Acquamorta, Naples, Italy

Beautiful view of the beach in our hometown in Naples, Italy. In the distance is the island of Procida and behind it is the island of Ischia.

How urgent is "Urgent Care"?

 

Just recently, I had to take my daughter to an urgent care facility. It was a sunday afternoon and I had no other choice unless I waited wait a long 24 agonizing hours and listening to "my throat hurts" continuously in order to go to her pediatrician the day after. So I got her dressed and off we went....

The office opened at eight o'clock. We were there at 8:30 that morning and as I proceeded to the counter to fill out the paper work, the lady behind the counter had said to me, " You know there is a two hour wait?" I was blown away. It was 8:30 in the morning the office opened at 8! There were two people ahead of me. I looked at her, as she starred and looked at me to see what words were going to come out of my mouth. I started to fill out the paperwork, and then came to a stop. I said to her, "Are you supposed to say that to everyone that comes in here or is this really going to take 2 hrs?" She said "yes, its going to be AT LEAST two hours." I put my pen down and said thanks and started to walk out the door. She then stopped me and asked if the care was for my daughter or myself. I told her it was for my daughter and she then directed me to an urgent care facility that was for children only. I took the address and rushed right over there.

Once I pulled in the parking lot the hours on the door said that they opened at 10 am. It was 8:45am so I waited in the parking lot along side another mom that was there with her son.We waited respectfully in our cars under the pouring rain and about five minutes to ten o'clock a mini van pulls in and parks. A women comes out of the car, picks up her baby boy out of the car seat and starts to walk up to the door. The door was locked and so she starts to knock aggressively. The other women and I look at each other and start to get out of the car and walk up to the front door. As the doors open, the third women gets in the door and runs up to the counter. She begins to sign in. The poor lady that was there since 8:00am, the one that was there before me then says to the medical assistant at the counter, "You know, I was here first and the lady behind me (which was me) was here second." I literally wanted to dig a hole and sink in it at this point. I know she was right but seriously? Well, then the assistant starts to say "ok ok'. It then becomes my turn to sign in. The assistant asks me if I was second. I answered yes and she said ok. I sit down after filling out the paperwork and the third women that raced to the counter in the beginning races up to it again. She begins to say, "You know, I thought this was a first come first serve basis. I didn't know there was a line in the parking lot. I am still new to this I'm sorry but I do have to work. Do y'all have to go to work cause if you don't can I go first? " Well, the lady that was there was not having it. "Just because you have to go to work, doesn't mean you get to go first and because I stay at home I have to go last. I was here first I get served first." is what she said. Here I am, sitting in the waiting area just waiting for my daughter's throat to be looked at thinking to myself, maybe I should've waited at the other urgent care? I mean, by this time its 10:15 another 15 minuets and I would've seen someone at the first urgent care facility. Right? Well, and here I am thinking, isn't this supposed to be "urgent care"? Why do we need to wait 2 hours?

Well, long story short, the lady that was in the parking lot first was then seen first, I was seen second, and the lady that had snow in her pants and needed to be seen before it melted was seen last. My daughter ended up having a bad cough that needed some azithromax and  albuterol,  omnicef for an ear infection. We are on the road to recovery thank goodness and from now on I'm going to really try and stick to seeing our pediatrician instead of dealing with crazies and 2hr wait urgent care's!

Pictures from our T1D Walk to Cure Diabetes

We had a great time! A lot of parents came out to join the walk with the children. Please look and see how you can help and join in on a walk to help cure diabetes in your area!

 





 


 

Walking to Help Cure T1D

Walking to Help Cure T1D

Hello everyone! I know its been a few days since my last post but of course like everyone else in this world, I am going 1,000 miles a minute! I did want to update you on what I was doing today. My children's elementary school is having a run/walk to help cure type 1 diabetes. Did you know that 40 kids are diagnosed every day with T1D diabetes? And that's only in the United States! I am helping in finding a cure and you can too! Just click on the link, every $1 helps! I will post pictures  from the event to let you know how we did, (I'm sure the kids will do fine, me on the other hand I don't know! LOL) as well as update you on how much we collected for the event! Have an awsome day today and I will leave you with this quote......

"You are capable of amazing and wonderful things!"

Have you tried a Mophie?

I went to Verizon a few days ago and made the switch from AT&T. I upgraded from my iPhone 4S to an unblocked iPhone 5. While I was there, they sold me on this Mophie pack made specifically for the iPhone. I went ahead and said I would give it a shot. Let me tell you, I love it! It functions as a battery extender. Basically it gives your iPhone extra juice, extra battery. The way it works is you slip your phone into it like a case. When your iPhone runs out of battery all you have to do is flip the case over and switch on a button. Boom! You have another full battery! You don't have to take it apart to charge it. Once you plug it in to charge it charges your phone at the same time. It's awesome! If you have a problem with the battery of your iPhone running out of life quickly this is the best solution! It is a bit on the expensive side but I think its worth it. There are two kinds, one is 80% at I paid $80 for it. The other is 100% and I believe it's $90. But I tell you, you won't regret it if you get it! If you do feel free to share your comments with me!

The Practice of Meditation

The Practice of Meditation.

Long Way from Home

Beautiful shot of Ischia and Procida Islands from Marina di Acquamorta, Naples Italy.

God Spot?

On wednesday afternoon, I went to my church to listen in on a course that has been taking place once a week. It's basically a refresher course on my religion, Catholicism. The nun, was going over the seven sacraments and while she was talking about one of them, she asked if any of us in the class believed in "God Spots" ? Now, if you don't know what a God spot is, its basically something like a flower, or a bright light, or an enlightening moment, anything that might make you think it's "God like". Some people where confused and some people knew exactly what she was talking about. Me on the other hand, I thought I was the only one that actually believed in these kinds of things. Once it came out of her mouth,  I was surprised. I mean, I didn't know that thats what they were called but I do go through the day and something happens and I say that is God showing himself to me. I know I know, this might sound crazy but I feel everyone needs to believe in something. Whatever and whomever it might be. I have faith and I believe in God. I mean look at this photo, some kind of cloud in the sky. Doesn't it look like an angel? Do you believe? What's your opinion on this "cloud"?

Piglet wants to play soccer too!

My oldest son Nicholas, "Nic" plays club soccer and for the next few weeks into spring guess where you'll find me? Yep! At the soccer field! Well, today we went to a game and as we were approaching the sidelines we bumped into a piglet. No joke! His name is Louie.

Louie is all black, weighs 5lbs and is 3 months old. He is as sweet as can be. The owner said that he is very calm and curious. They are happy that he doesn't have the need to chew like a puppy. Louie has his own crate and a litter box. They are trying to potty train him and it seems like it is going well.

I don't know if I could ever have a pig as a pet. I mean, I know our local butcher, that lives back in Italy, raises pigs and then sells him off to pieces! Seeing this piglet at the soccer field makes me not want to eat those yummy sausages anymore now!

Well, just thought to share this picture of my daughter, Joann and Louie the piglet with you all!

Under the Sea

Last weekend, we sold our 180 gallon fish tank to a family from Kentucky. Father and son drove 9 hours to get to our house and to take it back with them. I have to say it was a really intense procedure. I thought it was going to take the full day, instead that tank was out of the house by lunch time! We removed all the live rock then captured all the fish one by one. After that it was smooth sailing! We are happy to hear that they all made it except for one. My husband did not wish to hear which one didn't make it, I think it would've upset him, so we don't know. I am happy to report that the family we sold our fun and beautiful but yet time consuming salt water fish tank will take pictures and send them to us once they get it up and running!  Don't get me wrong, I loved the thing, heck, I think I was more emotional than Josh was when it departed the house. It's just that its a full time job and with the condo in Charleston, well let's just say we started liking the actual ocean on the weekends rather than the pretend one we had in the basement!

So, I leave you for today with this quote from Sebastion in the Little Mermaid.

"Ariel, listen to me: the human world is a mess, Life under the sea is better than anything they've got up there!"

Our getaway place.....

 

My husband and I love to take the children to our condo in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina. Its a three hour drive from where we live and its a perfect getaway place. I have to say, I was a bit against it in the begining when we were brainstorming about the idea of purchasing a second home, but in the end it was the best decision we ever made! It's relaxing for us as well as the kids and my german shepard and lab mix absolutely love it!  I will definitely be posting many many more pictures of our "getaway"! Oh, and I had to write about the place thats pictured in my header!!!

“Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.”

Well, I came across this quote this morning while I was sitting in the carpool line at the elementary school. If you stop and think for a moment, its so true. Here we are on our day to day life, getting ready for work, packing lunches, planning dinners, figuring how to get one kid in one place while running across town to get another kid somewhere else. You then try to run home and figure when to feed dinner, do homework, baths, reading time, get everyone all tucked away. You stop and think... and say whew," everyone's in bed, I can sit down," WRONG. Now you have to figure out lunches do some laundry clean up the dishes, put away clothes, not to mention any work things that need to be dealt and so forth. There are just not enough hours in the day. Even if we added another hour or two or three, would it make a difference?

Sometimes, I really think I need to just stop and see where my life is heading. I want the day to go by so fast and say to myself, "finally, they're in bed" that I forget every time I do and say that, I have grown a day older. And what have I done or accomplished? Yea, yea, "I took care of the kids, and they have done what they wanted to do and that's a big accomplishment" blah blah blah and all, I know. But what about me? Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and everything, but am I loving myself enough? What about my life?  That's the question.....

Remember, “Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.” - Allen Saunders.

Bon Jovi Charlotte, NC 3/5/13

What You Deserve

Missing 13 year old girl from Charlotte, NC *HAS BEEN FOUND!!!!!!

If anyone has seen her please contact CMPD at 704-336-8970

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/06/3897361/cmpd-seeks-help-in-locating-missing.html

TSA Allows Pocket Knives on Planes

TSA Knives on Planes -Check out Video!

So, this morning on the news, while I was preparing the children's lunches for school I heard that the TSA will be allowing pocket knives on planes again. Really? And this is supposed to be for our protection. I mean, that is what they are saying. For them to collect these knives from people that are bringing them onboard is slowing down the process of getting in and out of security. Hello? Am I the only one that thinks that the process is being slowed down by people not informing themselves, BEFOREHAND, of what they can and cannot bring on a plane? Am I the only one that allows herself to be at the airport 2 hours ahead of time if its domestic and 3 hours if its international travel? I mean why can't people just bring their most important items on board through the scanning process to make the lines go quicker. THAT'S what I think should be said. You know, leave the loose change at home, scissors, water bottles, sharp objects, guns and so forth. I mean geez common sense people! Just wait...in the coming weeks you'll hear that someone  at the airport stabbed someone else with a pocket knife because he had gotten drunk at a bar during his layover, and had gotten into it over a spot a the gate, or who was in line first to get on the plane and so forth. Just you wait and see....

Bon Jovi Here I Come!

The day has finally come! Bon Jovi is in the Carolina's tonight! I can't wait to see him! I have been a fan of his since I was 12! I went to see him in concert at the Time Warner Cable Arena, Charlotte when he was on tour with "Have a Nice Day" and let me tell you, it was awesome! I know tonight will be over the top at that arena! Thanks to my neighbor and bestie she got us box tickets! Have no clue what kind of seats they are but it sounds awesome! I'm going to have flat out fun and I plan to come home without a voice! Don't worry pictures will come soon! Keep you guys posted! 

Happy Birthday Jenny!

Ok yeah I know, I just posted a video about my sister and her birthday but I also wanted to put up a picture of a day we went out for a fun lunch. I remember we had stopped in at a place called Smash Burger, which by the way I have to say was not bad at all! My daughter even enjoyed it and let me tell you she is a bit picky! Hopefully, we will be together soon and we could go out and have that lunch all over again. Italy is just so far far away :(

Happy Birthday to my Baby Sister Jennifer!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4882194847497&l=8256211241031851488

I wanted to wish the best sister in the whole world an awseome Happy Birthday! I put together this video for her just bringing back some past memories and hoping to be together again real soon to make future memories! Love you Jen with all my heart and soul! Your the best sister anyone could ever ask for!

My New Journey!

Well, I'm finally giving this new idea of mine a shot! A blog you say? Great question! Hopefully this idea won't come around one day and bite me in the you know what!
I figure I needed to do something to help me from only having mommy conversation from here on out on a day to day basis being a stay at home mom. You know, still some kind of contact with the adult world, even if it is a virtual one! Being a proud wife to a wonderful husband and best friend, and mom of three wonderful children or maybe even five if you count my two fun loving dogs, I have a really busy life just as many others do.

The morning is dedicated to errands, cleaning and preparations as the afternoons are dedicated to the children's afternoon activities such as golf, soccer, swim dance, faith formation, and girl scouts just to name a few..... LOL! Whew, that does seem like a lot when you spell it out, huh? Don't know how the households with both working parents do it I tell you but more power to them! Whoop Whoop!

Well, as they say, duty calls and I hope everyone has a great day to this beautiful start of the week! I hope you stick around and enjoy with me this new adventure that I have decided to embark on and hopefully I will get  some other people inspired to do the same!

I leave you with a few words of wisdom that I actually just put to good use a few days ago....

                                                                                                                              "Nothing you wear is more important than your smile!"

                                                                                                                                                          -Connie Stevens