Well, It Was Fun While It Lasted

It was fun being a two-car family for those two and a half months. Yes indeedy.

Hey, at least Cloud the Ford Escort survived the drive to Oklahoma (even if his air-conditioning completely went out), and AT LEAST Cloud waited to die on us until we'd secured a second automobile (thanks, Cloud). Apparently having a busted clutch and transmission was a little too much for the ol' feller, so after getting the unfortunate news from the mechanic and calling around to a few used car dealerships, we ended up selling him to a long-bearded, trucker-cap-wearing, extremely friendly salvage guy for $150. (Specifically, he unfolded his huge wallet and handed me a $100 bill and a $50 bill. We are so dumbfounded as to what to do with a $100 bill that we just put it in our lockbox for now.)

Sigh.

So, we're back to being a one-car family again. Fortunately, a coworker of Tim's (who happens to live across the street) is able to give him a ride to/from work most days, which means that Weston and I can keep Serenity the Toyota Corolla. And fortunately, if there ARE days that I need to drive Tim, he only works 15 minutes away, so it's not too bad. But still... we're going through the grieving process right now. Reaching "Acceptance" is actually much easier when you're grieving for a car that was pretty much a piece of crap and that has cost you thousands of dollars in repairs, but you still have to grieve. So, here's a brief "BEST OF" remembrance for our beloved Cloud:

-That time when we borrowed money and bought you, when we were engaged, so that Tim could drive down and visit me at school in DC;

-That time when Tim drove you into what was basically a river (Tim's note: it was a flooded creek!);

-That time when we drove with you from the Washington DC temple to the family luncheon just after getting married, and realized that hanky panky was suddenly okay (NO, we were patient, you guys);

-That time when you brought us from Pennsylvania to Utah (pulling Toby the U-haul Trailer, to boot);

-Those two times that Tim got speeding tickets with you;

-That time when Tim crashed you into a curb (Tim's note: I didn't crash into a curb... I kind of jumped a median. Totally different);

-All those times that you took us on fabulous camping trips;

-That time when you broke down in Jackson Hole, forcing us to pay $100 of our meager student income for a hotel, which made me cry;

-That time when we ferried you ON A CAR TRAILER from Utah to California, and you STILL broke down and needed a new battery;

-That time when I sat down in the passenger seat and pulled way too hard on your door handle and popped it right off (which resulted in lots of funny confusion on the part of our passengers, who tried to figure out how to close that door without a handle);

-That time when you broke down on INTERSTATE 210 and Tim struggled to pull you over in the midst of 65-mile-per-hour traffic (thanks again for the AAA help, Kate);

-Those three times that I got parking tickets with you, but managed to weasel my way out of two of them (yes, I weaseled);

-That time when we brought our baby home from the hospital with you, and I sat in the backseat and kept trying to shield his little face from the sun;

-That time when you broke down in Sierra Madre in the pouring rain with Weston in the backseat;

-That time when we drove from California to Oklahoma with you, and realized that the end was probably near;

-That time that someone climbed on top of you in the middle of the night and cracked your windshield;

And finally...

-That time outside of the mechanic's shop when I emptied everything out of your trunk, took off the license plate cover, looked at you, and said goodbye, while Weston stared at a bug in the grass. :-)

Bye-bye, Cloud. We love you. Don't worry, Serenity will take care of us now. (Isn't it funny how sentimentally attached we become to our cars??...)

Tulsa Air and Space Museum

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum was another really fun outing where I first had to lower my expectations to the "Tulsa" level again. (That is, down from the "Washington DC" level where I used to visit the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and down from the "Dayton" level where I used to visit the National Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB.) I've noticed that once you go ahead and lower those expectations a little, everything here is REALLY SWELL! Haha!

But I jest. After all, there were many interesting things to see at this small-ish museum, and I was delighted to learn that (1) there was also a very nice, new-looking planetarium on the premises, and (2) the planetarium shows were included with admission! Yay! I was also surprised to learn upon our arrival that admission wasn't $12 as stated on the website; it was really just $7, which made for a triple "Wheeeee!" Then later, when we actually got to the planetarium, I was informed that the dome projector was busted, so there was no actual "planetarium show." Instead, we just sat in our reclining chairs and watched a half-hour movie on the screen. Haha! So lame. But I guess that explains the $5 discount!

Anyway, Oklahoma (like all states, really) is very proud of its little slice of American aeronautics history, and this museum is a tribute to it all. (See how the picture of the museum below is all nice and sunny? Now imagine the 110-degree heat pressing on you from all sides and suffocating you. There! That's more like the actual summer-in-Oklahoma experience.)
At first I was disappointed when I saw that the museum is really just one big hangar (aside from the planetarium, which is in a separate building), but then I realized that there are actually lots of cool exhibits spread out in there. I imagine they are very interesting and educational for people who aren't chasing around rambunctious, giggly toddlers, and maybe one day I will actually read some of them. But until then, it was just nice to have a lot more to look at than I expected:

This, I presume, is the museum's sticker collection:

Doesn't this machinery just make your brain hurt? Someone actually came up with these:

My favorite exhibit was the F-14 Tomcat, which you can't look at without humming the awesome '80s music from Top Gun:

This happy little propeller plane also caught my eye:

And I love this, too... they just don't make 'em like this anymore!!

Weston had a good time with this attraction, which had lots of knobs and cranks and pedals to try:

He also got to have a turn pushing the launch button for the space shuttle! A sweet teenage girl asked him if he wanted to "launch" the "shuttle," and he was so thrilled. He got to sit on a stool and then press the buttons when she told him, making the "shuttle" "blast off" towards "outer space" (i.e., make a big loud noise and rise towards the ceiling a little bit).

However, Weston's absolute favorite was the "ball toy," where he would press a red button and then jets of air would lift up a few plastic/foam balls:

He did NOT want to leave this!

(I don't blame him, though. Even for a 29-year-old, it was pretty addictive.)

Finally, he got to have his own Maverick time in the pretend cockpit:

Bogies!!! Bogies at 10 o'clock!!! BOOM BOOM! Got 'em. :-)

Weekly Dork Time with Microsoft Paint: Edition 2

Seven Appointments and Over $1,000 Later...

... and Dental Drama 2010 is now over.

The new toof, second from the back

Here's a recap of the fun:

Appt #1 (Check-up): Jean, excited to have dental insurance again, schedules a cleaning/exam at the dentist's office. Jean has a fine experience, until Dentist tells her that there's a dark spot on #3 that may require a filling or possibly a root canal. Jean prays for a filling. Nitrous oxide during visit = no. Pain level afterwards = 0.

Appt #2 (Attempted filling): Jean goes in for the filling, and during the procedure, Dentist tells her that yes, it is internal resorption, and yes, she will need a root canal. Nitrous oxide during visit = no. Pain level afterwards = 2 (ibuprofen).

Appt #3 (Attempted root canal): Jean goes in for the root canal, and during the procedure, Dentist tells her that yes, it is worse than he originally thought, and that she will need to have the root canal done by a specialist, and may even need an extraction. Jean prays for a root canal. Nitrous oxide during visit = yes. Pain level afterwards = 6 (hydrocodone).

Appt #4 (Actual root canal): Jean goes in for the root canal again, this time with Endodontist. Endodontist uses lots of high-tech equipment and manages to complete the root canal and (hopefully) save the tooth. Jean cries and whimpers during a particularly painful part, but in the end, Jean is relieved. Nitrous oxide during visit = no (why didn't I get nitrous again...?). Pain level afterwards = 1 (ibuprofen).

Appt #5 (Post & core + attempted crown): Jean goes back to Dentist for the post & core (where he inserts a metal core into the devitalized tooth to provide structural stability). Then, unbeknownst to her, he "reduces" the tooth so that the crown can fit on top of it (she smells burnt tooth smoke and hears him sawing it away). Jean uses the restroom mid-appointment, sees the pathetic tooth stump that remains, and is severely traumatized for the rest of the day. (I thought we were saving the tooth; I didn't realize that we were really only saving the foundation.) Dentist fabricates the crown and prepares to attach it until he notices a tiny crack in it. Dentist gives Jean a temporary crown instead and tells her to come back next week for the permanent. Nitrous oxide during procedure = yes. Pain level afterwards = 1 (ibuprofen).

Appt #6 (Possible temporary crown reattachment): Jean comes back to see Dentist the very next day, after her temporary crown popped off when she flossed her teeth. Tooth stump was exposed once again, and Jean was instructed to return to have the crown reattached. Instead, they calibrate the new permanent crown that they made, and re-schedule her appointment for two days later. Jean tells them that if it's just an aesthetic issue, she can do without the temporary crown (after all, the tooth is pretty far back). Nitrous oxide during procedure = no (Weston was there, heh heh). Pain level afterwards = 0.

Appt #7 (Permanent crown attachment): Jean comes back to see Dentist for her permanent crown, which is bonded to the stumpy tooth securely and comfortably. Jean is still slightly traumatized about the sawed tooth, but is generally very pleased that the crown appears seamless and feels perfect. She leaves with a big smile (and acknowledges that her six-month check-up will come much too soon). Nitrous oxide during procedure = no. Pain level afterwards = 0. :-) Sigh.

Fun Eats in T-Town

I should blog.

I should really blog.

I should really write a blog soon.

THAT is the broken record that I keep hearing in my brain, for your information. Y'know how you start to feel a weight on your shoulders when you don't write a blog for a little while? Yeah. I have SO many things that I want to blog about, but with all the other little components of life always seeming to happen (dental drama, crazy new church calling, head colds, jobs, some desperately-needed housecleaning, etc.), I find that lately I have precious little time to actually do it. (And that's mainly because I will always choose sleep over blogging, haha!)

So, anyway, Weston is napping, and I don't have any immediate task to take care of, which means that I can finally hush my bothersome blog-conscience and go ahead and post about my recent yummy-ventures. :-) Onward!

(1) Ollie's Station

First of all, I really like the name of this restaurant. It's cute. And of course we had to go, because it's located next to a train yard just outside of Tulsa, and it is entirely TRAIN-themed (didja hear that, Grandalf?):
Of course, it is also located along Route 66, which means that, as Cars tells us, it is inevitably surrounded by eerily quiet stretches of abandoned shops and businesses:

Oh well. It's hard to stay up and running along Route 66 these days, but Ollie's Station has managed... because inside, it is a train hobbyist's dream!:

There are so many cool train decorations in this place! The tracks around the ceiling had real, working model trains, which was delightful for Weston to watch while we waited for our food:

We were also excited to see a nice, framed picture signed by John Lasseter himself, who dined at Ollie's Station during Pixar's Route 66 research tour for Cars:

(It's always funny to see little footprints of Hollywood here in Tulsa!)

Anyway, the train decor at Ollie's is fantastic, while the restaurant itself offers typical diner fare. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed my meal because it was my first taste of fried green tomatoes. (TOWANDA!!!) The nachos appetizer that we ordered was dismal, and Tim said that his burger was pretty basic, but I'm still going to insist that we go back again. (Maybe with Grandalf next time?... but minus the nachos.) :-)

(2) Dixie Cream

Weston is a fiend for doughnuts, you guys. A FIEND... just like his mama! (I guess the doughnut doesn't fall far from the doughnut tree, haha!) Dixie Cream is a cool little place in Jenks, the town across the river, and I love it because it's right by the Oklahoma Aquarium. So, now it's pretty common for "aquarium day" to also be "special treat day."

Even though I like Krispy Kreme's glazed doughnuts best of all, I like Dixie Cream because they have something that Krispy Kreme doesn't: the crueller. (Okay, it's not quite a Tim Hortons honey crueller, but it's close.) Really, they just have a selection of fun, unique doughnuts that you can't find at a lot of the chains:

Which one to try?? WHICH ONE TO TRY?? Okay, that looks good:

Mmm... chocolately, sprinkley, doughnutty goodness:

(3) Chick-fil-A

How can I write a post about fun food without mentioning Chick-fil-A?? I LOVE that there is a Chick-fil-A here in Tulsa!! I generally don't find fast food to be very appealing, but I LOVE the original chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-A. I could eat it every single day. Plus, Chick-fil-A restaurants always seem to be much cleaner than other fast food places. And I also love that they're not open on Sundays, even though they could probably make a lot more money if they were. :-)

What's even awesomer about Chick-fil-A is that they have so many amenities for kids: kid's craft nights, kid's meals, plenty of highchairs, disposable placemats, wet naps, free balloons, and even little (free) cups of Cheerio's for the wee ones. Oh, and not to mention, THE PLAY AREA!!!

[Editor's Note: Lauren, who thankfully keeps me informed, informed me that there are two other things that I excluded in the original post: (1) a dealie-o where you can trade the toy from the kid's meal for ice cream instead (WHAT?! awesome!!); and (2) their famous milkshakes (which I have not yet tried... I am ashamed). Thanks Lauren! I cannot believe that I have not yet experienced all the wonderfulness that Chick-fil-A has to offer!]

One of my favorite daytime activities with Weston is going to Chick-fil-A for lunch and then letting him play in the play area:

This is what he does:

And this is what his parents do:

Hahaha! I love it. Hurrah for fun food!! (And mom, keep telling me about other places to try. You're one of my top restaurant consultants!)

Introducing A New Weekly* Installment!

It’s taken me awhile, but I am happy to say that I have learned something important about myself. I have learned that the only way that my creativity can really flourish is through dorky, dorky outlets. Let’s call it my dorkreativity.

Basically, I’m no good at paper crafts or sewing or singing or photography or mod podge or gardening or jewelry-making or decorating or quilting or crocheting or painting or piano-playing or any of those traditional outlets of creativity. I try, but it’s just… well… not quite there. I am, however, exceptionally talented at the alternative outlets of dorkreativity, such as:

-Making home movies (there are some GOOD ONES out there);
-Designing posters about nothing (like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, for instance);
-Inventing AWESOME new songs and dance moves (Tim especially loves these two);
-Telling homemade, utterly hilarious jokes;
-Drawing stupid pictures; and
-Musing on the wonderment of the world.

So, in an effort to let my dork light shine, I’m starting a new weekly installment that will basically combine items #5 and #6 above. I like to call it, “Weekly* Dork Time with Microsoft Paint” because it’s indeed very dorky and because it utilizes Microsoft Paint (since, again, I’m not so much “talented” in that traditional sense to understand Illustrator or Photoshop or any of those real software programs). So, Microsoft Paint it is!! Sure, each one takes me six to seven hours to reach a gorgeous, mediocre completion, but it’s soooo worth it for my personal dorkreativity index. :-)

Enjoy, you privileged few! May our dork lights shine to all the world.

*And the word “weekly” herein refers to weekly, monthly, annual, or once-and-then-never-again, depending on my ability to channel my dorkreativity and then actually post a related blog. Ha! Sorry. I promise to be reliable in my unreliability.

Weekly Dork Time with Microsoft Paint: Edition 1

Click me

Can I Just Say...

... how much I LOVE other moms??

Jean's Silly Little Theory on Babysitting: I believe that every time someone provides babysitting to another mom, the contribution goes into a big old babysitting pot called the Circle of Motherhood, from which others are welcome to draw when needed. (Really, it's all about helping each other out.)

Of course, with all my job trainings and weekday work hours and dentist appointments, I feel like I've been drawing from the Circle of Motherhood MUCH more than I'm entitled these days. (I try to pay when they let me, but still, I know it can be a burden.) Other people have been helping me A LOT lately, and I am so, so, so, sososososososo SOOOOOO grateful to them.

Special shout-outs go to:
Kira, Kristy, Brandy, Faith (the grown-ups)
Shannon (the teenager)

... And I can't write a blog post on babysitting without mentioning this fantastic place:
Playtime Plus is what they call an "hourly drop-in center," where basically you can drop off your kid at any time for instant babysitting.

(Wait... hold the phones. WHAAAT??? HOW AWESOME IS THAT???!!! Why did they not have a place like this in Pasadena? And, in fact, why do they not have a place like this in every town in every state everywhere??)

Seriously, it's the perfect solution if a babysitter or friend isn't available and you really have to be somewhere without your child (such as a doctor or dentist appointment, a hair appointment, or even just your date with Kohl's). Playtime Plus has a big play room for big kids (called the "Tiger Room") and a smaller play room for smaller kids (aged under 3, called the "Cub Room"). There are toys and climbing structures and little cars to drive around, and all kinds of good fun. They even let you bring snacks or lunch for your child (which they will give at your designated time), and if you forget lunch, you can choose menu items from nearby pizza and burger places, which are delivered to Playtime Plus at a designated time.

So, basically it's the most clever daycare innovation ever. I love it. And best of all, it's only $5.00 an hour for ages 3 and under, and $4.00 an hour for older kids. The children are constantly supervised, and the three times that I've taken Weston now, it just seems like everyone's having a lot of fun playing with everything. None of the kids seems to care that they were dropped at a daycare; to them it's just an indoor playground. Usually, Weston is a little uncertain when I say goodbye to him, but (A) I leave him with his blankie, which works wonders, and (B) he always perks up when he sees all the playthings, and (C) he knows that I'll always come back for him after not too long. After all, you can only leave your child for up to six hours (even though that seems like way, way too long to me anyway). I'm letting Weston take it in stride, so I haven't left him there for longer than two and a half hours at this point, but it's nice to have the flexibility just in case.

And plus, he's always so excited to see me again. At one location in Tulsa, the Cub Room looks out to the parking lot, so as soon as I pull up, I can wave to him through the window (gosh, I love that big smile he gives me). At the other location, there's a little window into the Cub Room from the check-in area, and one time I glanced in there and saw Weston sitting at a high chair eating his crackers, just like I requested of the staff. When I called out to him and he saw me, he started smiling and pointing excitedly at me, while telling the staff lady, "That's my mommy!" Haha! He's cute.

So, anyway, I love Playtime Plus. And I love other moms. The end. :-)