Flu Shot Extravaganza 2019

Back to school means it is time to do our annual, VERY FUN tradition of getting a flu shot.  If there is one thing I've done right as a parent, this is it.  My friend and I have turned getting our flu shot into an event that is celebrated and very much look forward to.

For several years now we have ditched the pediatrician's flu shot clinic and found ourselves at Target.  It's actually an amazing situation -- not only do we have the flexibility of going whenever we can find a mutually convenient time, but we also get $5 gift cards to spend at Target for each of us.   And who doesn't love free money to spend at Target?!?

Sam is doing a stellar job of getting the shot and not causing a scene.  This is refreshing and we almost can retire the game that goes on, "how long will it take the nurse to administer the vaccine?"

We are in a good groove and this is our third year going to Olive Garden after for dinner and then Baskin Robbins for ice cream.  Why mess with success?   It's easy, everything is located within the same shopping center area, and the kids enjoy the food at Olive Garden more than they reasonably should.  :)

Gosh, I love these kids!!

Flu Shot Extravaganza 2017

Gosh, I love our tradition of how I get the kids (and myself) vaccinated from the flu each year.  Flu Shot Extravaganza has become quite the event.   Each year we meet up with our good friends, get the vaccination, do dinner and then get ice cream.  Can you ask for anything better when having to get a shot? 

Unfortunately the mist is no longer manufactured and therefore, it's the needle or nothing.  This doesn't sit well with Sam and I can never tell if she is going to go thru with getting it done, but somehow the idea of dessert at the end of our evening is enough of a motivation for her.  And we are making progress in Sam's resistance.  Last year I believe it took approx. 40 minutes of trying to get her to stay still before the nurse could stick her.  This year it only took about 10 minutes.  Albeit, it was a loud 10 minutes.  But she did it!

Ian was a rockstar and wasn't even sure the nurse stuck him.  Dinner this year was at Olive Garden and ice cream after was Baskin Robbins.   Flu Shot Extravaganza = best idea ever!

Don't let the smile on Sam's face fool you.  It went quickly downhill from the very next second.

Our very sweet ending!

Flu Shot Extravaganza 2016

This year's flu shot extravaganza had a twist and not a fun one!  It was advised the flu mist was ineffective this year and the actual needle with the vaccine was the only way to go.

There is not enough dessert in the world to make this ok with Samantha. It wasn't pretty and I wasn't sure that Andrea (the nurse practitioner) was going to keep attempting to stick Sam, but somehow she got the job done.  Sam is now vaccinated against the flu.  As Sam was screaming, she yelled, "I could scream louder."   Ha!  Gee, its so nice she showed some restraint.  Sam is 8 years old!  There is no screaming necessary....it's over before you know it. 

Since our pediatrician's office did not have a flu clinic available during an evening we were available, my friend and I decided to take the kids to a Minute Clinic located inside a nearby Target.  We picked a location with a Red Robin just across the street and had a yummy dinner with lots of dessert ready to be ordered.  Because as we all know, a lot of chocolate, ice cream, milkshakes, and sugar help make the shot that much more manageable.

One sweet little bonus was the $5 target gift card each person who got the flu shot received.  Wow!  Who saw that coming?  Not only is insurance covering the cost of the flu shot, but we now have $15 (I got a flu shot too!) to spend at Target.  Woo-hoo!!

Ian just moments before getting called back for his shot.

It looks like we killed Sam!

And yet another twist to Flu Shot Extravaganza....we had a dinner guest crasher!  Jeff's office is 5 minutes away and he joined us at Red Robin for dinner.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love how my friend and I have taken lemons and made lemonade in getting a flu shot. We've made it into an event and one we look forward to each Fall. 

Another Flu Shot Extravaganza is in the books! 

Flu Shot Extravaganza 2015!

Flu Shot Extravaganza strikes again!  Each year we do the following events with the same mommy friend and her kids (same ages as mine):  Dinner at Uncle Julio's, flu shot clinic, and then ice cream at Ben & Jerry's.  Everything is conveniently located in the same area and doesn't even require moving the car.  It's a pretty awesome location where the pediatrician is.  We've been doing this for years now and everyone absolutely loves it when they see Flu Shot Extravaganza on the calendar.

This year there was a bit of a twist as our pediatrician couldn't guarantee there would be enough of the flu mist vaccine for everyone who signed up for the clinic.  If the mist wasn't available, the shot would be in ample supply to make it happen.  I gave my two kids the option that if they couldn't get the mist, I wouldn't make them get a shot.  I'd track down the mist at a Target.  Beth gave the same out to her kids.  We knew even if the kids all decided to wait for the mist that we'd still have a nice dinner together and enjoy each other's company.

Ian told me on the way to meet up with Beth and her kids that he was ok getting the shot if he had to.  All he would need is for me to distract him.  When I told Beth this at dinner, she said her two kids told her earlier if there was only 1 mist available, they'd let Sam have it and they would get the shot too.  Wow!  I was very touched.

We had a great dinner and headed to the pediatrician's office.  As we are standing in line (it's an amazingly well-run operation -- they keep the line moving super fast), we see the first set of kids exiting.  I surveyed everyone who passed by us and asked if the mist was still happening.  Affirmative.  Yay!  We still stood a chance.

We were all in this together and entered the exam room waiting for the nurse to come in.  When we saw she had 4 of the flu mists in her hands, we screamed with joy!  Whew!  We took a gamble and it paid off.  Happy kiddos all-around.  Sam even went first in getting the mist.

We headed to Ben & Jerry's as happy campers and got the kiddos ice cream.  Afterwards they played chess on the big chess set behind Coastal Flats.  Another successful Flu Shot Extravaganza is in the books!

Flu Shot Extravaganza 2014!

Our annual date to make getting the flu shot an event had a few things going against it.  The main thing was the dates our pediatrician chose to offer their flu shot clinic.  The 3 dates they offered didn't work for Beth or me.  So we quickly adapted to a new plan and picked the local Target pharmacy to get the kids the Flu Mist.  We intentionally picked a Target in a busy strip shopping center that would offer many restaurant choices for dinner.

The other thing going against us was Sam getting sick the same week we had picked to do our outing.  Jeff was able to watch Sam at home and I continued with our plans with Ian.  It was strange being with one less kid for something that BOTH kids always comes to.  But that's the way the cookie crumbles.  Sam will just have to get her flu shot without all the added hoopla.

After the three kids got the Flu Mist, we headed to Olive Garden for dinner.  It was a great choice as Ian said he was "in the mood for really good Italian food."  Ah, the poor kid has not really lived if he thinks Olive Garden is the epitome of 'really good Italian food.'  However, it worked for our group and we each enjoyed our dinner very much.  Instead of going for ice cream afterwards (in the original Flu Shot Extravaganza, ice cream after dinner is a MUST!), the kids ordered dessert at the restaurant.  Ian was thrilled with his chocolate mousse cake. 

All in all, Flu Shot Extravaganza lives on.  It may not be exactly as it had been in the past, but mission accomplished.  The kids have been vaccinated.  Let me rephrase that, Ian has.  I still need to take Sam.   Which hopefully by the time you read this, the flu won't stand a chance trying to invade her body.  :)

 

Flu Extravaganza 2013

I think there need to be awards given to parents who come up with excellent ideas. You come up with a great idea and get nominated either directly by you or someone else.  Once a year (similar to the Academy Awards, Emmys, Country Music Awards, etc) an awards show happens and statues are given out in various categories.  I am positive my friend Beth and I would be given top honors in "How to make getting flu vaccine each year so much fun" category.  Seriously, this is one event we are not messing with on the logistics or execution.  It works perfectly as is each and every year.

 

It is now Fall 2013 and we've been meeting year and year.  We've lived through needing strollers to get the youngest from point A to point B.  We no longer need high chairs or booster seats at the restaurant. And we've most definitely survived running to the bathroom hoping to make it time because my youngest wasn't doing a good job of getting potty trained. 

If all else goes bonkers during the year and I don't get to see my friend and her kids as much as I'd like, we will always have "Flu Extravaganza".  :)

 

We started the evening at Rio Grande for dinner.  The waiter came over and asked what we would like to drink.  Kyle (Age 5) answered before anyone else could say anything.  "I'll have a beer." he said.  It was pretty funny and officially started off a great evening.

Then it was time for the flu shot, followed by our sweet ending to the evening at Ben & Jerry's.  With the pediatrician's office located at Fairfax Corner, it is a one-stop shop for all the places we go.

 

 

Flu shot fun? Oh yeah!

Some people dread getting the flu shot each year.  Not my Toppall team and me.  We make getting a flu shot an event!  Our pediatrician offers 3 flu shot clinics each year.  The clinics are two hour blocks of time, where you walk in, get the traditional shot or the mist in the nose and then walk out.  It's easy-breezy! 

My friend Beth takes her two kids (same ages as Ian and Sam) to the same pediatrician as us.  The doctors offices are located in Fairfax Corner and conveniently situated one floor above the Ben and Jerry's.  Seriously, how great is that!?!? 

Beth and I purposely pick the flu shot clinic that is offered on a weekday evening and meet for dinner beforehand.  Our restaurant of choice is Rio Grande.  Afterwards, the kids get the vaccination (or as Ian calls it "The flu up the nose") and then we finish our outing with ice cream at Ben and Jerry's. 

We've been doing this for 4 years now and have no plans of stopping.  It is so much fun for everyone that the kids don't even know what hit them when walking into the pediatrician's office.

Getting your medicine goes down so much easier with good friends, good food, and a good time.



How can you not want this frozen yogurt with a cutie-patootie like Sam?