Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone got to sleep in, Amy is still snoozing away at 8AM. Colt has been up and at the computer for a while.
I had just a Phenomenal day yesteday. I had an explosion in my office! Yep, it was in the chemo mixing room just as I was about to go in to get a flush, the ceiling EXPLODED and sparks flew as the ceiling burst out. The entire building lost power. Then the smoke started flowing out of the newly created hole. I quickly got my flush and discontinued my patient's port, grabbed my stuff and skedaddled out of there. We got to see 7, that's right, SEVEN fire trucks arrive and tear out the rest of the ceiling in the mixing room. Then when the all clear came, I got to go back into a stinky, smoky office to clear out all my chemo drugs from the mixing room. No injuries. I started my holiday weekend with a bang!

Mi Padre tiene PMS

I'm in Spanish III. The title means my father has PMS. AND IT'S TRUE!! This evening he got home all happy and "yeah, holiday!". The next thing I know, he's hovering over me, obviously not pleased that I got an 84 on my Mitosis test in biology. Then he's interrogating Mom about why she spent $20 on a gift. Then he's sorta angry that I asked him what he has to do for school. I know this sounds wierd, but I also had a science teacher that had the worst case of "man period". Every time we did a lab, he was happy when we walked in and then "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" when someone tried to mess with the experiment. I hope this Thanksgiving isn't going to be filled with random mood swings and (I know this is asking a lot) no negative comments. Oh, well.
(BTW(by the way) this is AMY.)

Cleanliness

Will it get done? My house is looking like a tornado hit it. Not the exterior, the interior. Is it possible to have a tornado inside? This last week has found us running around in the last week of the second 6 weeks at school, last minute school projects, finalizing grading and planning for the next 6 weeks. A lot of heavy thinking as to whether or not teaching is going to be viable for Vernon. In the meantime, the housework has slipped, or maybe it never was there. But as Thanksgiving approaches, I find my self "nesting" so to speak as I want my house clean, spic and span, less cluttered and essentially with no junk lying around.
I fear we are becoming Vernon's parents, Pack rats extraordinaire. The collections of books, magazines, papers from the children, animal toys, blankets, junk mail, catalogs, storage boxes, shoe boxes and school books(they were free) is filling our house. I can't seem to get rid of enough to make a dent in the cluttered feeling. How do people do it? Just chuck it all in the trash?
I am planning to pull my children into the conspiracy to rid my house of junk. Tomorrow, I will leave a list of things to be be done while I am at work. Maybe it will be futile attempt to control my environment at my husband's expense. I'll report back on their progress with it all next week.

Men and Driving

I have the typical husband who is directionally challenged. We drove out ot Magnolia yesterday with Vernon's Dad to Vernon's brother Bruce's for a holiday dinner. I got the directions online TO the house and just figured we could reverse them to get back home. Vernon's dad has been out to Magnolia but he couldn't remember the way, so he got to our house and rode with us. I had Vernnon drive his CRV because 5 of us fit in better. We got there fine but on the way back home we are going down country (read narrow winding 2 lane) roads with my loving spouse driving like a bat out of hell. It must be the challenge of driving fast down a curving road that thrills a guy. We missed the first turn out of the neighboorhood. So the husband tears around a cul-de-sac and requests that the next time I print reverse directions. I then said can you slow down it is not a race to get out of here. And I get told that there was no sign, did you see a sign? Of course not, I'm sitting in the back seat and you're tearing down these streets so fast I can't see anything but trees. We then hit another cul-de-sac and now he is deteremined that we are lost. We can't be lost, just slow down and lets see if we can find a street. We do find a street and get out fine. My son is looking at me with this look of "Oh My GAWD! He really thinks we are lost?" Lucky for us all, Colt refrained from verbally and audibly expressing these thoughts.
I really should have known better since if I take a back street around our usual stomping grounds it send Vernon into a "Where are you going?" and then"I'll never remember this route". Oh to be directionally challenged is tantamount to being disabled - especially in Houston!
Maybe this is why I drive all the time.

Am I OCD?

I am a planner. I need to know what I'm supposed to do a head of time. I don't do well with spur of the moment in my personal life. At work, I have learned to roll with the punches with drug reactions and acutely ill patients but my personal life I have a firm grip on the "what I'm doing today".
I make my menus out a month in advance and my weekly grocery shopping list for the month. I know what I'm eating each week. I do change up what night I make something but by and large I know what I'm cooking each night. My grocery list just needs updates for the weekly bread, milk, eggs count but all in all I know what I need and how much a head of time. My menus are made with some guiding priciples; 1) vary the meat each night 2) have super quick meals for nights when other things are happening and 3) if I'm not home - make something ahead to cook in the oven or plan pizza, which Amy and Colt can handle.
I don't have to worry about what am I doing for dinner. I don't have to wonder if I have the ingredients at home. And other than looking at the menu in the morning to pull out what meat I need from the freezer, I'm ready to go when I get home at night.
I work that way with the housework, too. I know the weekend is my time for laundry, grovery shopping, and cleaning my house. I tend to let things go during the week when we all are rushing home from work and school, doing homework and taking care of the four-legged children. Of course, if it is critical for something to get done, it does get done.
I'm the same way about my education or continuing education. I know I have to get 20 hours every 2 years for my license and another 150 hours for my certifications. So I try to do at least one correspondance course of 40-50 hours yearly.
I need something done for CCE or ONS, I try to schedule it on my calendar with a due date so I'm not rushing at the last minute.
Am I spontaneous? Yes, within limits. If I have the day dedicated to something like visiting family, then I try to stay clear for things like going to the movies or going shopping or out to eat.
I know I am a sick person, but I know what I'm eating for dinner to night, do you?

My life in the comics

This is an event that we hope will not repeat in our house. But as my husband is a procrasinator of the elite, I do fear this day will come again. By the way, it would be Vernon on the wall, screaming!
I bow to the genius of Zits!
http://www.chron.com/apps/comics/showComick.mpl?date=20081120&name=Zits

This is Amy. I had the weirdest week last week! My best friend, Emily, has been dating this boy, Kyle, ever since Homecoming(three months ago). Don't get me wrong, I love her, but sometimes I swear she's a total drama queen. She was complaining to my friend, Ashley, and I about how Kyle is such a wimp because he hasn't kissed her yet. WHAT?! Since when was that such a major thing?! Yeah, I know she's never kissed another boy besides someone in her family, but JEEZ! I couldn't help but agree with her and nod when she told us this horror. Finally, Ashley decided to have a little conversation with Kyle during Biology. I decided to leave the lovebirds and go to orchestra. When Emily walked in a minute before the bell rang(as usual), she had a lovely grin on her face. I asked her what she was so happy about and she proclaimed that they had made out. THANK YOU FOR THAT IMAGE!!! Not only did that incident occur, but Ashley just broke up with a boy named Dylan. Probably Tuesday she looked down the hall and then wipped around and started rampaging down the hall. Kim, her BFF, and I started chasing after her asking what was wrong. She said she had just seen a girl she knows kiss him on the cheek. OK, I don't know about you, but when you break up with someone, aren't you supposed to be happy if they move on? Apparently not. Kim and I followed Ashley out to the bus while she blabbered on and on about the rudeness of this girl.
I guess I just don't have a grip on this sort of thing. OH, WELL!

Boys and Bathing

What is is about water that repels boys? Colt last took a shower Sunday. We require the boy to bathe at least every other day, with the notice that we reserve the right to increase the frequency to daily when hormones hit or the smell, whichever comes first. So on Monday I throw out the , "You need to bathe tomorrow." "Yeah, Mom, got it." Tuesday morning I wake him gently to remind him, "Are you showering today?" and get "I'll do it after school." I go to bed last night and remember that I didn't see any wet hair. Therefore, no shower has taken place.
Now Colt rationalizes that he swims at school every day so that should count for something. "Yeah", says Vernon, "it counts that you were swimming in a giant urinal, all the more reason to shower!" So this morning, I had to wake him up and tell him , "you are showering this morning!" And then once in the shower he stands there motionless like the water has turned him to stone. My job then is to keep reminding him - "Move", "Rub soap on your body" "Don't forget to wash your hair".
Colt has also picked up habits of his father such as the Art of Standing in Front of the Blow Dryer, and the Flip Your Hair in the Shower to See How Much Water You Can Get Outside the Shower.
I guess I should be thankful that the homones haven't hit yet and that by and large even when he doesn't shower often, he doesn't reek. I know I'll miss these days when his odor hits me like a dump truck someday.

6th graders

Last night, we were talking about how sacred scripture and tradition guides us today and how the Old Testament prepared us for Jesus. One of my brilliant students asked who wrote the Old Testament. And one of my other dazzling students blurted out, "Duh!! Jesus wrote it!"
It begs asking what are they thinking when they just throw comments out like that. When I pointed out that Jesus was not alive when the Old Testament was written, the response was "Oh, I meant the New Testament". We then had to discuss that the Old Testament AND the New Testament were not written by Jesus but by people who were inspired by God to write God's story. AND that a lot of the New Testament was actual letters from Saint Paul. One girl then said, "I just love Saint Paul. He was so cool!" WHAT?! Now I'm starting to wonder what these kids have been eating before they come to class.

Old Traditions Made New

Our new church is gorgeous. Lots of things reminescent of the old churches I grew up in, stained glass windows, gold filigree tabernacle, elaborate stations of the cross. And Colt's "favorite" a return to black cassocks and white chausibles for the altar servers. Remember Mike wearing the one at Saint Mary's? Red for feast days and holidays under the white chausible. Amy loves it. Colt is acting like the world came to an end and he has to clean it all up. Colt asked Amy, "How do you get it on with all the buttons?" She told him "It's like a dress, unbutton the first few buttons and then pull it over your head or step into it." He turned away in total disgust. Then proceeded to lecture Amy and I on the way home about how dumb it was to have those replace the old albs. As ever, my son the expert on all things expounding upon his theories to the masses. And to top it all off, Amy and I ignored his rantings. SO then Vernon got to hear it all when we got home.
Tonight is my CCE class and we are going to be talking about the People of God. I learn more everytime I teach this class. I've got a book, All you wanted to know about Catholics, and it answers doctrine and dogma questions in a very real way not just pulling out all the Scripture and Pope So-and-So said this in 1013. I'm sure I'll get questions this week about what is the difference between Laity and religious and monks/brothers/priests. We have already tackled the "Jesus was Jewish" issue. THe entire class is all "What!" , "No Way!", "No , Ms. Burnham, he was Christian". The sixth graders have a definite penchant for the outrageous comment.

Texas Reniassance Festival

We had so much fun today. Gorgeous COLD weather, almost a little too breezy, but lots of sun and music. We watched Tartanic and Wine and Alchemy. Great performers. And we found a doppleganger for Uncle Tom, not an exact duplicate but kinda resemblance. We have added some photos for all to peruse.

The joust was really cheesy and lame. Just guys on horses knocking stuff off stands and into bales of hay. We got Vernon a Chanter to learn how to play the Highland Bagpipes. That ought to be fun! (yes, I'm being facetious, and I love you, Honey) Colt got a great hat that keeps him warm, it reminds us all of the kids in A Christmas Story. It is a knitted cap with sides that come down and end in pockets for his hands to go into like square mittens. It also flattens his hair so it is not so fluffy, he likes flat hair.
Amy got 2 sparkly stone pendant necklaces - of course in dark blue with a black cord to hang on. We found a really neat jeweler who had some wonderful pieces. We then ate some fish N chips, then Colt got Polish food and Vernon and Amy had turkey legs. We wandered some more - we have now seen every shop - and settled to watch the two groups mentioned earlier. We have their CDs and love the bagpies and drums in Tartanic. Wine and Alchemy has a wonderful sitar/bazouka player and uses a violinist and a harmonia player. We heard them play Cashmere before and we keep hoping to hear it again, no luck today.

Once we got home we left the kids to work on laundry and Vernon and I went to do grocery shopping. It has been a busy but fun day.
Tomorrow our new church gets dedicated and Amy serves at the 5 pm mass in the New church. We have to be there at 4 PM for the 5 PM mass.

COLD WEATHER!

I am so excited that is is going to be COLD Cold Cold this weekend. I have this eczema thing going on and the warmer it is the more miserable and itching I am. BUT the colder it is the less I itch and the happier I am. So on to the Reniassance Festival - Highland Fling - on Saturday with jackets in tow for some fun in the COLD!!
Tonight I am chaparoning the Junior High church dance. It is always a wonderful way to see what they love to dance and sing along to and for me to try and decipher what the words are to the song that is playing. I also get to play the heavy and tell kids, "We don't dance like that here." "No, no touching, it's not MTV." "Too close". I'm a real Big Brother. Vernon is going to try to go too. Amy will be working concessions to get her service hours for CCE.
It would be really cool if it SNOWED! (highly unlikely, but cool).

Funny Words

Colt asked me this morning if he could get on the todawber. And that brought to mind the interesting word forms we have created within our home.
"Todawber" a 2 years old's word for computer, it took my forever to figure out what he wanted. This came from a child who had no problems using words at age 2 like fantastic, exactly, and exciting.
"computerber" as pronounced by his sister for same computer,
"frigifer" the refrigerator
"alice" a little dyslexic pronunciation of lettuce
"eldabow" an old elbow on a small child's body

I know there are more and this is a challenge to my children to remember and add to this post all they can remember on behalf of their forgetful mom and dad.

Happy Birthday to Grandma Sharon!

Happy Birthday to Grandma!! We hope you have had a wonderful day and that this is the start of a stupendous YEAR!! We love you - Joanie, Vernon, Amy, Colt, Minnie, Kane, Esmeralda and Loki.

Upgrade

After having my old computer begin to fall on its knees for the THIRD time this year, we decided it was time to go for something a bit more modern. Especially with internet use and the kids increasing use of the internet for school. We were lucky to find a great deal at Best Buy. I find I'm not so fond of the widescreen aspect but the rest is fantastic. I think Colt may have to tutor the old folks in how to run around the keyboard. And so now we are up to the speed of normal. The rest of our lives may not be to normal for awhile, but after all what is "normal"?

People Who Work Too Hard

Used to be that Vernon would get upset with the amount of time I would spend at work caring for sick people. He could never understand why I couldn't just walk out at 5 pm. Oh How the times have changed. God Bless my husband! Now that he is a school teacher he spends inordinate amounts of time grading and sorting and preparing for classes. The special efforts he goes to are nothing short of amazing. If only one of these kids knew what work he puts into each and every class it would be astounding. Our roles have kind of reversed, now I'm the one leaving work at 5 PM. Vernon was working until 8Pm to night. School lets out at 2:45 PM. If we factor in what he makes on an hourly basis, he gets less than minimum wage.
I sure wish I made enough for him to stay at home and be my house elf!

I Hate Eczema!

I have had a sore throat with a white patch for 2 weeks. So I wnt the toeh ENT last week for him to tell me "you're paranoid. It's nothing, but let me give you 3 days of steroids and then We'll talk again in 4 weeks." I took 2 days of prednisone and woke up Sunday morning with the lovely eczema rash starting across my stomach andon the interiors of my arms. No itching yet but the hot patchy red. I took my last day of steroids and this morning the rash to the old places has faded and all the rest of me looks like a cooked lobster. The itching has begun. I'm doped out on benadryl and topical menthol. I smell like an old arthritic woman trying to catch the best of the geezers. I'm sleeping on the bed covers to keep as cool as possible. Hopefully, if all goes as before I'll be back to normal in 2-3 weeks. Now the eternal questions arises. What causes eczema? Maybe later I will expand upon my theories. I thank Heaven today for the cooler weather, that almost always helps as does a cold office.

And More Homework

Here it is almost 10 pm and I just finished helping Amy with her homework. My daughter has been working on school stuff since she got home at 3PM. Colt just managed to finish at 8:30PM. I'm ready to send nasty email to the teachers. I sincerely hope they have NO homework for the weekend, They have earned it!

Bad Homework

I don't remember having the immense amount of homework that Amy and Colt have now. Maybe it is just selective memory loss, but Colt had a 500 word essay assigned Monday in Advisory on "How Violence Has Affected Your Life". My kids are pretty well sheltered when it come to violence. They know it can happen but I'm not sure they have actually ever witnessed anything other than what is in the media and TV/Movies. It was supposed to be due today but the teacher gave them a one day extension. The paper has to be double spaced, at least 500 words but no more than 1000 words, An intro paragragh and closing paragraph and three body paragraphs to define specific points. This was assigned by the school district's superintendant to get participants in a statewide competition. It shouldn't be mandatory on top of all the other homework they have to do. It should be optional and a choice for the student to do if desired. As it stands, Colt was up til 9PM (normal bedtime is 8:30 pm) which means he actually got to bed @9:30. He was up again at 5:45 AM and working on this paper.
Amy and Colt both stayed afterschool yesterday for studying and Science Olympiad so they got home at @5:00 PM and then spent the rest of their night on homework. They eat their dinner while doing their homework. Too much!!
However, I must say thet Vernon and I are no examples of the come home and do nothing mantra. Both of us bring work home and spend time doing work even on the weekend. Especially the teacher, who has to grade papers and assemble statistics on pass/fail and modifications for students. Someday we'll find time to do nothing and that will probably be the day we die. And on that happy note, I wish you a Autumny Thursday.

Should be Interesting

Warning!! I have given Amy and Colt permission to post their thoughts on this blog. Amy is not really the concern it is the free thought random issue son, Colt. I am prepared to be amazed and stupified. He will probably start stuff tonight.

This so starts the Kurzy-Burnham blog. To keep my family and friends up to date on the happenings of Vernon Burnham and Joan Kurzy Burnham Family. Vernon is still an 8th grade math teacher in a Cy-Fair Middle School and I am still an Oncology Nurse for Texas Oncology in the Willowbrook office. We have two children, Amy, a 9th grader, and Colt, a 7th grader.
Amy is in orchestra and an altar server at our church, she loves to read and she has two sibling cats, Esmeralda (a little black girl cat) and Loki (a mischevious white cat). Amy also loves to write. Amy is supposed to be working on a paper on Stem Cells and current issues for Biology today while she has a day off of school.
Colt is in orchestra and a member of the Science Olympiad and a Navigator (all honors classes). He is also an altar server. Colt loves anything LEGO and watching mythology movies. Colt is supposed to be working on a essay for "How violence has effected my life".
I am the membership chairman for the local Oncology Nursing Society - WOW West Houston ONS Chapter. I also teach 6th grade CCE at our church and serve as chaparone for several youth activities.
Vernon is occupied often with school work and in his scant spare time we go the the Texas Reniassance Festival, Aeros games, NASA, Houston ZOO and watch TV shows.
We also have two dogs, Kane, a gentle bulemic pit bull and Minnie, our little black border collie mix. Minnie is the boss of the animals in the house.
Tonight I have ONS meeting and No school today due to the elections. Vernon is out running around on his off day, voting, dogs to the vet, Vernon to the Cardiologist, Car to the dealer for oil change and whatever else he can fit in.
I hope to keep this up to date, but I fear I'm not going to be as creative as others doing this out there.