What $800 looks like

Disappointed? I'm still in the shock phase!!! Parker sees a dermatolgist for his areas of psoriasis and she is always changing up the creams, lotions, sprays, potions and miracles in a tube. We have a whole bin of these tubes. And dermatology drugs are flipping expensive!!
His dermatologist is sweet enough to send home coupons that bring down the cost of our copay for them, which is helpful to be sure. The other day my cousin who works in the pharmacy we use told me that Parker had an Rx there to be picked up (something Parker neglected to tell me). She went on to say that she was surprised that insurance paid for it and to my puzzled expression she said that it's REALLY expensive and not all insurances will cover it. Um, how expensive you ask? She said our carrier paid over $800 for it. ULP!! And he has 3 refills on it!
We did have a $35 coupon that would have zeroed out the copay, but you need to be 18 to use it and he's not quite there yet.
He IS noticing a difference, so I guess it's doing it's job!!

The Dells, Ducks and a Drive-in

Yesterday, Kurt FINALLY had a weekend off (his first 3-day weekend since APRIL, no that is not a typo) so we decided to DO something. I suggested a picnic and a drive-in movie, so that meant heading south to Iowa or north to the Dells. We opted for the Dells based on the movie, HA!
A picnic was packed and we got subs when we hit the Dells. Kurt took us to a park that he played at as a youngster (the equipment has been updated!) and the boys burned off some energy--until the sprinkling started. We decided it was a good day to ride the "Original Wisconsin Ducks". It had been several years since Kurt or I had been on them and the boys never had, and they told us several times that "this was a great idea!" Beckett did decide the water (in the Wisconsin River) was disgusting.
We hit the park again after our ride until it was dark enough to head out to the drive-in. It was actually a double feature of the Smurfs and Zookeeper, but we only stayed for the first show--it was after midnight by the time we got home as it was!
If you ask the boys, they'll tell you "it was a great day" =)

Beckett gets a library card!

Part of being in 3rd grade for Paxton means that there is reading. Like every night reading. Which he is not as thrilled about as one might think. So we've made him a deal that he can pick some of HIS choices to read from the library and that means he'll not complain when he has to read the assigned books. To make it more appealing, we went to the public library today to make train book selections. Beckett of course went along and had the courage to ask the librarian how old you had to be to get a library card. She told him there was no age limit!! Talk about happy little boy =)
So we filled out the application (I read him the questions, he answered and I wrote them down--he knew most of them!) The librarian got it all entered and handed him his card to sign. He only wanted to sign his first name though!! He was also tired of the Mamarazzi by the time we were leaving, HA! His sweet face scored him a free keychain too!

Back to School!!

Or as Kurt calls it: The most wonderful time of the year! HA! Everyone is in school all day every day this year (except for Momma, SHE graduated in the Spring!). Beckett is in kindergarten, Paxton begins 3rd grade and Parker is a SENIOR!! Everyone was pretty cooperative for the traditional first day of school photos--which is not always the case!

Kindergarten Meet and Greet

A couple of years ago, the elementary schools in our district started having a before school open house--a chance to come to school a couple of days early and bring in supplies, find your classroom, locate your cubby, etc without the rushiness (made that word up) that the first real day usually entails.
Tonight was Beckett's school's planned meet and greet and Beckett got to do all of the above as well as practice putting his apple into the right bin (to tell the teacher if he brought a home lunch or if he's having a hot lunch), putting all of his supplies into the community tubs (while I got to write his name on every. single. twistable. crayon.
He says he's excited for Thursday to come. There WILL be an update--HA!

Summer's Last Blast

The saddest time of the year is here =( Yesterday was the last opportunity to go to the public pool and enjoy ourselves. Our pool closes SO stinking early (you KNOW we'll have a run of 90 degree days here soon!), it is always closed before Labor Day weekend. The arguement is that "all" of the lifeguards have gone back to college, which is completely false because plenty of them are HS students!
In the last couple of days, both sets of Grandparents made it up to see Paxton doing his thing off of the diving board and Beckett being his usual goofy self on the big slide. The boys tell me not to be sad and remind me that they'll fill it again in May and we can swim again, but it's awfully depressing to see that big blue empty space as we drive by in the meantime =(

Parker the plumber, minus the butt...

Papa's right hand man was put to work again today in the continuing (but approaching finished!) bathroom remodel. The tub drain had a bit of a leak and a smaller hand (why don't you do this, Mom?!), but a strong one was needed to fit into the tight space to seal and tighten the connection. He learned a lot about righty-tighty/lefty-loosey and the difference between clockwise and counter-clockwise! He also wasn't thrilled with camera flashes, but since he was sitting in the closet with his arm in a tight spot, its not like he could get away =)