Sunday, November 04, 2007

Making Butter, Shots, and That Pesky Time Change

On Friday we had a fun project from our Prairie Primer and we got to make butter. Of course Luke wasn't that interested because he couldn't taste any of it but Jozie jumped (literally jumping to shake it!) right in and then got tired of it just as quick. So I was the one who got to do most of the work because we started it after all, I knew we had to finish it. Once we got the cream to the really thick state and it started to separate Luke decided he wanted to give it a shake and of course, took all the credit for making the butter! But Friday night my right shoulder took the tole for about an hour of shaking 3 cups of cream! By Sat. afternoon I could hardly move, it even hurt when I breathed! I was cursing the butter. Last night I hardly slept and all of Bob's snoring didn't help matters. I slept with the heating pad but it's not exactly easy to get it on a shoulder and up to my neck. I don't know what time it was but I finally found a comfortable position and despite Bob's serenade I slept for a couple of hours....only to get up this morning and get ready for church and get there to find out that we were an hour early! Bob and I were both rater shocked. At least we didn't plan on being there for Sunday School and find the doors of the church locked!

I'm usually on top of the time change, I can't remember the last time that I didn't realize it was happening but this year it caught me completely off guard! That's what I get for making my own butter!

This year in the state of SD all children are able to get the flu shot for free. I thought it sounded good and decided to make an appointment for the kids yearly check ups and at the same time have their flu shots done. I didn't think much of it except for I was a little worried about Jozie and her shot. She has an irrational fear of needles (well, of anything that will cause her pain, really). The last time she had blood taken to have her iron checked and to check for lead it took me and 2 nurses to hold her down and then the 3rd nurse to take her blood. Well, I kinda figured that she has grown up and it shouldn't be that bad this time, right? Wrong. She wouldn't take her arm out of the sleeve of her shirt so the nurse went and got 2 others and it took 3 of us to hold her and then the 3rd nurse gave her the shot. 4 people to give an 8-year-old a flu shot. Nice. To make things even better, we have to go back next month to get the second one because this is their first year getting a flu shot. Luke had to finish his chicken pox vaccine and the flu shot and had one in each arm. He didn't cry. He wasn't glad to get them and was definitely glad to get it over with but he didn't even care. I don't know how 2 kids can be so completely different.

4 Comments For Risa:

Amie said...

We made butter last year, but I don't remember shaking it that long. Did you use half/half cream? I think that's what we used.

Everybody in our family started getting flu shots to protect Sammy since he had pneumonia a couple years ago and HE can't get the shot because of his egg allergy. It's NOT fun.

Anna said...

I have never tried making butter, and I don't think I ever will!!:) Try taking a really hot bath, that might help relieve some pain...

Like Amie we also get the flu shot yearly do to Hannah having had Pneumonia in Kindergarten. They have been great every year since. BTW Hannah is the same way with shots and needles, she had her fill with hospital visits 3 times in one year and I don't think she'll ever forget it.
It sure breaks your heart having to hold them down though:(

Jamie said...

You know, come to think of it Hannah was quite fearful too...must be a girl thing!

Glad I wasn't the only one to forget the time change!

Jodie said...

Ha, you and Jamie and the time change. I didn't forget and man did it feel good to sleep in. ;)

Your butter story reminds me of a Thomas the Tank Engine episode. Thomas was hauling buttermilk and went too fast so his cars rattled around and he ended up delivering butter instead of buttermilk.

We get flu shots every year too, only Jayda is the brave one and Brady is the baby.