It's that time again: MS150!

Time to beg for donations!

Each year we think we'll get a head start on fundraising. And we never really do.

Once again, time to buckle down. I think the minimum to raise required is $400. So come on friends, let's get to it! I don't ask for much through the year so step it up! :)

April 21-22 is the 180 mile (or so) bike ride from Houston to Austin. The money goes for a good cause, and not just for overhead. I forget the actual breakdown but I was soooo surprised they can pull off an event like this while most of the money going right to the cause for MS. It's abuot sponsorship from big companies.

So whatever we little people pay can go to the real place it's needed: Multiple Sclerosis research and resources for those who have it.

Here's my web page to donate. Remember, whatever you give comes back to you...
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/TXHBikeEvents?px=2420180&pg=personal&fr_id=17896

Anna's 5 year stats

Anna had her 5 year well child check up today. They'd told me on the phone there would be no shots and so I'd promised Anna, with the caveat of it they were wrong, we just wouldn't do it today. We'd talk about it and come back in later. What's the real harm? It just needs to be done before kindergarten. So when we got there it turns out she needed a chicken pox booster! I gave her the chance to take it, explained the GOD AWFUL details of what chicken pox is, and Paul even showed her a picture on his phone. But she didn't bite. I held my end of the bargain and said we'd come back to do it when she's ready, especially since we'll be on a cruise in the Gulf starting Sunday and God knows we don't need a vaccine reaction clouding things up. I told her when she comes back for the shot, I'd give her anything she wanted. Her first demand was to get her ears pierced. When I explained that hurt way more than a shot, and in both ears, she said she'd wanted a baby doll. THAT'S IT? Oh, and candy. Ooookkkkkk....baby needs to learn how to negotiate.

So when we do this, I have to take her to get a new baby doll and candy. And not just one piece of candy, she says.

She did get a hearing assessment and 6 stickers for her trouble. They're giving SIX stickers and not even a shot? Sheesh.

Baby is 45 lbs and 44 inches tall. That's 75th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height! We are loving on her height! SUHWEET! Love it, love it! The bonus is always that she gets to ride the big rides :)

In the next room a baby was screaming his head off. Yeah, good times for them. I'm always reminded in those rooms of how that was me and I was wishing ahead to year 5, where we are now.

It's the same realization that hits you when you realize no matter what, time NEVER stops for you (if you buy into the idea that time is linear). Time will keep on going and you're going through with this no matter what. It's the thought I get in the exam room at 5 years old, it's the thought I had as I was about to start pushing her into this world, it's the thought I had at the briefing desk 2 minutes before that press briefing yesterday, and it's the thought I bet most astronauts get as they're strapped in, about ready for GO time.

Hello FIVE.

Noooo, not AT ALL Nervous

I've done lots of interview since I've been in the ISS Program Science office the past 3 years. But this one was an actual Press Briefing, which has always been my chief's job. This time, she had a schedule conflict and so I stepped up! This was the Expedition 32/33 Operations and Science briefing, given by ISS Program Manager Micke Suffredini, Flight Director Dina Contella, and the science overview by er...well, ME. It was live TV on NASA TV (OK it's not Comedy Central but it's still live TV). It was in the middle of a near monsoon weather, and it was a little bit intimidating. It took me wayyyy too many hours to prepare for this simple briefing! Although being well-prepared is the key to less nerves, I was over-prepared and so lesson learned for next time. As it turns out, there will be a next time as JR and I rotate through these briefings that I hear will become more and more frequent (every 3 months is the plan I'm told).

For me, I think the key next time will be to read less and look into the camera more. I really didn't realize how much I was actually reading until I saw it on TV last night! Glad I watched, because normally I don't, because I can improve there. But otherwise I'm feeling fine about how it went. Although it did drain me completely for the rest of the day :)

In other news I have my own Wikipedia entry. For REAL? I was wondering who cares enough about me to have spent the time writing this entry? From what I can tell it was written by someone who tracks the aquanaut stuff, like from when I was a NEEMO aquanaut wayyyy back in 2004. The entry is actually very nice! I should have hired that guy to write my astronaut application :) Anyway, my coworker pointed it out to me after, as the new guys, was looking into some stuff about me. I was at first shocked by all of the detail, but between all the bios of the public stuff I do out there and the Grocery Station stuff too, I realize it's mostly all public knowledge. Anyway, ta-da!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tara_Ruttley

Complete sweetness

The party

Dear Anna,
Now that the princess party's over can we move on to space and/or dinosaurs?








Getting ready...




Paul's quickest attempt at the birthday cake. Just ran out of time and was still frosting it 5 min before party start. Not what we envisioned but still not bad!
































I've almost never seen the child so exhausted! Most friends left a party end but E and M stayed into the evening for a round 2 party with TJ's in-laws in town. So the party lasted technically 9 hours for her! At one point she came over and told me she was ready for bed but quickly changed her mind!

A highlight of the party was Her friend L, who is 4 and can make balloon animals!!! Wow had I known in advance we could have saved money on the Ariel entertainer :) Then L's dad started teaching all the other parents how to make some! I really liked the parents who came.

I am hungover from the crap I ate all day. Wonder how she'll be feeling on wake up? :)

She had a super fun time with 6 little girl friends :). Yay!! On to a peaceful spring break week where she's still in school and we are at work but in all cases it will be a slower week than usual.

Birthday Bed Time

I get a text from Paul who is up in Anna's bed for bedtime...

She's 5, Baby!

Loving her first day of 5. She's the best, and had a really great day. I want to post more every night but between everything I have nothing left at the end of the day! All is good!
Happy birthday my sweetie. We love all of your pink and purple sparkles and sugar and spice and rainbows and toots. You're starting to come out of your shell to strangers and love your girlie friends. Today mommy and daddy woke you up with the Happy Birthday song and flowers and a new birthday dress and lots of girlie little gifts like perfume, lip gloss that has a peace sign flash light attached, body glitter spray for little girls, a lolly pop, finger nail polish that is magnetized, a little stuffed bunny, and yummy smelling lotion and new hair clips! You got dressed all pretty, then we went to pick up cupcakes for your class (peace signs, your name, and one with a 5 on it, which you ate!), and your class sang happy birthday to you! You were happy now that you're 5 like everyone else in the class (yours is the last birthday) and even got to share your birthday with your favorite teacher Ms A. You got to be the line leader all day and mommy came to eat lunch with you at school. You got to wear the birthday hat today and Ms U have you a sweet gift of a link puppy and a magic light up wand and a my little pony! After school we went to the Olive Garden (your fave) and they sang you happy birthday with a candle In your dessert! You loved that (and actually asked for it :) ). Then we raced back to school for your Rodeo program where you all sang songs you've been practicing. You totally loved that and then had cake with your friends! You had a pink cowgirl hat with a flashing lights and a tiara design on it. I wore one to match. Mommy and daddy were the only dorks with hats on in the parents audience! We came home to gifts and cards in the mail and voicemails saying happy birthday for you, which you loved! You had a great day with us and your friends! What an awesome birthday. Now you've asked for a princess party (God forbid) and so on Saturday a where from 6-12 little girlies will be at our house for your party in their princess dresses. We have a bouncy house for the back yard but it looks like rain so we had to call in a back up plan: princess Ariel is going to come for 45 min to party it up with you gals! It's a secret surprise :) Also, you and daddy decided to make your own birthday cake so we borrowed gear and tips from Z and got decorations so you're ready to bake! No overnight camp trip this year bc the campground was full! Oh well the joke's on them because it will be flooding rain this weekend! :)

Now go to sleep! I can hear you and daddy cutting up in bed on the monitor. And no you are not getting your ears pierced after your birthday party (who told you to do that?!) and yes to your question you can watch SOME Sponge Bob now that you're 5. Love you, here's to another year :)



Final night of Four





FIVE! Birthday girl!!


Since you were barely 2 you've always opened your silverware at restaurants, went straight for the knife and handed it directly to us. ALWAYS. We'd never even asked. It's just something you started but tonight you did this:






Yee haw!























You were afraid that since your birthday head band only had 3 candles on it people would think you're turning 3. So I had to write on a little sticker the number 5 and stick it to the front of it.

Now I'm exhausted. Bedtime! More fun to come :)

Love love love from your mommy and daddy!!! Squeezes and kisses!!!