dr. or a nurse for that matter, but I am a proud Occupational Therapist.  I spend my days helping people learn how to move, get dressed, use the bathroom, etc....anything they might need to do on a daily basis to be independent and care for themselves again..  I'm lifting, on the floor, covered in fluids that I don't always want to know what they are, and trust me, this would not be comfortable in my jeans, slacks, high heels, etc........

So, Ms. "Cozy in my NYC studio, wearing my Skinny jeans and Stillettos", I sit here in my car on a 90 minute drive home in my cute purple scrub pants with matching flowered top, from a long day of attempting to make a difference, however small it may be.  And I say to you, even though you have provided my dull drive some entertainment, "You can take me Nike and shove it!" " I love my sweats, my scrub pants, and my comfy shoes that carry me through my day" Yes, it is sometime tedious, but most days I feel rewarded, I laught until it hurts, and everyday I learn lessons from my patients that remind me just why I'm such a lucky girl.

Lesson to you my new friend who is confined to your oh so small box of a world:  Open your eyes, experience new things, venture outside of your comfort zone, and most importantly, Never Judge a Book by it's cover!  That person walking by you today in their "hospital pants" may just be the one teaching you to walk, talk, wipe your own ass one day!

I'm exhausted!

Kirsten

Do cats have belly buttons?

Well, I wasn't planning on starting this blog until tomorrow, my first day back at work after a month off, but yesterday on my 3 hour drive back to Columbia from my parents house in Nixa Missouri, I was inspired.  WARNING: You are about to witness just how my brain works when left alone in a car for 3 hours.  Leave now if you are scared. 

For those of you who don't know, I LOVE talk radio. Here was my most recent escapade.  I was listening to Cosma Radio when the host of a morning show called his mother to check in on his cat named Steve.  Steve, the cat, had recently had a surgery to remove his penis to make his pee hole bigger.  Yes, I said "removed his penis".  Steve is now Stephanie!  They went back and forth discussing Steve's progress, his new walk, and the fact that he "wont' speak to me" said the host mother/cat nurse.  She then went on to say that Steve (the cat) had been shaved from anus to the top of his belly. This is where it gets weird.

I sat in the car, by myself, driving monotanous road and came to an epiphany.  When a cat is shaved from his anus to the top of his belly can you see his belly button? Even more important, do cat's have belly buttons?  So after a little research, here is the conclusion I came to.

They sure do! Just like you cats, dogs, horses, and giraffes are all placental mammals. Placental mammals develop inside their mother.
Nutrients, oxygen, and wastes are exchanged between the developing embryo and the mother through a placenta. An umbilical cord connects the embryo to the placenta. The navel or belly button is where the umbilical cord was attatched to the young placental mammal. So even though you may not notice it unless you look very carefully, dogs and cats do, indeed, have belly buttons. CATS ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The above info is thanks to
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Do_cats_have_belly_buttons

So, all you cat, dog, and giraffe lovers go out there and check your pets

For all you trivia players out there, beware, this may be a question you see in the future.  Just remember to give thanks for the answer to yours truly! Muah!

Kirsten