Fun in the Sun with the Bees?

We spent this past Mother's Day sitting outside in the sun, sipping wine watching the kids play. It was a relaxing day which ended in the culmination of king crab legs with ribs and more wine, per this mom's request. After visiting my mom Big b's mom drove over for some relaxing by the pool and great food courtesy of her son.
Cousin G spent the day with us as A was fighting some virus (swine flu??) and really need to rest. The girls had a blast playing in the water, squirting the dog and eating ice pops.
The boys continued playing baseball out front and unexpectedly found some critters in a nearby tree. The swarm was downright frightening but after a short while disappeared. I had seen something similar years ago when a HUGE swarm of honeybees surrounded our old house while migrating? Not sure where they were heading at that time, but they made a pit-stop our home covering all windows, doors, walls trapping us all inside for hours.
This time their destination was the hive in our neighbor's tree. Pretty cool.
Pictures enclosed.
Enjoy,
J

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all mom's with children, moms-to-be and those women who know that one day they will become a mom.

J

Look MOM A WORM!

S is very fascinated with worms. She found this small one and asked if she could keep it as a pet. My tomboy.

J

Do You Believe in Fate?

Some of you may know that several months ago I left my job working for a Medicare contractor to stay at home and decide exactly what I want to do. A year ago I left my job of 9 years after suffering from back pain and a strong desire to make a change in my life. I spent many years as nurse, doing the best that I could in a field that it so very difficult. There was a time when I was in love with my career and the excitement of going to work was enough. That all changed after Katie died. After seeing my daughter, injured and taking the last breath of her life, my life as I knew it was gone.
I took some time off from work and after several months decided to return to my job as a floor nurse. That first year was so very, very difficult. But it didn't get better. When patients complained of their pain which in my eyes could never compare with what my daughter went through, I tried my best to empathize and go through the motions of nursing them. But my thoughts would always stray back to Katie. When a patient would tell me their knee or hip hurt, I felt for them but it was never as bad as the pain Katie felt. I found myself always comparing each and gradually losing my motivation to remain where I was.
So here I am about to embark on another area of employment, something so entirely different that even I need to pinch myself. You know my love of photography (even thought I'm not a good photographer). Yesterday I went for a group interview as a newborn photographer at one of our local hospitals. And you know what????
I was offered the job. I am so blessed.
But there is more... (sorry for the long post)....but it gets a bit longer. A couple of years ago during Christmas time I was visiting Katie's wall at the cemetary, not grave because she is not buried), and hanging decorations. Not far from where Katie's ashes are, was an older woman obviously upset and trying to hang large Christmas stockings on her family member's wall.
I lent her some of tape and we briefly spoke. She, too lost her daughter about two years prior to Katie's death. We both shed tears for each other and hug prior to our departures. I haven't seen her again although I leave butterfly stickers on her daughter's wall and I find small thoughts from her on Katie's wall.
The job interview yesterday was a group interview. There were 4 of us woman applying for the photographer's position. A young quiet girl, a very chatty woman about my age, and older woman and myself. After about two hours of this very informal interview I had found that this older woman had lost a daughter too, about 6 years ago. And, she kept looking at me, saying how familiar I looked to her. I just shrugged it off as her probably seeing me on the news the other day...but didn't say anything. I had planned to confide to her that I lost a daughter too.
During one of the many times she was telling me that she thought she knew me I told her my last name. She said, I know one Lambert but you don't look like her. I asked her "What is her name?" She says that she doesn't know but that she had a daughter who died.... and her name was Katie." I respond that Katie is my daughter who died in a furniture tip-over accident. I still have no idea who this woman is but that she seemed very sad, and very nice. She smiled and reminded me of the time at the cemetery when I had helped a woman hang a stocking....that woman was her.
After that, we hugged, talked cried...all during the interview. YIKES! We briefly informed our interviewer and other interviewees of our stories. They are sat there wide-eyed and unbelieving.
After the interview/conversation ended the other two woman left and we sat with our interviewer. I apologized to her for what had happened and she responded that it was absolutely NO problem and that she had made her decision and the two of us were hired. WOW! Could it be the work of two special angels...Katie and Jennifer bringing their two grief-stricken moms together, with completely different career backgrounds in the most unlikely place.....
There is a reason for everything and HE has a plan which we may never fully understand. But if you do not believe, maybe my story will touch and give to you a piece of faith, belief and hope in a stronger power.
Thank you my Angel, mommy misses you,
J

FURNITURE TIP-OVER

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4988949n



Yesterday a new study was released spanning over 18 years of research. The study, conducted by National Children's Hospital, examined the incidences of furniture tip-over between 19909 - 2008. The statistics are alarming. There has been a 41 % rise in child injuries related to falling furniture. Since 1990, 300 children have been killed, inlcuding my Katie. Please take a look at the video link above, then pass the information along to everyone that you know, who has or knows a child. The information can be life-saving. For more information, please visit http://katieeliselambert.org/. Also check out our You Tube Video, Help Save A Life. The link is to the right.

J

Tick!!!

This is what I found on Buddy about 30 minutes ago. Both dogs are treated with Frontline and the tick had not embedded itself (Thank goodness.)
I am completely grossed out right now. Time to pour a glass of wine.

J

Furniture Tip-Over FAQs

FAQs About Furniture Tip-over

Question 1. My furniture is a high-end, well-made expensive piece. Can it still tip?

A. YES. Every piece of freestanding furniture/ large appliance and TVs has the capability of tipping. All it takes is for a child to pull on or stand in an open drawer or on a shelf to cause it to top. No PIECE OF FURNITURE OR TELEVISION IS SAFE UNLESS IT IS PROPERLY SECURED TO THE WALL.

Question 2. Do I need to secure my furniture directly into a stud in the wall or will securing it into drywall be sufficient?

A. Neither sheetrock nor drywall is strong enough to withstand the possible torpedo-like fall that an unsecured piece of furniture may cause. The stud in a wall is built to hold the wall and roof of one’s home. All furniture/large appliances/TVs must be properly secured to a stud in the wall.

Question 3. My television is extremely heavy and I need my husband to move it when I clean. My child cannot tip this, can she?

A. A. ABSOLUTELY! Many times televisions are placed on stands which are inappropriately sized for the TV. Any sudden movement can cause the TV and stand to crash forward. (If unable to have a newer, flat screen TV which is properly anchored to the wall, then make sure that TVs are placed on stands which are appropriate for its size. Stands should be very low to the ground and the TVS should be pushed as far back as possible on the stand and both the stand and television properly secured to the wall. ) DO NOT PLACE TVS ON TOPS OF DRESSERS. DO NOT PLACE ITEMS WHICH MAY TEMPT A CHILD TO CLIMB ON TOPS OF THE TVS.

B. Properly secure all stands/TVS to the floor or to a stud in wall.

Question 4. My children are older and out of the climbing age. They sit on the floor now and play video games in front of the television. They are safe, right?

A. Wrong. Many deaths have resulted from older children as they sat in front of the TV playing video games. Many Older televisions are front heavy and any slight movement, whether changing a game, turning it on or off or the excited kick from a child could easily result in both the stand and television to crash forward onto the child.
B. If unable to secure a newer flat screen directly to your wall, then push the television as far back as possible on its stand. Make sure the stand is low to the ground and appropriate for the size of the Television. Properly secure the TV to the stand and to a stud in the wall.

Question 5. My child’s dresser sits low to the ground, it is not very tall. Does it still need to be tethered?

Absolutely! All freestanding furniture/large appliances/TVs need to be properly secured to the wall regardless of its size. If the child opens a drawer and pulls on it or stands in it, the furniture could become a front-heavy torpedo, and the innocent, unsuspecting child, its victim.

Question 6. The risk is so low my child will die; do I really need to be concerned?

A. Unless you want to bury your own child. YES!! No parent who has lost a child expected it to happen to them. Why not do everything you can to keep them safe? We never thought it would happen to us either. It happens to an average of 16 children every year. Don’t let it happen to yours.

Question 7. I have taught my child NEVER to climb on the furniture, so I do not need to worry, right?

A. WRONG. Play is the work of children. Even if your child can parrot back the “rules” to you, it doesn’t mean they will follow them when playing or when they REALLY want to get that (fill in the blank). Kids think they are invincible and do not recognize danger when they are in the moment. It is our job as parents to make their environments as safe as possible.

Question 8. I never leave my child alone and even if something happened I’d be able to save them, right?

A. Even the best parent is never truly within arms reach of their child all the time. There have been parents who were standing in the same room as their child at the time a piece of furniture or Television fell. It takes just a second for furniture to tip, not enough time to stop the crash.

Question 9. Won’t securing furniture and TV’s to the wall cause damage to them and look bad?

A. Are your walls and possessions more precious to you then your child? If not, why do you ask?
Sure, small holes will be put in walls and furniture or strong adhesive to televisions and /or wall/furniture. This may hinder the resale value. Does it really matter that much? Tethering devices can almost always be installed so they are not seen. Holes in objects can be repaired. Your heart, when broken because your child has died, cannot ever be fixed. Which do you prefer?

Question 10. If falling furniture is such a danger, why are there not warning labels saying so on the furniture where it is sold and why are devices to secure them to the wall not readily available at my local store?

A. Excellent question, we wondered the same thing. It is why we’ve been working tirelessly with our US House of Representatives, local government, the CPSC, and ASTM (an international standards organization) to see to it that warnings are included and that the tethering devices are included with at risk pieces of furniture and TV”s and sold at all the places other childproofing items are. In the meantime, our Web sites have information on what and where to buy and what the risks are.