Coleman Chaosity

I guess I'll post from my phone, because

2012-01-25T14:12:00.002-06:00

I'm high tech like that.Or.... because tiny naughty G won't let me out of her sight long enough to go to the desktop to post. Seems more likely.Today she's been clingy and whiny all day. Other than teething, I can't figure out the problem. The precious Kupcake at least 2, possibly closer to 3 scrambled eggs for breakfast. I usually make 2 days worth of breakfast at a time for the two of us. Today there is no "leftover" for tomorrow. Maybe a growth spurt is coming?When my delightful visiting teacher came yesterday, she shared with me something I honestly had no idea of prior. Our Bishop has told me that if we purchase a DVD/movie, we can make a copy of it and watch the copy so we maintain a good copy (original) in case something irreparable happens to the copy. Like your kid skates across cobblestones on it, or whatever. Well VT works as a counselor at the school. Apparently a neighboring school district got in serious trouble and ended up paying some hefty fines for having copies of movies they owned. Also for showing movies (the original, which they legally owned) to too many people at one time. Turns out you're NOT allowed to copy your own DVDs just to have a safe spare. This violates the copyright law and qualifies as pirating - you can serve prison time and have to pay thousands in fines. When I consider the ramifications of that, I guess it's not worth saving $20. At least, my personal freedom and integrity is worth a great deal more than $20.D is getting over a sinus infection- and feeling a great deal better than he did this past weekend. I like to avoid antibiotics when possible, but since he's probably only been on them 3 (maybe 4?) times in his life, including the time, I guess he's doing alright. I'm also thankful for vaccines. I can't imagine the illnesses the poor child might have (and the severity of his asthma!) if we didn't get him all the regulars and the FLU VACCINE. Love it! I'm so glad to live in this country and have such access to these things. I can clearly see the downhill fall we're in, and fully believe that the Constitution will be "hanging by a thread". But this is still the greatest place to live. I must make some black bean hummus now. There's pintos in the crockpot and we have the Pinewood Derby tonight- woohoo!

He's got a real job!

2011-12-28T16:51:00.002-06:00

HALLELUJAH I'm SO relieved ... B was offered a full time permanent position with Wachter, with full insurance benefits (they even pay the monthly premium) and an significant increase in salary. This is a true answer to many many MANY prayers.

Today the Sweets and I managed to sell some clothing to the resale shop, have the tires rotated and balanced, register the Avalon and pick up a friend's dry cleaning. Kupcake is still sleeping (for almost 2 hours now), Dball rode his brand new 26" 18 speed mountain bike (gift from Santa) around the 'hood a bit and I've completed 2 loads of laundry and the main fixings for tacos tonight.

Hopefully if the kids are up to it we will see the Lights of the Ozarks on the Square in Fayetteville tonight. We haven't seen them yet this year- I'd hate to miss it. It's one of my very favorite things!

Hmmm... another load of laundry done!

She oughta wake up now for sure....

2011-12-26T18:30:00.003-06:00

Kupcake has been asleep for two hours. I figured if I sat down to blog, she's wake up for sure. Expecting to hear her any minute now. :)

We made it through another Christmas- with Kupcake! We didn't get the outside of the house decorated, ostensibly because Miss K required constant supervision. On B's day off I generally went to the chiro, caught up on grocery and Christmas shopping, etc. Next year we WILL do better.

Christmas wasn't as "bad" as I thought it would be this year. When B lost his job in the Summer, I was concerned. I remain fairly concerned (hence the continuing weekly chiro visits) but he has been working a temp-perm position with Wachter for 3 months now. Hopefully tomorrow they'll do huis evaluation and make him a permanent employee. If not, I'll need additional visits to the chiro every week. If he becomes permanent at this job he will make about half what he made through the postal service, but they will provide and pay for insurance so that will be FABULOUS. Currently B and I do not enjoy insurance, and are reluctant to go to the Dr. for anything since it would all be out of pocket. The children do maintain health insurance through ARKids, for which I thank God often.

Fortunately a couple years ago I finally decided that we should "do" Birthdays up BIG for each member of the family. It is a day solely about them- from sun up til bedtime. I've worked pretty diligently to make sure each person feels special on their day. And Christmas should be about Christ. So we only gift one gift from each person within our family. So B got 3 gifts, D got 3 gifts, etc. And Santa complied and only brings one big gift for each person plus stockings. That was a blessing when we had SO MUCH less income this year.

Alright my Kuppycake is awake- at least I got a start!

Before I get even further behind--

2011-10-27T14:10:00.003-05:00

I decided many months ago (okay, it might've been LAST HALLOWEEN before she was even born) that Kupcake needed to be a Kupcake Fairy for Halloween this year. :D I found wings and a light up wand (glow stick) at the $ store, and repurposed a tutu by removing the elastic and replacing it with a ribbon so it could still fit my chubby little 20 pound imp. I got a onesie with tulle on it on clearance from Old Navy a while back, but needed a cupcake on the front of it. Considered bedazzling one, but the jewels were too big.

The other day I ran across this super cute tutorial - she was making a PINKILICIOUS costume for her babe. So I was inspired and did something very similar- and now her costume is ready to go!!

Here it is- in all it's sparkly purple & pink glory (please consider the restraint it took for me to make this in purple, and not in pink....) It was so simple and it's so stinkin cute I can just barely stand it!
ABSOLUTE FABULOUS AWESOMENESS!!! Obviously it wasn't difficult, but since I can't even keep the kitchen floor clean I'm pretty impressed I got it done. And "early", to boot.

2011-08-26T17:03:00.002-05:00

Fits & Starts

2011-08-04T11:28:00.004-05:00

This will not all be written today I'm sure. My very busy girl really doesn't have time for that sort of thing. She's 7 months old and crawling everywhere- plus she pulls up to stand all over the place now so you have to actually watch her pretty close.

So that was an hour and a half ago... :) It's such fun watching her learn new things and grow bigger (chubbier!) but it's also kind of sad to me. I'm not sure I really expected to get her, but since I DID finally get her, I really enjoyed the scrunchy baby part. I'm looking forward to her being able to do more and more for herself, but I also am dreading it a little. She has a strong little personality and gets kind of sassy- even if the boys don't know she's sassing them. Her Mama knows for sure. She just smiles at the boys and coos a little bit and they forgive and forget everything.

It's a new day! So I never made it back yesterday... But I've been trying (also in fits & starts) to get the house in order somewhat. We did some grocery shopping yesterday, which for some reason always wears me out. It's still pretty warm here, I believe about 102° right now. Today I was wishing there was something fun and different to do today, but didn't come up with anything. Cman is over to play with Dball, so all 3 of them (Aball included) are playing monopoly in the living room. Girl is asleep- bless her sweet heart. She's SO afraid she'll miss something- she really fights sleeping.

I tried out the Tres Leche recipe a few weeks ago- D wants it for his Birthday in a couple weeks. He says it's "like cake and vanilla ice-cream all in one!". FABULOUS!!

I also recently found what looks like the actual recipe for Monterey House candy from someone in Dickinson, TX where I'm from. I'm SO EXCITED I can't wait to try it. I've REALLY been searching for it for YEARS. I'm going to add both to my recipe blog, I believe!

Okay it's almost 1pm and I haven't had lunch. I have recently discovered GREEK YOGURT and OH, my STARS!!!! It's SO FAB I can't believe I was afraid to try it til now. I seriously dislike regular yogurt, and I really thought everyone was lying when they said the two weren't anything alike. I ask all of y'all's forgiveness now!! IT'S SUPER FABULOUS AWESOME!! And you can GET IT AT Sam's club! SCORE!!!

UNBELIEVABLE!

2011-06-27T21:12:00.002-05:00

The past 6 months have been- well, mostly a blur, if I'm being honest. I'm fairly certain I've never been so tired in all my life. Last year was pretty much a wash too- bedrest for 3/4 of it and all. But honestly it's been SO WORTH IT to have this amazing child in our family. I don't want to repeat the experience by any means- but I wouldn't trade her for anything. And next Sunday the little darling will be 6 months old!

I am continually amazed. She can sit with assistance now, though she prefers to be on the move- all the time. I can hardly get her to sit still. Celeste claims she sits on the back porch swing and rocks with her for long stretches of time... but I'm hard-pressed to believe it. When she's with me- she thinks she needs to be up and about. The child is up on her hands and knees rocking now, and has managed a few "steps" (similar to crawling- but rather more short-lived). I'm sort of terrified that once she really takes off- I'll never get her to slow down. She becomes quite angry when it's naptime. I think she's mad that her eyes won't stay open, mad that I tell her it's night-night time... just really put out about the whole thing. But she wakes up cooing and smiling- she's fabulous!

Both kids and I went on a road trip to Nana and Grandpa's last week. Shug couldn't go because he had to work. D was such an amazing help- but Kupcake does NOT appreciate the carseat experience. At all. Thankfully we stayed with Jennifer and her family on the way down, so that was a nice break. K actually did much better on the way back- we stopped OFTEN to nurse and let her jump and move her legs... The last 45 minutes were really rough, and D says he hopes he never hears Baby Tad again because he sat in the backseat (using Baby Tad) trying to keep her from screaming at the top of her lungs, with varied and limited success. I'm positive I couldn't have made the trip without him though.

We had an enjoyable time at the Grandparents.... Mom made me breakfast every morning! Usually I have to cajole poor D into keeping his sister occupied while I try to finish cooking my breakfast... then eat it while I'm nursing her in the recliner. So having it prepared for me was FABULOUS (thanks Mom!). D got to play with cousins (at Jen's house, then other cousins in Alabama) which was a real treat for him. Good things seem to all come at once- just before we left for Alabama, B's sister and her family were here, so D had all those cousins to play with too.

B weighed himself with and without my chubby little Kupcake last night and I think she may have gained another pound. I did try her on bananas, which she really liked, but it seemed to make her constipated. Like after not pooing for 3 days I had to give her a suppository :(. We've gone back to just nursing now. Unfortunately at Mom's (with no bananas or anything other than breastmilk) she went almost 4 whole days without pooing. She was cranky and miserable, so Mom got her some "pediatric liquid suppositories". She didn't love that, but she did poo a LOT and became much friendlier shortly thereafter. I was SO RELIEVED when she poo'd yesterday (at the Phillips' farewell party) and then again today. Hallelujah- I SO dislike the suppository route. Maybe girl needs oatmeal?

The boys have Cub Scout Twilight Camp this week- they are there now. Poor Shug had to work until 6:30, and Camp starts at 5:30. A friend took Dball up there- and B went pretty much right after work. Thankfully all the "powers that be" at the Post Office agree that B will be made full time, we're just waiting on an "effective date". Then he should be able to say "no" when he has a prior commitment and they want him to work overtime. It's just so frustrating that they know and agree he should have been full time months ago, but continue to force him to work so much.

Cool- boys are home now, girl is still asleep?! Poor thing has a cold and snarkly nose and itchy eyes...

Further and further behind....

2011-06-12T16:51:00.002-05:00

but I do have a couple of "announcements" so I better get the facts down while I still remember them. Or while I can still access them on the calendar in my phone, anyway.

So my littlest Kupcake is getting SO BIG now. On her 22-wk Birthday (June 6) she finally cut her first tooth- the bottom left. She did not feel all that "better" as I had hoped, but the drooling slacked off a little for a few minutes there. She yelled and cried and carried on at bedtime- I'm guessing it was somehow related to that tooth. Fortunately, for the first time ever, she slept 6 hours in a row that night. It was SO FABULOUS for me! Then 2 days later, on Wednesday, June 8, she got her second tooth (bottom right). Same fit happened at bedtime. Unfortunately she did NOT sleep 6 hours that night, nor has she since.

We did leave for Aball's work conference in Hot Springs the next morning though. The kids and I swam in the pool and saw some sights. We went to the Mid America Science Museum, and to the Coleman Rock Shop (cool!). We ate at McLard's BBQ (didn't love the sauce- the meat might have been fabulous, but they had dumped sauce all over mine and I couldn't really taste it that well). Their tamales weren't really (tamales, that is), but they were tasty enough. Really the best BBQ I've ever had is back home in Texas.

We also ate at Cajun Boilers which was decent seafood. It wasn't fabulous, like Clifton's or Hillman's or Landry's ... Apparently there's a Landry's in Birmingham. I sure wish Nannie had known, she'd have wanted to go there I'm sure. Nannie and I drove up to Branson just to eat there once. My B had never had alligator or crawdads before- and he and D (!!! NO KIDDING!!!) tried both at Cajun Boilers. I don't think either of them loved either dish, but at least they can say they've had it now. I had some of the alligator, but just can't bring myself to eat the crawdads- even when they're fried. Having seen it crawl up out of the ditch in the backyard was enough for me. Ugh makes me nauseous just thinking about it.

Before she went to bed B went ahead and weighed himself with and without the girl. I guess she weighs about 17 pounds now. She has such chubby arms and legs that I keep her in onesies w/skirts or dresses most the time. Her 6 mo clothes are too snug and I'm bidding (on ebay) on 9 and 12 mo size dresses for the sweet little (chubby) thing. She likes to chatter a lot now- and has no shortage of opinions about most everything. Though I had given her a spot of oatmeal before, I made avocados her basic "first food" I guess. She's had it 4 times now, and hasn't had a bad reaction to it. She reaches for food so I figured she must be hungry so it must be time to feed the child "real food". She eats it mixed with (breast) milk, a little soupier than applesauce. I'm thinking she may need smashed bananas (mixed with milk) next. She recently increased my milk supply so I'm guessing she's planning to grow even more here shortly. Bless her heart. She's SO SWEET and she randomly screams and screeches. It's fabulous and so different from Dball.

I have been seeing the chiropractor and must have forgotten how much pain I had been in before he'd done several adjustments. Then Wednesday I slipped and fell in Walgreen's (I don't really want to talk about it) and now my neck, shoulder and back are hurting all over again. I cannot WAIT to see the chiro tomorrow. I did file a claim with Walgreen's because of the water I slipped on in their store. I feel sort of really stupid about the whole thing, but there's a strong chance I wouldn't have fallen if there hadn't been water on their floor. I'm guessing.

I've been trying to determine the best way to drive out to AL since the girl doesn't travel so well. I was thinking nighttime would be best, and maybe she would be asleep. But I might be asleep too- and then where would we be? Then I thought maybe we could drive to Little Rock/Benton and stay the night with someone there, and drive the rest of the way the next day. But I really don't want to harass people to stay with them, and I don't want to pay for a hotel and deal with that either. Maybe I can get some napping in and drive at night. I might just have to wait and see how I feel that day?

The boys are coming in - from whatever they've been doing in the garage- so I better get off here.

It's a new day....

2011-05-21T11:33:00.000-05:00

and thankfully the sun is out. B doesn't feel as good as he could, but decided to go to work anyway (I'm pretty sure the Chiro said not to if he didn't feel "all better", but what can I do?) after his early union meeting at Denny's. D's soccer game (and apparently all soccer games) were canceled today because of all the storms last night. YAY- ours was at 9am, and Kupcake and I were going to have a hard time getting ready for our public at that hour...

So my right shoulder feels like it's out-of-socket? Kind of like when your coach makes you shoot free throws until you can no longer raise your arm. Only I did nothing to it :(. I'm also still considerably sore from yesterday's adjustment, but thankfully not quite as bad as last night. I don't know how long it will take to "fix" my neck/shoulders/back, but I'm ready for it to happen.

Kupcake is napping, though lately she has started fighting it sometimes. D wasn't big on naps or sleeping either- but girl was SLEEPY with yawning and droopy eyes. I had to lie down with her and sing to her. I like when she hums to get me to sing to her. :) SHE'S SO SWEET!! I am going to keep her. B finally painted the lower half of her room last week, and I got all his trash cleaned up, and tools and stuff moved under the window. The notch out window area still needs some purple paint, and I just didn't know what to do with all the loose nails, caulk tubes, caulk gun, tools.... they're all in a bucket in front of that window. I vacuumed and remembered that we need to get the purple/rose rug resized for her room. Wonder how much that will cost. I also need to make her something to hang her hair baubles on. Oooops and she's awake. Ugh. And I still haven't had a shower today!

The delightful "Girl" is about 4.5 months old now

2011-05-20T18:23:00.001-05:00

and she's SO FABULOUS! I remain constantly amazed how different baby girls are from baby boys. Dball NEVER screamed like she does... he never made "girly" type noises. She's awesome!

A friend on facebook posted this recipe from Pioneer Woman for Knock You Naked Brownies a while back, and I decided to make it for the fam. They're presently cooling, but I'm almost in a coma just smelling them. Really I'm getting a strong headache.

Unfortunately ABall's back seized up on him at work yesterday (he didn't come home- he continued walking his route and then another 2 hours of driving- I mean he wasn't ACTUALLY DEAD YET- duh!) and it hurt all night, even after hydrocodone, skelaxin, hot bath, heating pad... So today I made him an appointment with a local chiropractor. I've needed some kind of help with my neck and back for months, it's been exacerbated since Kupcake got here for some reason. So I made me an appointment as well. The Dr decided he needed xrays of me- and there was more (damage?) than I thought. My neck is still kind of sprained- it doesn't curve the way it's supposed to. I've got bone spurs forming in my neck, but luckily that can be treated so that my neck doesn't fuse together. I had NO IDEA you could get bone spurs in your neck?! Also where the vertebral artery travels through, just before it enters the lower part of your skull/brain, that right boney structure on me is twisted at about a 90° angle.... he said that causes migraines. He did some adjustment, said I'd feel like I had been run over by a truck (I do) and sent us on our way. B stayed home from work per Dr's orders. We both go back in Monday.

Here is the revised Family Home Evening so far

2011-04-17T19:54:00.003-05:00

Easter Family Home Evening

Opening Song

Palm Sunday (today): Palm Sunday is the anniversary of that momentous occasion nearly two thousand years ago when Jesus of Nazareth, the very Son of God himself, began the ultimate declaration of his divinity and entered the holy city of Jerusalem as the promised Messiah that he was.

Riding on a young donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah’s ancient prophecy (see Zech. 9:9), he approached the temple on a path that the jubilant crowd lined for him with palm leaves, flowering branches, and some of their own garments, thus carpeting the way properly for the passing of a king. He was their king; these were his subjects. “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they shouted. “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matt. 21:9.)

Of course, that path so lovingly lined was soon to lead to an upper room and then to Gethsemane. ("Jesus, The Very Thought of Thee", Preside nt Howa rd W. Hunter, Ensign: May 1993)

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Sometime after the Triumphal Entry, but prior to Maundy Thursday, was the Cleansing of the Temple (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46), The Cursing of the Fig Tree (Mark 11:12–14, 20–21), The Teachings in the Temple and the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:1–46; Mark 13:1–37; Luke 21:5–36; see also Joseph Smith—Matthew).

Passover & Last Supper (Maundy Thursday)

It began with the Paschal supper, or the Passover meal. Jesus made preparations for this meal in “a large upper room.” (Luke 22:12.) This Passover would officially close the requirement of animal sacrifices.

As Jesus and the Twelve Apostles entered the guest chamber in the upper room, the roasted lamb, unleavened cakes, bitter herbs, and dish with vinegar were prepared and ready.

Jesus presided at this meal. That was significant because as the One who took the place of the family patriarch, He made a last symbolic sacrifice in preparation for the real sacrifice that He later offered. He understood this; the Apostles did not. By celebrating the Passover feast, He gave His endorsement to all those similitude, signs, and tokens of the past millennia that had prefigured His great sacrifice.

Significant, too, is the fact that the Son of God commenced His earthly ministry with an ordinance—baptism—and ended His ministry with an ordinance—the sacrament. Both bore record of His death, burial, and resurrection. ("Remembering the Savior's Atonement", Elder David B. Haight, Ensign, April 1988)

Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, is the Thursday before Easter, the day on which the Last Supper is said to have occurred.

The word "maundy" originates from the command given by Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another. Christians remember 'Maundy Thrusday" as the day of the last supper, and when Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples thereby establishing a ceremony known as the Eucharist. Jesus was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of "Maundy Thursday '.

Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane (Thursday)

Elder James E. Talmage

“Christ’s agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. … It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world’ could inflict. …

“In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world” (Jesus the Christ, 613).

The Cross at Calvary & The Crucifixion(Friday)

Elder James E. Talmage

“It seems, that in addition to the fearful suffering incident to crucifixion, the agony of Gethsemane had recurred, intensified beyond human power to endure. In that bitterest hour the dying Christ was alone, alone in most terrible reality. That the supreme sacrifice of the Son might be consummated in all its fulness, the Father seems to have withdrawn the support of His immediate Presence, leaving to the Savior of men the glory of complete victory over the forces of sin and death. …

“The period of faintness, the conception of utter forsakenness soon passed, and the natural cravings of the body reasserted themselves. The maddening thirst, which constituted one of the worst of the crucifixion agonies, wrung from the Savior’s lips His one recorded utterance expressive of physical suffering. ‘I thirst’ [John 19:28], He said. One of those who stood by, whether Roman or Jew, disciple or skeptic, we are not told, hastily saturated a sponge with vinegar, a vessel of which was at hand, and having fastened the sponge to the end of a reed, or stalk of hyssop, pressed it to the Lord’s fevered lips. …

“Fully realizing that He was no longer forsaken, but that His atoning sacrifice had been accepted by the Father, and that His mission in the flesh had been carried to glorious consummation, He exclaimed in a loud voice of holy triumph: ‘It is finished’ [John 19:30]. In reverence, resignation, and relief, He addressed the Father saying: ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit’ [Luke 23:46]. He bowed His head, and voluntarily gave up His life.

“Jesus the Christ was dead. His life had not been taken from Him except as He had willed to permit. Sweet and welcome as would have been the relief of death in any of the earlier stages of His suffering from Gethsemane to the cross, He lived until all things were accomplished as had been appointed” (Jesus the Christ, 661–62).

Resurrection Sunday

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985)

“Only a God could bring about this miracle of resurrection. As a teacher of righteousness, Jesus could inspire souls to goodness; as a prophet, he could foreshadow the future; as an intelligent leader of men, he could organize a church; and as a possessor and magnifier of the priesthood, he could heal the sick, give sight to the blind, even raise other dead; but only as a God could he raise himself from the tomb, overcome death permanently, and bring incorruption in place of corruption, and replace mortality with immortality. …

“No human hands had been at work to remove the sealed door nor to resuscitate nor restore. No magician nor sorcerer had invaded the precincts to work his cures; not even the priesthood, exercised by another, had been brought in use to heal, but the God who had purposefully and intentionally laid down his life had, by the power of his godhead, taken up his life again. … The spirit which had been by him commended to his Father in Heaven from the cross, and which, according to his later reports, had been to the spirit world, had returned and, ignoring the impenetrable walls of the sepulcher, had entered the place, re-entered the body, had caused the stone door to be rolled away, and walked in life again, with his body changed to immortality, incorruptible—his every faculty keen and alert.

“Unexplainable? Yes! And not understandable—but incontestable. More than 500 unimpeachable witnesses had contact with him. They walked with him, talked with him, ate with him, felt the flesh of his body and saw the wounds in his side and feet and hands; discussed with him the program which had been common to them, and him; and, by many infallible proofs knew and testified that he was risen, and that that last and most dreaded enemy, death, had been overcome. …

“And so we bear testimony that the being who created the earth and its contents, who made numerous appearances upon the earth prior to his birth in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is resurrected and immortal, and that this great boon of resurrection and immortality becomes now, through our Redeemer, the heritage of mankind” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 17–18).

Easter Family Home Evening

2011-04-17T19:26:00.003-05:00

We all went to Church today and stayed the whole time. Aball and I have had naps, and the girl is napping again now. Poor Kupcake is itchy from allergies, and had to have some benadryl this afternoon. She's such a sweetheart- very interested in what's going on around her, and seems to want to participate in everything. She wore her TuTu that Auntie Em amde, it matches her "My First Easter" onesie. Next Sunday (Easter Sunday) she's wearing a precious dress/hat/booties that Nannie crocheted for her.

(Sorry, she's so dang cute I can hardly STAND it, I know everyone else is tired of lookin' at her!)

I'm trying to get FHE together for tonight... (let's not discuss why it's 7:30pm and I'm just now compiling it) and I wanted it to be special-er than "normal". I'm not sure it's going to be any more special, because today is Hubs' "cheat day" on his diet... so we bought pizza from Eureka last night and reheated it for dinner tonight (the boys had rootbeer with theirs), for lunch he and DBall made waffles. Dball and I made Easter cupcakes last week and I froze several, so B could have some today, his cheat day. He also mixed up chocolate chip cookies though, so we're kind of full up on "treats" around here.

(ears fell down on all of mine, Dball's "alien Bunny" did not suffer the same fate though)

So anyway I at least wanted to get the details straight on the last week of Christ's mortal ministry though. I'm a little confused, but I'm going to post, just after this, a copy of the FHE plan- which I adapted from this Family Home Evening site I found.

I just worry that I'm leaving something out? Did nothing happen on Monday or Wednesday that I need to remember? And was the Last Supper prior to the Garden of Gethsemane both on the same day?

watched Harry Potter last night-

2011-04-16T10:34:00.002-05:00

called it "movie night". Not that we don't have movies many days during the daytime during the week, and probably more tonight and tomorrow night. We like movies. =) We might need to get a projector, I'm thinking?

It's NOT WARM today, and the soccer fields are a mess from Thursday night's storms, so soccer game was canceled today. We were considering going to an Easter egg hunt in Bentonville we read about, but instead Dball asked me to make an indoor egg hunt for him with clues to finding the eggs. He suggested I could just stuff the eggs with jolly ranchers he got for "movie candy" (bless his heart!!) but I had some Easter prizes; squishy rubbery animals, little metal race cars, and miniature cards games I put in some of them so it was more fun and more of a surprise than he anticipated. I had a multi-function pen I got on clearance last year- it blows bubbles, lights up, stamps and writes in teal. I put that and some other little things in an egg-shaped gift bag for his final "treasure". He was happy!

Kupcake is teething and becoming increasingly vocal about the pain. At least I think that's what she's yelling about. Sounds like loud complaining. Also she's started (screaming? squealing?) at random times, for no discernible reason. Dball didn't make that noise- I'm guessing it's a girl thing? And she's chunked up impressively- got rolls on top of rolls on her little thighs and arms (and neck, and her bum is pretty cushy too....). I do like her. I'm still a little surprised how different girls and boys are from the very beginning.

They have some socks kind of like this in a 3 pack at Hobby Lobby that I bought with my 40% off coupon for Kupcake... I'm SO EXCITED about them! (I know she is too). Oops- she's up again and I have to go to the post office, hopefully before they close. So I'll need to get dressed....

is it weekend yet?

2011-04-16T07:41:00.000-05:00

Thought today wasn't so bad. We had Cman visiting for a few hours earlier this afternoon. Dragged the boys (and the girl, of course) to Sam's with me. Picked up the new Harry Potter movie while we were out, of course.

When we got home the boys decided to play outside. I don't think it ever got much above 50° outside, and they were both wearing shorts, long soccer socks and jackets. They were pretty cute! Sadly I didn't get pics. Very sad indeed.

At one point they came in to warm up and worked on a craft. It was THIS ONE, only we had the styro egg crates, so not quite the same to me? It's what D wanted to do, so they did.

If you LOVE giveaways....

2011-04-12T10:03:00.002-05:00

Check out KIKI CREATES!! She's having fun Easter giveaways- they're fabulous! Includes jewelry, "peeps" bunny crocheted keychains (no kidding! they're SO CUTE!!) and you can enter to win lots of stuff!! Run, don't walk, to KiKi's!!!

Perfectly adorable

2011-04-09T23:29:00.002-05:00

She is!! I'm waiting for B and D to return from a campout... K and I have had the run of the place since yesterday afternoon.

Today the little darling actually laughed out loud- it's SO SWEET! I recorded some with my cell phone. 

Also today I laid her on her tummy looking at toys over the edge of her Boppy, and when I came back from letting the dogs out she was crying because she had somehow flipped out of the Boppy onto her back. In case I was confused about her abilities, a couple hours later she woke herself from her nap by flinging herself onto her back (from tummy- I'm a bad Mum) and it apparently startled and woke her.

She's so much fun! 

3 months old

2011-04-03T19:25:00.004-05:00

Our delightful daughter is THREE MONTHS OLD TODAY. Unbelievable! On the one hand I never thought she'd get here. It's exciting though bittersweet to see her grow and develop, she has such a sweet fun personality~ but I wish she could be a baby longer at the same time. On the other hand it seems like she's been with us forever some days- she fits right in and I don't know what we dud without her.

I never got those cute "newborn portraits" made that everyone seems to be getting these days. Oh, I definitely wanted some but figured they'd be too expensive. Now I'm thinking I'd like to get Kupcake and Dball's pics made outside with a live bunny... since it's Spring/Easter-time. We'll see. We did have "family pictures" made at Nannie's funeral last month, so that's something at least.

Turns out my little darling is allergic to nuts right now. I was eating cashews every day for a few weeks there and her face would break out and turn red and her poop was dark green and foul-smelling. I'm hoping if I stay away from all nuts while we're nursing that she won't continue to be allergic to them and we can reintroduce them when she's older.

Currently she has blue eyes (the color of Nannie's, Matthew's, Jonathan's and Ashlie's I believe) and her hair is lighter than when she was born but still seems pretty brown. When she gets out of the shower or bath it's pretty curly, too. We'll have to see how that turns out!

We went to the Dr for her bloodwork a couple days ago and she was 12 lbs and 13 oz. She's really chunking up since I quit the cashews. Alright I have to run because she's complaining mightily about something- and slobbering all over both of us!

Here's how I remember it... =)

2011-02-01T11:11:00.003-06:00

My due date with Kupcake was 1/01/11. I had been scheduled for an inversion w/c-section on December 27 2010, but canceled because I was hoping she would turn from transverse/breech on her own if given a little more time. My fabulous midwife friend tried to run her officially twice, I did all the inversion exercises I could find (repeatedly) and Aceball and I tried to turn her ourselves a few times as well. She was suspiciously easy to manipulate, but would NOT stay in the position you moved her to. Sad, sad.

So we recheduled for 12/31/10. Our insurance had called to verify the charges we would ow, and (LIED!!!) told us even if she was born in January the deductible we had paid for 2010 would cover it. So we went to the hospital Friday morning, had a fabulous triage nurse who (FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE) got the IV started on the very first try. Dr. McA put something in my IV and started trying to turn the child. She said "no". It was NOT a COMFORTABLE PROCEDURE. I don't think he tried all that hard to be quite honest with you, and the triage nurse who was supposed to help him did pretty much nothing. So the original plan was to go ahead and section her if she didn't turn.

Turns out the W.C. "Women's Hospital" (where the NICU is, there's "always a anesthesiologist working", and "always a neonatologist on hand" was "not staffed" beause of the holiday (New Year's Eve? Really? At 9 o'clock in the morning??) for a non-emergency c-section. They also would not be staffed Sat (New Year's Day), Sun (I guess they try to avoid folks having babies on the weekend??) or Monday. There's no good excuse for not being fully staffed on Monday- they just said they were going to fully staff a sister hospital in the next town over, then the "women's hospital" where all the babies are supposed to be born would be fully staffed on TUESDAY. So we scheduled the section for Tuesday, retrieved our child and all his belongings from Celeste's house (bless her) and went home. I was sort of furious. And still on dilated to 1 at the very most.

So Monday we decided to have lunch at Cracker Barrel since we figured we wouldn't be able to eat out as a family for a while after the c-section. I had been having pretty strong contractions for months, they registered up to 50% on the monitor at the hospital even, but they were pretty high up on my uterus. Monday morning I had some pressure/pain really low in my pelvis, but nothing near unbearable so we went to lunch. A few times during lunch I had the pains again, but I was sitting up in a hard chair and just leaned forward a bit until the passed. And they did pass, fairly quickly, and we kept eating. We ate a LOT. Just as we finished lunch B asked if I needed to go to the bathroom before we left, so I figured what the heck. Had another heavy pain on the way, and one in the bathroom. And bleeding as well- not a lot, but since I had none before it was worth noting. I came back and told them I thought I might be in labor, though I wasn't in terrible pain, and that we should go home and think about the hospital. We did stop at Hobby Lobby on the way home because Christmas stuff was 80% off! (helllooooo- priorities!!)

We got home and B was timing the "pains" by then, and we packed up all Dball's things, I changed clothes and packed some additional things, and we went to the hospital. I think we got there a little after 2pm, and Celeste had taken one child to the Dr. so Dball sat in the waiting room and waited for her to come pick him up. I went to the "emergency" room (triage, basically) and they put an IV in (took this woman 2 tries, which is actually better than "usual" for me, but it BLED ALL OVER THE PLACE and hurt). When she checked my cervix she announced I was in labor and dilated to 4cm, and before she removed her hand she says, "ooh wait a min". ??? Um, NO. I'm thinking "remove your hand now", but I said, "What happened?" at least, I think I did. I was thinking some less charitable things, and having harder contractions now that were hurting WAY MORE because I was flat on my back. Anyway, nurse says, "something grabbed my finger!" She figured it was either Kupcake's fingers or toes holding on, and she was afraid to pull her finger away from Kupcake because she didn't want to break my water. Since Kupcake's head was still under my right rib, I knew it was her toes holding on to the nurse. Once she released the nurse went away. They wouldn't let me sit up because they insisted I still needed a c-section because the baby was still breech, and if I could've gotten on my hands and knees I might have progressed labor too far and it would interfere with the c-section. Then my water broke anyway, and Celeste showed up to get Dball. B went out with DBall, Celeste came in with me for a few minutes. The anesthesiologist came, my OB's partner came (he's the one who actually ended up doing the section) then Celeste left w/Dball and B came back in just as they were going to wheel me back to the operating room. They said they would call him in before the first cut was made (apparently they did not).

So I had a lidocaine shot in my back and then he put in a spinal block with astramorph. It was a little uncomfortable but not truly painful (less painful than the IV insertion by far) and we were on our way. Both when he put the meds in my IV for the external version and when he put the astramorph in my spinal I had really strange "visions" in my head... similar to seeing intestines rolling around in guts?! It was bizarre.

Thankfully B was finally called in, and restrained himself and stayed back with me instead of watching from the "business end" (he really wanted to). I couldn't actually hear any cutting or smell the contraption they use to seal off all the bleeding, but apparently he could. I figured they were cutting because B kept looking at me like he was concerned if I was ok or if I could feel whatever they were doing, plus there was a LOT of tugging and pulling. Right before Dr. Mason pulled the little darling free (at 4:25pm) he told us he had nicked her with the knife- she had a little slice on her tiny pink bum =(. She didn't appreciate it- and was quite vocal about it. I got to see her and kiss her and then B went with her to the nursery (or wherever they go) to be doctored and they set about sewing me back together. I had no idea there were 5 layers to be sewn through! The anesthesiologist (fabulous man!) offered me valium in my IV but I couldn't figure out why I'd need it, and he kept telling me what a great job I was doing?!?! I clearly wasn't doing anything but lying there while being sewn up, but there ya' go. He was I was "such a trooper". They told stories about when they were young and how they cut down trees and got in trouble for it as boys...

After all that I went to recovery, which was completely devoid of activity and the two nurses who were there seemed like they had just gotten there. The Dr's had been talking about other babies being born, but I was the ONLY ONE in recovery, and the nurses even had to wait for the computer to warm up, so I figured no one else had been there all day. I kept asking them questions and they were polite but seemed confused. I finally asked if everything was okay, and the one nurse indicated that most people who have c-sections are not awake (or not coherent?) when they arrive in recovery. They weren't used to patients actually interacting with them. I kept asking when I could go to the baby, and she finally told me I HAD to stay in recovery for at LEAST 30 mins no matter what, and my baby would likely get to our room at the same time I did. They did ask if I wanted them to get B, but I told them "only if he brings my daughter with him". So he didn't come to recovery.

I got to our room, and it was 30-45 mins LONGER before B & K showed up. I don't know how most c-sections go, but I'm pretty glad I was only at the hospital for about 2 hours by the time the child was born. I would've gladly gone home the next day, but they make you stay at least 48 hours. They were wanting me to stay until 4:30 on Wednesday (thus completing the full 48 hours) but I informed her I was leaving, with my newborn, directly after lunch and if someone needed to check her out they needed to get on it because I wasn't waiting around.

Tomorrow may be the day....

2010-12-26T16:52:00.002-06:00

but I'm nauseous just thinking about it. The more I consider it, the worse I feel about the Dr. turning the baby.
Kara came on Friday, but Celeste was out of town and ABall was at work. So Kupcake was agreeable to turning, but as soon as Kara stopped blocking my pelvis, the child stuck something (knee? leg? bottom?) down in it. Hopefully she will have time to come by tonight, and she and B (and maybe Celeste, if she's really bored!) can try to turn her again with adequate assistance. I'm hoping she's bigger now, with less room to swim, and if we can get her head down there she won't be able to pull it back out? It sounds plausible in my head.
I'm scheduled at the hospital for the external version tomorrow morning at 8:30am. The plan is to attempt to turn her, but if she won't turn I have a c-section scheduled for 1:30pm tomorrow afternoon. Now I'm thinking if we can't get her turned tonight, or at any rate if she's not engaged tomorrow at 8:30, I will have them skip the version and just do the c-section and be done with it. I'm not wanting a c-section, at all, but apparently people live through it all day, every day. I've walked the neighborhood, the house, done upside down and yoga exercises- I just don't know that there's any more I can do to turn the child or encourage labor to start on it's own.
We had a great Christmas Friday night and yesterday, I thought. We didn't open Kupcake's family gifts yet... since she's not even out yet. We did, however, open her stocking from Santa in case she "needed" any of it at the hospital. Turns out she did! Santa brought her a baby doll, some paci's, some hair bands with bows on them... and some cute little ballerina sockies and mittens. She'll definitely need those!
Dball was pretty excited about his Christmas. He got some Harry Potter Legos, some Toy Story 3 Legos, a wii video game and a book he'd been wanting. He also got $20 from David & Alice & family, and $10 from Nana and Grandpa. He feels rich!!
B and I both got watches we'd been asking for, and I got movies I really wanted. B got movies he wanted too, and a wii video game he was REALLY wanting. I'm glad we decided to lower the amount of gifts this year- and I'm looking forward to bigger Birthday celebrations next year. I'll admit it was a little difficult for me -- I wanted to buy more and more gifts for D & B.... but it really is a celebration of Christ's birth, and I really felt we needed to focus more on that.
D spent a great deal of time putting Lego sets together yesterday, and of course he and B spent hours playing wii. D put most of the Toy Story Lego set together right after Church today, and of course they're back to playing wii now for the last few hours. It's pretty cool here and humid- and I guess they could be doing worse things.
I'm really looking forward to K getting here, getting to see her in real life, and B being off work for a month. Sadly he will be out-of-town Jan 16-19 for a "business trip" to San Diego that I wish me and the kids could accompany him on... but other than that he should be around the house with us. Mom and possibly Ashlie are coming if K ever decides to deliver, so that will be fun. D's hoping Nana will want to eat out at Red Lobster- I don't think we've been there since Nannie left for Alabama?
We are still sad that Nannie is gone now, and we didn't get to see her for at least 9 mos... I so wish she could've traveled here, or I hadn't been on bedrest so I could've seen her. She was excited about Kupcake and wanting to make her blankets and booties and things- but just didn't have the energy to do it. I still have the booties she made D, but there are no pink ones of course. Oh, well. I do have the girl stocking she made me years ago- for "just in case" I ever have a girl. We hung it this year and Santa filled it. It matches D's but has a little girl dreaming on it instead of a little boy. I'm really glad she thought to make me that all those years ago. I've never found the brightly colored baby blanket she made that is my favorite... no idea where it could be. But I did take the blue ribbons out of the cream colored blanket she made us for the hospital with D, and replaced them with light pink ones. So I can take her picture on it and it will be just like D's hospital picture, only pink. =) Makes me happy!
Thanks mostly to Celeste I think we have most of the equipment we need for K, with the exception of a crib. Bryson got a table saw for Christmas- so he should be able to finish her room during his paternity leave (wooohoo!). I'm glad we got the co-sleeper, and it will be sufficient for several months since I would never put her clear across the house in her own room before she's 6 mos old at least.
I think that's about all I had to catch up on. Hoping I make it through tomorrow without having a nervous breakdown or something... =)

Thinking about getting dressed....

2010-12-18T11:17:00.002-06:00

and maybe making some gingerbread. There's so many snackies I want to make- though I can't eat many of them and we aren't expecting company or anything. I guess I could them to friends- I dunno. Dball and I saw some chocolate covered mini marshmallows at the store the other day. We decided we could just make our own but use the big marshmallows and put Christmas sprinkles and stuff on them. That would be easy enough....
I feel sorta bad that Dball has done so little in the way of school work the last month or so. He has done some Math, Reading, English worksheets I guess. Not every day or anything- sometimes only once-a-week. Except for the reading- which he does more often. He never seems to tire of playing Wii games- which would drive me stark raving mad. He also loves to pop popcorn and watch movies in the afternoons. I can only watch a few movies over and over (Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, Wizard of Oz...) but he and his father seem to have no problem with the concept.
I'm thinking after Kupcake makes her appearance we can look forward to getting settled in with her and start up school again in January. We need to include Science, which I totally slacked off on this past semester. Hopefully Celeste will do it with us, and that will help keep it going. The kids love Science, and I just don't. I don't hate it- but I can take it or leave it for sure. I like History and English, which I did manage to keep up with last semester until this last month or so of pregnancy. Not that D's behind by any stretch- since he tests at an 8th grade level for Reading and Math I'm not overly concerned he'll fall behind. I'm thinking it'll be a little more difficult for him to get back into the groove of school though when we finally do.
Near as I can tell, Kupcake remains transverse. Maybe I should just give up and go for the c-section? Sounds awful to me though. I've been doing the couch inversion from Spinning Babies, plus this yoga shoulder stand thing. Okay, I've only done the shoulder stand once- and B had to get me into that position- but we're going to do it again tonight and tomorrow. We continue to pray both individually (at least I do!) and as a family that Kupcake will be in the right position when we go into labor, or at least shortly thereafter. I was kind of hoping that with all the trials of the pregnancy (and previous pregnancies) that delivery could be- well, less dramatic. I still wonder if the girl isn't transverse simply because I've been kept on bedrest for 6-7 months, and she's made her a comfy little spot there and just sees no reason to move. On ultrasound she appears to be reclining. With these exercises I do feel a lot of movement from her, but it seems to be temporary and I think she goes back to reclining within an hour or two afterward. Maybe eventually she will stay though. My next appointment is Monday, and I'm just hoping to get her into a different position by then so I can feel like I'm having some effect.
Alright I believe I'll take a shower and more strongly consider getting dressed now. :D Then I think D and I will make some treats... and decide what to feed our Poppy for dinner tonight!

I feel like I need to write something

2010-12-15T14:27:00.003-06:00

but I also feel ornery and don't really want to. =)

I'm so far behind I may never catch up, but I can fill in a few of the highlights I guess. With this pregnancy I've had strong painful contractions for weeks now. I know they aren't "push-the-baby-out" contractions- but they're pretty uncomfortable at times. I keep hearing from women who've had several pregnancies that their contractions were worse with later pregnancies, plus when they were over 35 years old. Maybe that's what the deal is, I don't know.

So I was scheduled to have the cerclage removed at 36 weeks and 2 days, but ended up in the ER with fairly strong contractions just after 35 weeks. My OB went ahead and removed the cerclage the next morning, and I promptly dilated to a fingertip. Two weeks later I remain dilated only a fingertip. I swear to you I dilated to 5 at 23 weeks with Logan a he literally fell out- sac and all. I don't know what's up with DBall (delivered at 39 weeks... 3 weeks after cerclage removal) and Kupcake- still holding strong in there. I don't think she ever plans to come out. Maybe she truly WANTS a Christmas Birthday. Either way, she's still in there and show little sign if ever coming out. So there.

Not only is she make no effort to come out, she's also not assumed the correct position to come out if she ever decided to. She is transverse- on ultrasound it looks like she's lying in a hammock staring at her fingers and occasionally her toes. Her tiny ballerina behind is pointing toward my cervix most days, and her head is on the right side of my uterus (she butts me with it throughout the day) and she's pretty much reclining toward my right hip. Her feet are sometimes up on the left opposite her head, but sometimes she stretches them down and kicks my bladder or kidney. It's uncomfortable.

She seems to like to hear her father's voice. She wiggles around a lot when he leans down and talks to her. Sometimes really uncomfortably so.

15 Blissful Years!

2010-11-20T16:10:00.003-06:00

Well, cumulatively they've been good. =) B and I have been married for 15 years- unbelievable! No doubt all those naysayers are pretty surprised too. Especially those ones who thought we had to get married because we were pregnant. Hope they're feeling pretty DANG BAD about that now, considering all the miscarriages and the loss of Logan 11 years ago.

So we celebrated our Happy Anniversary in pretty grand style, for a 40 y/o pregnant woman. A fabulous friend kept Dball all afternoon (literally- from 11am-8pm) and we dressed up and went out. We had lunch at Ella's, inside the Inn at Carnell Hall on U of A campus. We had crabcakes for an appetizer (well, I had half of one cake), I had a hamburger (seriously- it was FABULOUS) and homemade fries, and B had beef stroganoff. For dessert we had creme brulee and peppermint cake w/ganache and raspberry coulis. FABULOUS.

Then we made a short trip to pick up a few Christmas gifts, then on to our massages. My lower back is killing me, and I stressed that's where I was having the most pain/trouble, but just like the last massage she focused on my shoulder blades? They go on and on about how many knots and such there are there- but really WHAT HURTS IS MY HIPS AND LOWER BACK. I just wish somebody would fix it.

After that we brought stopped for Taco Bueno and headed for the movies. We saw the new Harry Potter. We enjoyed it- it's a bit dark (lighting-wise and theme-wise) but fai similar to the book- at least B didn't complain through the whole thing about how they switched it up too much from the book. =)

Unfortunately I'm thinking we did too much, even though I did very little walking or moving around. Also my Kupcake may have dropped- which might contribute to me barely being able to walk at times. I guess it didn't occur to me that the Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction might possibly get worse when the baby was lower? I'm full of complaints, aches and pains today though. I did manage a shower before B came home for lunch, but that's about it. I had a bath and slept pretty well last night- but still took a two hour on/off nap this morning and I'm still exhausted now. My ankles, which didn't swell at all earlier in the pregnancy, are still slightly swollen from yesterday. Today marks 34 weeks pregnant for which I AM GRATEFUL. But I will be relieved to make it to 36 weeks. Kupcake can arrive anytime after December 3 and I'll call it good....

I did manage to find a great deal on some fairy fabric on ebay last week. A woman passed away and a family member was clearing out her quilting stores. They must not have realized the price this fabric was going for- I've been finding it all over for a lot more. Hopefully I can find a comfortable position to get the child's quilt made. Maybe even BEFORE she gets here!

My Aball finally made it home from work, and now he and Dball have done to a friend's house to watch the Razorback game. I think it's more like a boy's night out... there's lots of food and such involved. I think it's good for them though. Maybe after Kupcake is here and I'm better able to get around I will have to go do things with my friends too. I might have to take K w/me I guess, but it still might be fun.

I'm going to have to find a more comfortable position now. I'm thinking positive thoughts and not bearing down on anything hoping to keep Kupcake in there another 2 weeks at least....

Sitting on my labor ball.....

2010-11-16T11:08:00.002-06:00

we'll see how long this lasts. I've had pelvic physical therapy twice a week for the last couple weeks for symphysis pubis dysfunction, I'm not certain if it's helping? She gave me a cool girdle/belt thing that definitely helps though.

Saw the OB last week. He keeps saying "34 weeks is the milestone" (what milestone is it? what does that mean?) but he hopes to keep the cerclage in until 36 weeks. Now that I've come to terms with the child possibly being born on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (everyone kept telling me it was a bad idea, etc., etc.) I'm terrified she won't stay in until December 1. I have strong and sometimes painful contractions every day now, but timing them last night I didn't have more than 4/hour. The info sheet the OB gave me said it wasn't a problem unless it went beyond 4/hour that I couldn't get to stop by resting and drinking fluids.

Another less important reason for my inner ballerina to stay inside: I don't want her to have my (yellow! THE HORROR!) birthstone. I dislike it immensely. Obviously, I'm more concerned about her health than her birthstone though.

Couldn't sit here much longer but now I'm back. My Aball came home for lunch (I LOVE it when he does a route close enough to stop in for lunch!) and then I had physical therapy. She just massaged my back (again) today, and said I don't have to do the exercises since I'm having more contractions and we want to keep the tiny dancer inside. She also canceled Thursday appointment, which I was thinking would be a good idea especially since B and I are getting massages on Friday for our anniversary. We're also going to lunch at Ella's, then see the new Harry Potter movie- yeeehaaaw! Amazing Celeste is keeping Dball most of the day for us Friday. 2 prenatal massages in 3 weeks- I am grateful and excited!

So Dball and I are both running a low-grade fever and have head colds. I'm not loving it. He's currently lying on his bed, watching "Herbie the Love Bug", drinking peach herbal tea. He's taken emercen-C, vitamin D and B12. Fingers crossed- I cannot afford to get sick!

Time to get a few things down...

2010-10-27T13:52:00.003-05:00

So I didn't really go into much detail when previously discussing homeschooling my fabulous 9 y/o. I didn't lie- he was definitely way ahead and way bored in class. But it seems there was quite a bit more to it than I was even aware of at the time. I've been thinking about it a great deal lately I think because it's been in the news so much. I'm traumatized that children are actually committing suicide because they're being bullied. On the Today Show this morning they were talking about bullying. They were refering to a "landmark statement" made by the US Dept of Education. They said something to the effect that bullying is not just a normal rite of passage, or an inevitable part of growing up. And that we have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe for all of our kids. I'm not so sure what's landmark" about that. And I don't know who this "we" is they're referring to, but I do know the kids at my son's elementary school know that they cannot "tattle" because they will be ignored, and then the other kids will harass them for being "tattle tails".

Before I really get into that though, I want to say that I *always* wanted to be an elementary school teacher. I don't know if my teachers were just "better" than everyone elses, or if that was just the norm back then. I wanted to wear "teacher clothes" (I still love teacher clothes- they're fab!) and supervise kick ball games when I had recess duty. I wanted to decorate the room for holidays, bring homemade treats and gifts for my kids, etc.

I LOVED school. New clothes, new pencils, new folders. When my son was in kindergarten I thought maybe it was going to be the same for him. In kindergarten he refused to eat lunch for the whole first semester. He hates to eat in front of people, but still it was extremely stressful for me. I will pretty much eat anywhere, with anyone- so I have no idea where this issue came from. Apparently he came with it though- like the rest of his personality. But he never complained about going to school once he got settled into kindergarten. With the exception of refusing to eat at school- everything seemed peachy. There was a mean little girl in his class (we'll just call "Emi" for kicks) and he did tell me she was mean to people. When I mentioned it to his kindy teacher she said they do have to keep an eye on her. D said she wasn't mean to HIM, but she was mean to other kids.

Now my Dball was very sweet, sang a lot and skipped/jumped a lot when he was young. He made up songs to go with what he was doing, songs using the words of a sentence I had just spoken to him, etc. He was pretty happy, and non-aggressive. He was never competitive, which his father has some issues with but I do not. He was thoughtful in little ways that I don't think I actually "taught" him. Like when he was invited to a girl from his PreK class's Birthday Party. It was at the skating rink- and he had never been before. We picked out a present, dressed in jeans and a Christmas sweatshirt (it was in mid-December) and went to the party. Most of the little boys were playing at the pool tables and arcade games, but D was standing in the middle of the skate floor with one other little boy and about a million 3 y/o girls. When I suggested that he might want to check out what the little boys were doing, he told me, "It's Missy's party, so I need to be where she is. She would be sad if I played with other people instead of her at her Birthday party!". Well, shut my mouth. I had no idea. I don't think she really would've cared- but it seemed so thoughtful of him to consider that.

So we made it through Kindy and he was looking forward to 1st grade. Within weeks his personality started changing and I had no idea why. I tried to talk to him about it, and he refused to have a discussion about it. Eventually he told me that they sometimes played kickball at recess. He didn't say anything else about it for many weeks. I volunteered in the teacher workroom every week, and ate lunch w/him if I was there. He never wanted to sit with his friends, always at a separate table with just me and him. He didn't sing anymore, didn't skip, and "hated" everything. said everything was "boring". Still I had no clue why he had changed. I was having to send him to his room after school for an hour every day just because I couldn't deal with him and his attitude. He didn't do anything wrong- didn't throw a fit or anything- he was just so grumpy I couldn't deal with it.

I wondered if maybe 1st grade was just difficult for some people and maybe 2nd grade would be better. People told me that it was probably just switching from kindergarten where you have naps and snacks and such to "regular" class.

So we were optimistic for 2nd grade. D was ahead in all subjects when he started 2nd, his teacher seemed nice enough and I still volunteered every week at the school. His attitude got worse and I wondered if maybe it was somehow just his "real personality" developing? I asked about kick ball again, and he almost yelled at me that "all they ever do is cheat". WHO??? Aren't there teachers out there? He told me that there were teachers out there, but their (2nd grade) recess overlapped with 3rd grade's recess, so 3rd grade always controlled the balls and the game. They DID let the 2nd graders play, but they cheated. He explained that the 3rd graders would claim the tree root as 1st base, until a 2nd grader kicked and got to the root. THEN they would say, "No, it's the tree trunk and not the root, so you're out". Seems like a little thing maybe, but children need to be taught how to play fairly. An adult needs to be there to guide them and show them the proper way to interact. It's very discouraging to the children who are younger, and/or who are being raised by parents with strong values and morals to have to deal with bullies and liars and cheaters. I asked why they didn't tell a teacher, or ask a teacher to supervise the game to make sure no one was cheating. He told me that others HAD told the teachers before, and the teachers just tell them to "Go play. We're visiting- you go play. Don't tattle". Then, of course, when there's no adult to supervise that tells the 3rd graders that it's more than okay to cheat and bully the littler kids, in addition to now calling them tattle tales. NICE. The teachers are not, in fact, out there to visit. They are out there to supervise the children and their raising, since public school children spend more awake time at school every day than they do at home. If Mrs. Herndon or Mrs. Premeaux heard we were cheating or bullying other kids (my 2nd and 3rd grade teachers) they would have done something about it immediately. I don't remember ever being told to stop tattling or not to interrupt their visiting??

Just before I pulled D out of public school a friend told me she was on the playground and saw that delightful aforementioned child (the one we'/ll call "Emi" just for kicks) running behind my child and smacking him on the head. More than once. HE NEVER SAID A WORD TO ME about it, and he never would've. She did it more than once on that day in particular. That same delightful child whose neck I'd like to wring was depantsing another child at recess every day (another little girl). Went on for weeks apparently. The visiting teachers stand on the back-porch either didn't see it because they weren't paying attention, or just felt like the kids should suck it up and deal with it. Similar to either not noticing D getting smacked on the head every time she ran by him at recess (every day) I suppose. And why would the children report it to the teachers? After speaking to many of the kids I learned that the teachers were always telling them to "quit tattling and go play". I suppose if you were bleeding or broke your arm they would notice- if someone came and told them. But regular every day bullying and lying and cheating is apparently not a priority to deal with.

So I brought D home and started homeschooling him. Within weeks his sweet, happy personality started to return. NO KIDDING- it was an amazingly short period of time. He now sings little ditties almost incessantly, but I hate to complain because I've lived with the alternative and it's awful. There's just no excuse for elementary children to "hate" school and have to deal with bullying. There's no excuse for ANY child to have to deal with it, but especially not elementary- they're just babies. My child was DEPRESSED- because of charming Emi and older kids bullying younger kids on the playground. We entrust our children to these people for 8 hours a day, and I personally think we have the right to them being appropriately supervised. I'm betting those same elementary school teachers are not yet aware of the 4th grade boys who are kissing girls (and who knows what else??) behind trees and play equipment every day at recess. You can bet the other kids are aware of it though.

Anyway, I feel a little better now. I do not think my child needs to toughen up an learn to deal with people picking on him. I think that's stupid. He's bright, articulate, joyful, thoughtful.... and I'd like him to stay that way. I'd rather the adults we pay to be in charge do their jobs. The children need to learn respect, honesty, strong moral values, etc... It's not okay to lie and cheat and steal and bully other kids. Even if they're dumber, smarter, faster, slower, fatter, richer, poorer, gay-er, more religious, less religious, more or less ethnic than you. Period. It's not okay. It's a travesty for a 7-8 year old to be CLINICALLY DEPRESSED because of obnoxious kids and apathetic adults at their school. I remain traumatized that I didn't pull him out sooner. Also that he didn't want to tell me what was going on because he believed it was "tattling" and something he shouldn't do. There is a right and wrong, just because some folks don't teach or live that in their homes does not negate the reality of it. There should be standards that children are taught to live by while they're in school. There should be consequences when they don't behave properly. I don't care if it offends their parents or old siblings- right is right and wrong is wrong. Period.

I'm done for now. Thanks.

I guess it's been a while...

2010-10-02T14:02:00.004-05:00

But I sorta feel like I have nothing new to say. I have some complaints, about being tired and sore and wishing I could exercise- but even I get tired of hearing those. =)

I have to see the OB every 2 weeks now, which is a major pain, but I suppose he's trying to make sure we get the child here this time. He insists on checking the cerclage every time- unless I've had an u/s in the past week or been to the hospital and been checked. Ashley Deed (my OB while pregnant w Dball) never checked it manually- she said it was in there and we should leave it alone. My cervix does not like to be manipulated. I have been informed that most people cannot feel their cervix, a very small percentage have any feeling at all even when it's been messed with all the time. I am, of course, in said small percentage. So inaddition to ebing sore from laying around all day (per his orders) and Kenzie growing a the appropriate rate, every two weeks (at least) my cervix feels sore and bruised. Please, please, PLEASE let us get this child here safely and then I can have a hysterectomy and be done with it. Just please.

So I started having really strong lower back pain week before last, as well as menstrual like cramping int he front and down into my thighs. I went to the hospital even though I didn't think I was having contractions just to make sure. I was not having contractions and they will not give me any pain meds. It's SO BIZARRE- I'm not young after all, and I've always had darvocet for migraines and such. My fruit loop of a Dr thinks it would be abd for the baby (wasn't bad for D. or Logan- but magically somehow it will be for Kenzie) and instead he has referred me for pelvic physical therapy. I haven't called them back yet, and I happen to have quite a bit of left over darvocet from the cerclage. I may call them. But I may not.

D wants to be a ninja for Halloween. I think my old witch costume will fit me since the skirt is HUGE- I'll just have to find something to wear on top. We got a tshirt that came with a bandana thing to be pirates last year on clearance after Halloween- maybe B will wear it. He might not- he's not big on Halloween. D's didn't come with the bandana (to wear over the bottom half of your face to complete the pirate look) and mine won't fit over Kenzingten.

We're going to Tulsa on October 15 for our 3D ultrasound. We will have it on DVD, still digital photos on CD, and it will stream live for 2 months from their website. They charge $50 less than my OB's office. When I asked if they could match the price, their "office manager" Nancy gave me some long, drawn out spiel about how it would affect ALL of the Dr's there, not just my Dr and she could NEVER agree to such a thing. SERIOUSLY!? I have to have a 2D u/s there the Monday prior anyway to check up on the amniotic fluid. IT'S THE SELF-SAME MACHINE that they do the 3D u/s on, they just fli8p a switch. She said for that price I could get the 3D with the CD, but NO DVD- even though there's a slot for the DVDR and they could just pop it in there (I can even bring my own DVD!!!) and record it while it's going on. She was alarmed at the idea and said there was no way she could agree to that even though my OB said it would be fine- because it would affect the other Dr's as well. So I clarified: You would rather I drive to Tulsa, and give them my $150- then allow me to pay you $150 for the same thing even though you're having to do the follow-up u/s that day anyway? Yes, she said that was my best option. You know those Dr's are hurting for that extra $50 that doesn't involve them in any way, shape or form. It's so lame I can hardly stand it.

I still need to order the rest of the material for Kenzie's crib quilt, the panel is HUGE and I will only need like a 7" band of the blue material around the panel. I'm thinking I'll put minky on the backside. I'm not sure what to do for curtains, though I do like the idea of toille if I can find one I like that cooordinates. The carpet in her room is pink, the walls will be white bead board on the bottom, and light sagey green on top. I'll post a picture of my 9 y/o with the quit panel here in a minute. It's really large. Also a picture I made in "paint" of what I think the finished quilt will look like.

My ABall is at work as usual today. He's been working fairly long hours. He was supposed to be off last Saturday but of course they needed him and he had to go in. Since we had to bring snacks for D's soccer game they finally agreed to let him deliver our route (which includes the soccer fields) so he could bring the snacks down to the field for me. I, being on bed rest, obviously CAN NOT carry ice chests and such down to the fields. They took next week's day off as well, so getting anything done around here is extremely slow. I feel bad that he ahs SO MUCH to do on his days off- ebcause they won't let him HAVE any days off. We've got to paint D's new room and move his stuff into it, paint both bathrooms, move the guestroom stuff to D's old room so we can paint Kenzie's new room, then move what furniture around that needs moving. I can do NONE of that, and D obviously cannot either. In addition to all of that which needs doing, he's trying to keep the yard mowed but it's pretty slow going as both lawn mowers and the weed-eater are having serious mechanical issues this year. Also it's often almost dark by the time he gets home from work now, so he can only do it in bits and pieces.

Alright I'm sore from sitting here... gonna go read some more. I did take some chicken out for dinner (chicken quesadillas? chicken burritos? chicken tacos? It's MEXICAN night here!).

"Be sure you lay around the house a lot"

2010-08-27T08:29:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure that's what my OB said yesterday afternoon. Hubs heard it too- you can't make this stuff up.
I'm delighted that there's been no spotting for quite a few weeks now. The ultrasound last week was comforting and a huge relief- both the UAMS RN and the Fayetteville geneticist said everything looked great and they hadn't seen anything unusual or to be concerned about. I had actually asked the tech during the ultrasound if there looked like a normal amount of amniotic fluid in there. She said looked normal to her, and none of the medical professionals who were involved with it noticed anything out of the ordinary.
So Aball and I went to to see the OB yesterday. He didn't check the cerclage "because [I'd] just had an ultrasound last week" (I STILL think manipulating my cervix every visit is a BAD idea??) but said I will start coming every 2 weeks now because of my condition. Then he told us that the UAMS Dr. was concerned about the amniotic fluid being "on the low side of normal". ???? They told me everything was fine- and specifically asked about amniotic fluid. Granted, it mustn't be a HUGE concern, since they are planning another level 2 ultrasound 7-8 weeks from now. Still though, I guess if something can go wrong, I feel obligated to acquire that condition. Please, PLEASE let this be my last pregnancy. If I can just get this child here to stay alive and well- I cannot do this again. That's my plan.
Dr. did say that could ride in a car to Little Rock and back- as long as I wasn't the one driving. I'm uncertain what difference that makes- but I'm glad he said I could go. I was thinking in order to afford the 3D u/s we might have to get it in LR- but I've located a place in Springfield, MO, that should be fine.
Today I'm wiped out again, but I did manage to make dinner (in the crockpot), take Dball bowling, and bake two loaves of bread yesterday. I think we're going to the park today- if the Wheelers can make it. Otherwise I might have to stay home in bed or something.

It's a GIRL!

2010-08-19T10:30:00.003-05:00

I just like to say that- I'm so surprised that the tech actually said it was a girl, I'm not sure I'll believe it until I actually see her with my own eyes live and in person. Fortunately (I suppose) one of the bedrooms (and only one?) came with light pink carpet- so that will be Kenzie's bedroom. My precious sisters-in-law are forwarding clothes from first Sarah to Nicole (who is due in a couple weeks I think?), then to ME when Nic & Mike's Zofia outgrows them. Also Angel graciously offered me her girl clothes- so hopefully I won't have to buy a WHOLE lot of items early on.

I do need a co-sleeper, but we're planning to look on Craigslist a little closer to delivery. Also there's a huge consignment sale here (Rhea Lana's) next month so we will definitely check there as well. We also need a crib, but will use the dresser instead of a changing table. I'm planning to get free carseats from the police station, and I think I still have all the parts to my high chair. Gracious Celeste says I can use all of her baby equipment including baby bath and such. I may need a jogging stroller still, but we'll see.

I apparently have an appointment with my OB next week (I'm fairly certain I knew nothing about it until the office called to reschedule) but I'm sure he will continue to keep me on modified bedrest. Maybe when it cools off (like in October??) I can start at least walking around the block occasionally. I'm a little concerned about getting the child out with no muscle tone or anything. Sounds uncomfortable and like it might make for a long recovery.
My Bryson was off work Sunday through yesterday- and I keep feeling like today is Monday. This past Monday was his scheduled day off, and he ended up taking Tues-Weds off so Dball could have some friends over to celebrate his birthday. He only had 3 friends over, because he wanted to play 4-player wii games and was afraid if more than 4 people were here that someone would be/feel left out.
The boys all showed up around 6pm, and they had Eureka pizza. We sang Happy Birthday and blew candles out on the "big ice cream cake" that I made, but then the boys decorated their own ice cream cupcakes and ate them. After that they swam for an hour or two. THEN they came in and got their pajamas on and opened presents. Then the games commenced. I left Bryson in charge of that and fell asleep around 11-12am.... When I woke up at 3:30 they were STILL OUT THERE playing wii tournaments! Needless to say, I'm fairly certain none but Peyton got to sleep before 4:00am.
I thought they wouldn't have time to make their own bouncy balls the next morning before everyone's parents retrieved them- but they managed to eat pancakes and bacon, plus make their own bouncy balls.
My Aball had to go back to work today, but then he works Friday and will be home Saturday and Sunday. He needed Saturday off to go to Coleman's paint ball Birthday party- which we're hoping Dball will participate in. Our first soccer game may also be that day- though I haven't heard yet.

Alright I might be all outta news now. In what I consider to be an heroic effort, I did manage to get next month's schedule & food calendar completed and printed off yesterday. Also finished this month's food calendar and printed it out as well, so now I can just look on the fridge for what I need to make for dinner every night. I'm kinda proud- I haven't worried with it since I got pregnant and had all these issues.

18.5 weeks now

2010-08-04T09:02:00.002-05:00

and everything seems to be going well. Dball played at Celeste's yesterday while B & I went to the Dr. He checked the cerclage and declared it sound (yay) and found Niblet's heartbeat really quickly. I haven't felt Nib moving as much lately, so that was reassuring. My blood pressure was normal, and I think it showed maybe a 2lb weight gain (for the entire pregnancy thus far). I haven't had any spotting at all for like 2 weeks now.

I asked about playing in the above-ground pool in our backyard. After much consideration, Dr. finally consented that if B or another adult were there to supervise entering and exiting the pool (via 3-step ladder) that I could, occasionally, get in our pool. But if I get dizzy or anything on the ladder on the way in, I am to go back down the ladder and go put my feet up somewhere. He theorized that if I lived in a home with stairs (I don't) I could probably walk up/down them a little during the day, though that's not the same as a ladder. He dislikes the idea of any pregnant woman getting onto a ladder, but particularly one in my condition is concerning.

So I'm guessing yesterday might've been a little too much activity for me? I'm completely exhausted somehow. We went to the W's to visit and play a little after 2pm, left D there and went to the Dr. Then we all came home and ate dinner. After that we went to WM which took a while, but I stayed on the elec cart the whole time. Don't know if that's my problem or not. Either way I need a nap already.

In two weeks we get out level 2 teleconference ultrasound. Hoping the baby is healthy and fine, and that they can determine gender. I'm pretty sure it's another boy, but I'm going to keep calling her Kenzie until proven otherwise. =) I won't be horribly disappointed when the child shows up as John Whittaker.... it would be just be nice to try the pink kind.

Oh- in retrospect I cleaned the kitchen, made dinner, hung up colored clothes, cleaned my toilet and folded (and put away) a load of white clothes yesterday as well. Maybe I did a little more than I originally thought....

Alright I'm too tired to do this. Wonder if D will mind playing legos while I go to sleep for a little bit ;o)

Still preggo

2010-07-20T09:59:00.002-05:00

(HALLELUJAH!)
On Saturday we were officially 16 weeks pregnant. I'm increasingly optimistic as I've got the cerclage in holding my cervix shut, and I've never miscarried this late before. My Dr. seems absolutely unconcerned, which is a bit disconcerting at times. (not sure why?)

Mom was here for several days last week. She, B, D and I all went to Dball's Pulmonology appointment last Tuesday. Dr. Menendez says we can reduce his Pulmicort by half for 6 weeks, then go in for a pulmonary function test. If his numbers are still high, we can stop it altogether, then at 6 weeks go in for pulmonary function again. If his numbers remain high, he can start lowering his albuterol that he uses before exercise. As Fall will be quickly approaching, I'm hoping he will be okay. Soccer will start soon, and then basketball. Since he has exercise- and allergy-induced asthma, we may not be able to lower the albuterol at that time.

Then B took D home and Mom and I went to my surgery follow-up with my OB. He checked the cerclage and said it felt great, but said I still couldn't exercise much or do anything at all strenuous. I cannot walk up many stairs or inclines, lift anything heavier than milk, walk even one block, or climb up the ladder to our pool in the backyard. He did, after some consideration, say I could go to in-ground pools if I didn't actually "swim" (instead I can float!) and didn't get in and out very many times. So there ya' go. If I start cramping or aching or get tired, I'm to stop whatever I'm doing and put my feet up.

The next day we did indeed go to the Aquatic Center, and after 2-3 hours I was exhausted and my back was killing me. I think it was good for me though? I still have spotting from the subchorionic hemorrhage, which Dr. seems to think will eventually clear up and go away.

I can feel the baby moving fairly regularly now, though I reckon by 20 weeks or so I will feel her more often. Aball thinks he felt her moving last night, but she actually stops moving when he puts his hand on my stomach. =) Dball, while still in utero, did the same thing back in the day. Dball did NOT, however, settle down when my stomach was up against Aball's back during the night. He just kicked him. =) I thought it was pretty funny, since the child was kicking me all day and night. mwahahahahahaha

Dball is currently copying his paragraph (in cursive) for Language Arts. It is taking MUCH longer than anyone would've hoped, but as the year progresses I hope it will become much easier and faster for him. I especially hope he will complain less about it as he gets more used to having to do it. He's currently singing, "Carry me banana.... daylight come...." while he copies his paragraph.

Today I have labwork scheduled for the "quad screen" and something about cystic fibrosis risks for the baby. I don't see the Dr. again until I think August 3. I have my 20-week level 2 ultrasound via teleconference with UAMS on August 17. Hopefully the baby will be appropriately positioned so we can determine gender. I had a nightmare that when it came time to deliver the baby, there were two of them. They kept insisting that one was "hiding" behind the other. I kept insisting that I had more than 10 ultrasounds during this pregnancy, and that other baby clearly could not be mine and they needed to return it to whomever they stole it from. =) I have been known to have dreams that "come true", but I'm not terribly concerned about this one since I have MANY BIZARRE dreams during pregnancy and I chalk this up to that phenomenon.

Ahhh, the child finished his copy work. He feels his cursive is so bad that no one else could read it. So he made me read it out loud (it did take a bit of effort on my part) to try and prove his point. I reassured him that doing this every week will improve his writing as well as the time it takes to write in cursive. He remains skeptical.

And so it begins....

2010-07-20T09:43:00.003-05:00

I was so excited to finally be organized for the new school year. My child is far less so. I had intended to do a little more schooling over the Summer; but with the pregnancy, bed rest, surgery- I really haven't been up to it. Since B was off work yesterday, I decided to start today. We will probably take Friday off- so that will only be 3 days this week. Maybe we can take every Friday off. So far my plan as follows:

Mondays
Language Arts/dictation (Learning Language Arts through Literature, Tan Book)
Singapore Math
Pathway reading + 1 worksheet
Copy Spelling Words for the week (from LA dictation and Pathway Reader)
Silent Reading (30 minutes)
Science/Zoology @ Wheelers

Tuesdays
Learning Language Arts through Literature
Singapore Math
Reading worksheet
Spelling Sentences
Silent Reading (30 minutes)

Wednesdays
Learning Language Arts through Literature
Singapore Math
Reading Worksheet
Silent Reading (30 minutes)
Spelling activity?

Thursdays
Learning Language Arts through Literature
Singapore Math
Spelling test today?
Silent Reading (30 minutes)
History here w/Cman

Fridays
Silent Reading (30 minutes)
Science experiments & activities @ Wheelers
Park Day

Since we have Vacation Bible School with friends at the Presbyterian Church this week we are getting to bed later than I would like. That's okay though, because I really don't believe in mornings and don't mind starting later. It's not like we don't have most of the day, anyway. We are home-schoolers (HALLELUJAH!)!

Awfully cranky today

2010-06-22T18:57:00.002-05:00

Not really sure why.
The last 2 mornings I've woken up with a headache, general body achiness and some dizziness. Not sure what that's about- but I don't love it.
I currently have no library books to read, though I've requested 5 from the local library and I'm hoping at least one of them comes in tomorrow. Today I started the washer for one load of clothes, and dried them. I loaded part of the dishwasher with the help of Dball. I made dinner while B & D got ready for Cub Twilight Camp. now they're gone until after 9:00pm and I'm lonely and bored. Woe is me.
I spoke to my OB's nurse today and she has placed some prenatal vitamins with DHA samples at the front desk for me- I just have to drag myself down there to pick them up. Also she verified with Dr. McA. that he will use general anesthesia for the cerclage insertion tomorrow, which is a huge relief. I SO want ro avoid needles in my spinal space (epidural, spinal block) as well as being awake and aware while he's sewing up my cervix. I'm fairly certain I cannot deal with it.
I am increasingly optimistic about this pregnancy. The latest I've ever miscarried before was 11.5 weeks, and we're past that now. After seriously premature dilation and premature rupture of membranes and labor with Logan he was born at 23 weeks, but we should be able to avoid that situation with the cerclage.
If I can keep this child in until July 1, and have the cerclage successfully put in, hopefully I'll be able to relax a little more. I still have the subchorionic hemorrhage and spotting most days, but Dr. said it was nothing to worry about as it isn't getting any bigger or more symptomatic. I can't wait to go to the Aquatic Center and get in the pool there.... I need to ask him again if I can swim in the backyard pool, but since it's above ground I figure he'll say no since I'd have to go up and down the ladder. I may not even ask.
So I guess even though I'll still have to seriously limit my activity and will maintain pelvic rest as well, I will be relieved and grateful to have the cerclage in. I need to start researching less expensive (NEARBY) places to have 3D ultrasounds done. We're definitely going to get one, but would rather not pay $250 or it.
I still think I need an Iphone. Unfortunately we don't want to renew our contract with AT&T in case we decide to switch to another carrier, so I need to find one somewhere else. I don't want the brand new one- the older model will be fine. I couldn't find one on craigslist, but I will keep checking. Obviously I would like it to work right. =)

June 2, 2010 from HSB

2010-06-22T18:56:00.001-05:00

My man did let me accompany him to Sam's Club Saturday night, I had to ride in the elec cart. I hadn't had any spotting all day Sat.!
Sunday and Monday went spot-free, if memory serves (sometimes it does not). Then Tuesday I had strange dark spotting- very little though and very short lived.
I've decided to switch OBs if at all possible. I called Dr. McAlister's office, told the woman my life story (first mistake), and she told me that since I would be a "transfer OB patient" I would have to arrange for all my medical records to be sent to them, then when they all arrived the Dr's would have a meeting about it and decide if they were willing to accept my care. WHAT!?!??!!???
So I called Dr. Bradford and spoke with his nurse. She said she had that problem with them all the time, and to call back and set up and appointment and they would go ahead and start faxing my records over.

May 29, 2010 HSB

2010-06-22T18:55:00.000-05:00

After a great deal of consideration, I decided not to call the Dr. the next morning, and they didn't call me (which I thought was a little odd, but whatever). I continued to spend most of the week in bed or the recliner. D did some school work but I'm pretty sure he's mostly playing computer games. I'm hoping to encourage him to play outside more today- I'm thinking I'll just set up a couple of wicker chairs so I can keep my feet up and go out there with him. Since he has no siblings, he gets pretty bored outside by himself. I can't really blame him- even though I used to play outside by myself as a child all Summer.

So Melanie, Betsy and Dianne brought us dinners this week (fabulous!) and I thought the spotting had all cleared up. Since I had not spotting all day Friday I was planning to ask B if I could take him to work and keep the truck, so D and I could get some groceries (with me riding on the electric cart while there). But then Friday night I suddenly had more spotting- so today I am home in bed again. I don't love it, but I'll do whatever I have to do.

2nd post May 24, 2010 from HSB

2010-06-22T18:54:00.000-05:00

got in to see the OB this a.m. She did the u/s, the baby was sitting right there looking perfect, she said she didn't know what the bleeding was from- couldn't find a hemorrhage or anything. She said to stay close to home, but I don't actually have to stay in bed... but I can't walk too far or long, stand too long, or do any cleaning.

That was 10:00 this morning. While resting in the recliner around 2;30 this afternoon, I suddenly felt all kinds of activity and ran to find loads of blood and tissue. we can't determine any identifiable parts, just a lot of tissue (we hope). Called Dr back. She said to stay in bed and call back in the morning and I'll probably go in and see the OB and have another ultrasound.

I don't guess I was ever meant to have a normal pregnancy. D may still get to be an only child yet.....

First post May 24, 2010 from HS blog

2010-06-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

So that I don't forget the dates entirely, I better get it all written down.
Wednesday (5/19) the Wheelers took D & I to look at shelter dogs (Gizmo needs a dog now w/India gone) but the one in our town was closed on Weds. We looked in nearby towns and decided to try back the following day.
So Thursday afternoon they picked us up and we went to the local animal shelter. From there we checked out a shelter in a neighboring town, and when I used the bathroom before leaving the facility I noticed spotting. We had intended to go to another shelter, but Celeste decided we would go to the Dr. instead.
I was on and off the phone with said Dr for a while, and eventually they said I needed to go to radiology at the hospital for ultrasound. I was almost there by the time they came up with that instruction.
Aunt Jenn came and got most of the kids, and I had both types of ultrasound. The baby was sitting there as usual, heart rate was 150 bpm and the tech didn't know where the spotting had come from.
The next day the spotting finished clearing up and I called the nurse who said I needed to stay off my feet- no cleaning, shopping, etc....
By Saturday the spotting was gone but I stayed on bed rest. B did the cooking and cleaning up after (sort of) and D entertained himself mostly. He did watch a movie with me- he was very sweet. =)\
Early Sunday morning I awoke feeling moist, and went to check and found bright red (heavier) bleeding with some clotting/tissue. I stayed in bed all day yesterday, and it's starting to taper off again. I'm starting to think it's another subchorionic hemorrhage, which I wasn't expecting but have heard you can carry to term with it and sometimes it resolves itself by 20 weeks or so. I'm hoping to get in to see the Dr. today (Monday) instead of waiting until tomorrow. If I can get a real u/s at the breast center it'll be far less painful than my new OB doing it, plus they will be able to see a lot more because it's a far more sensitive machine. I'm also going to call my Fam Dr. who is an MD as well as a naturopath, to ask about red raspberry leaf capsules someone told me to take 9 of every day. I worry that toning your uterus in early pregnancy might be similar to starting an exercise program after conceiving, when you hadn't been exercising before? There's actually a great deal of conflicting information online.

From May 12, 2010 (Homeschool Blog)

2010-06-22T18:51:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting to write down all my pregnancy info, but worried that since we haven't announced to the general public that we are expecting- we're hoping this is a full-term pregnancy but w/past experience we're really uncertain- that more people would be on the band-wagon than we had intended if I posted on facebook notes or even on my regular blog. Since only sweet Alissa follow this particular blog, perhaps no one else will bother to look over here. =) (And Alissa knows)

So I took the pregnancy test at Celeste's house the afternoon of Thursday, April 29. It came back really positive, really quickly. So I called Dr. Pres. Bradford from the bathroom, and told (Pres Bradford's wife, actually, answered the phone at his office) a brief history of me and set up an appointment for the next morning. D-Ball had to miss the Rocky Branch One Room School House activity we had signed up for, but it couldn't be avoided b/c Pres. Bradford had surgeries the rest of that day.

So I went in, he drew blood, we chatted briefly. He said I could walk slowly in a straight flat line (not fast, no inclines) but that's all I could do for exercise. And nothing to raise my blood pressure. He prescribed prometrium because my progesterone has always been too low in the past, and told me to take over the weekend and come back on Monday for more bloodwork.

I went in the following Monday, and the hCG from Friday was 1800, but progesterone was only 13.6 (it needed to be 15 or better). I had to keep taking the prometrium, and he drew blood for both hCG and progesterone again, and did a pap smear. The next morning they told me my hCG was up to 19.4 (with prometrium) and whatever hCG was it had gone up appropriately.

This past Monday was 6 weeks 3 days, and we all (A-ball,D-ball & I) went in for an ultrasound. The baby was in the uterus as it should be, and we could see the little heartbeat and everything measured just right. The ultrasound measured in at 6weeks 4 days, so it was only one day off.

Today I had my first appointment with Dr. Laura Collins' office. It was the one where they go over my entire past medical history, which thankfully they still have a lot of it from when Dr. Bradford was with that practice. I updated them with bladder sling, pannectomy, and gastric bypass info and current meds. They drew blood for I'm not certain what, but she included a TSH to see if we need to adjust my synthroid while pregnant. I asked if I could do more exercise now, and she politely replied,"Are you under the impression that you are not high-risk?" I told I thought I would be less so now, since losing 100 lbs (OBVIOUSLY I still need to lost 50-70 more, but still!) and I'm no longer diabetic, hypertensive, or have sleep apnea. She said I might be minimally less high-risk, but it "doesn't count" and I can still only walk slowly in a straight flat line. She pointed out the big, red "High-risk" stickers posed all over my medical charts just to reinforce it.

I have an appointment next Tuesday with Dr. Collins herself, who will do a full exam, possibly another ultrasound (?? not sure why) and then "we'll chat" she said. They gave me a bunch of pamphlets and info, including the one about being old and preggo at the same time. Ugh.

So we're having a baby... hopefully

2010-06-18T20:07:00.002-05:00

We'll be 12weeks tomorrow, which is a plus.
The new OB (McAlister) is definitely better than Collins at "Her Health"- or anyone else there, really. But he might be a little loopier than the last time I saw him 5 years ago. Even though he's been fully apprised of my gastric bypass surgery, he suggested I try to get all of my protein from plant sources. ?!?!?!?! I tried to tell him that I can only eat 1-1.5 cups of food at a time, and I have to eat protein first to get enough in. He pretty much kept right on talking like he'd had a brilliant idea. Eventually I just had to nod my head and smile. Obviously I will NOT be getting much of my nutrition from plant sources, but I don't need to discuss that with him again.
I've had this subchorionic hemorrhage again, but it doesn't seem nearly as bad as last time. When they did the ultrasound this past Wednesday the technician was not very forthcoming about measurements or anything like most people are. She just said it's still there. The baby is there as well, heart beating strong and legs dancing around. I have pics, but I'm waiting for ABall to scan them in for me. My cerclage is scheduled for July 1, then a few days to recover from that. Hopefully that will go well and I'll be able to at least float in a pool a week or two after. I'm really hoping the spotting ends soon- but at least it's scant and dark brown.
We got 2 Maltese dogs from a woman on craigslist this week. One is 9 y/o and weighs about 5 lbs (we think this one will go live with Nannie) and the other is 7 y/o and maybe 8-10 lbs. We're probably going to keep her to be Gizmo's dog. They're both pure white and sweet. I don't think they've ever been trained much or had a lot of contact with people. They don't seem to know their names, and they're not very bright as far as dog breeds go but I think if we work with them we will be able to train them at least a little.
Think I better run now. Will try to do better updating, especially since I'm on modified bed rest all day every day.

In other news....

2010-04-02T10:46:00.000-05:00

Aball is off work today (HALLELUJAH- he's been working 6 days/week for what seems like EVER now....) and I made my second 30 minute worm rescue in as many days. I had togo it alone this morning, as DBall is depressed that he has to do school-work even though his father is off today. Speaking of which, he has done nothing of the sort. But he did help me "garden" this morning.

So far we have planted green onions, sugar snap peas and broccoli. B. has completed the garden boxes and filled them with the dirt we had delivered a few weeks ago. He Wed & Fed the backyard a couple days ago, but we haven't done the front yet. There's a high chance of rain this afternoon, so I'm hoping it will take care of the garden for me. When he finishes distributing the remaining pile of dirt (it was a dump truck load full) I believe he is planning to mow the lawn. I hope he is able to do that before it rains.

I'm going to shower here shortly, then head off for Sam's. For Easter dinner (which we're having alone, as usual... and DBall doesn't eat any of the food) we're having brisket, some kind of potatoes - which is starting to look like hashbrown/velveeta/bacon casserole, jordan rolls, homemade fresh strawberry cake with homemade strawberry cream cheese frosting (take me NOW!) and strawberry-ade to drink. I will have to post recipes later.

We got the master bath spackled, textured and painted taupe (pictures eventually to follow), and removed the wallpaper and textured D's bathroom as well. B finished up the painting (near the ceiling) in the living and master bedrooms. Now we need to paint D's bath & the guest bath, as well as the dining room and office.

I finally found a polo shirt with purple in it for D. (on clearance at JCP). We have an Easter egg hunt at the Wheeler's Church tomorrow morning, then the Bunny will be at Sam's for pics!! We've been doing the "Easter All Week" Family Home Evening Lesson, which includes short scriptures every night (starting last Sunday) that includes what happened in Christ's life this last week of his life. I've really enjoyed it.

Alright I gotta run!

I have come to some decisions

2010-02-27T14:55:00.003-06:00

and I want to write it down before it gets away from me again.

I can't determine whether one is of greater importance to me than another, so I'm just going to have to write about all of it in whatever way it floats out of my mind.

Speaking of floating out of my mind- after careful consideration on my own part, and consulting with friends and family, I don't think my "ADD with OCD tendencies" is actually getting "worse". I believe that I self-medicated with Dr. Pepper and then Diet Coke for so long, that I was able to keep focused and do the things I needed to do in my daily life. I very seldom ran out of Diet Coke- I made sure to always have some on hand. There were days I didn't drink any, but there was never a stretch of days that I didn't drink it. Since the surgery in Nov 2008, I have not drank Diet Coke. I've tasted it a couple times- and it makes me ill and doesn't taste as good as it used to.

Nevertheless, I have to function. Since I was evidently using the caffeine from the Coke to keep myself fully functioning, I have been very flighty ---------- squirrel!---------- and most days cannot remember why I've gone into a room, what I have on my calendar (which obviously there are MANY calendars I need to keep) for the day, and I drop things instead of cyclically, pretty much all day every day. I get sort of dizzy and light-headed, and cannot focus to complete conversations.

I do not want to take ADD meds, and cannot afford nor do I have the time for bio-feedback. So I was buying the WM brand no-doze to combine with my tylenol for stress migraines (it's cheaper that way than buying the excederin stress meds) and thought I'd try the caffeine (without tylenol) to see if it could help me focus. Thankfully, it does. I only take half of one at a time, and it seems to be sufficient so far.

About getting pregnant, I really do not know if I will or not. For the last few months I've worried about it way too much. The realizatin that Ill be 40 (gasp!) this year plus trying to decide if I need to wait X amount of time before consulting an Reproductive Endocrinologist, or do I even need to consult an RE, or should I just call my OB and see if he'll monitor (by ultrasound during that part of my cycle) to see if I'm ovulating... etc. I was pretty anxious about it for a while there, but after much prayer and consideration, I feel like if the Lord wants me to have another baby, He will figure out a way to get it here. I've lost a lot of the weight I needed to lose, I'm going to be exercising regularly again soon, I'm eating what I need to and taking my supplements. I either will or will not have another baby- and I will be good with whichever outcome. I am not going to stress myself out about it, and although I would love to have more children I know I can be happy with the one that I do have.

So that's a load off for a while. I'm terrified to actually be pregnant- since I am high risk and fairly ill during pregnancy- but again I know if the Lord has another child for me, He will make it happen. I am going to have Faith... I am going to have Faith... I am going to have Faith....

So I've received several private responses

2010-02-18T15:55:00.002-06:00

to my last blog post. I thought I made it clear that i wasn't finished. Also it wasn't a judgment of anyone. It was meant to be a statement of fact- truly. I honestly believe that when making such weighty (in my opinion) choices and decisions, *MY* personal opinion is of absolutely no matter at all whatsoever. But I also believe that people need all the facts they can get related to any particular subject, so that they can make a properly informed choice. I've made many choices or decisions off the cuff, when if I'd done a little more research or had a better understanding- I may very well have done differently.

So I may or may not continue my previous entry, but definitely don't feel like I'm judging everyone and their dog. I do realize that the parent's physical and mental health must be considered, and in the end you are the only one responsible for your choices about your life. And I'm good with that.

This is not finished, but I haven't time to finish it just now. I do have more to say. please don't feel obligated to read this.

2010-02-16T12:33:00.002-06:00

B was off yesterday because mail doesn't run on holidays (hallelujah, pass the gravy!) and he did spend some time watching the olympics. I really wish I enjoyed the olympics more than I do, but I do not. Sometimes I can sit there and watch the snowboarders or speed skaters or whatever, but I definitely don't get all excited about it and set aside time in my day for the olympics. In addition to that though, B also put the Christmas boxes back up in the attic (can I get another HALLELUJAH!!!) and finished removing the wallpaper from the master bathroom walls. I somehow did not realize that I couldn't just go in there and paint it now. First it has to be textured, and then primed. Oh, the tediousness of it all. I just want it painted already!! I am *SO* convinced it's going to look less flaming pink once the walls are a more neutral color.

Today I took DBall, Cman and Bman to see Big River at the Rogers Little Theater. I almost didn't go- because I didn't pay enough attention to realize it was a musical. It was FABULOUS- I really enjoyed it. I'm pretty sure the boys enjoyed it, right up until the end when "there was all that singing and singing" (roll eyes here) DBall said. Obviously, the singing was my very favorite part. I'm thinking I'm the only one who cries through Huck Fin... but there ya' go.

Thursday Celeste is taking CMan & Dball to University Days at the U of A. I think it's from like 8:30am-2:00pm. I will have Bman & Tman- hopefully it'll be nicer (warmer!) outside that day. Then Friday at 4pm (seriously, in the middle of the night!) Celeste is taking the boys to the U of A Planetarium for a
Alright so this is my blog, and I'm terribly couth to begin with. But I figure,I can say whatever I want (or think??) on my own blog... that is kind of the point of the thing, I suppose. So here I go, I've got a few things to say! =)

Many years ago I read up on what the Church Handbook and other leaders had to say about birth control, voluntary sterilization and postponing children until you're done with school or whatnot. Lately it seems like no one says anything about it outloud- but to my knowledge nothing has ever been rescinded. Kind of like Heavenly Father issuing the command to multiply and replenish the earth. He never came back and said NOT to do that. So I'm posting here the words I've referred to when I state that "the Church" or brethren are against birth control. Just so maybe those who would debate the subject will see that I didn't just make it up in my head. And perhaps it has been rescinded. If so you may feel free to point that out as well.

Way back in 1916, George Albert Smith said:"Children are a heritage from the Lord, and those who refuse the responsibility of bringing them into the world and caring for them are usually prompted by selfish motives, and the result is that they suffer the penalty of selfishness throughout eternity. There is no excuse for members of our Church adopting the custom of the world. . . We have been better taught than they."
(George Albert Smith, "Birth Control," Relief Society Magazine, Feb. 1917, p. 72)

In a conference report in 1943, David O. McKay stated: When the husband and wife are healthy, and free from inherited weaknesses and disease that might be transplanted with injury to their offspring, the use of contraceptives is to be condemned."
(David O. McKay, Conference Report, October 1943, p. 30

And again in 1969: We seriously regret that there should exist a sentiment or feeling among any members of the Church to curtail the birth of their children. We have been commanded to multiply and replenish the earth that we may have joy and rejoicing in our posterity. Where husband and wife enjoy health and vigor and are free from impurities that would be entailed upon their posterity, it is contrary to the teachings of the Church artificially to curtail or prevent the birth of children. We believe that those who practice birth control will reap disappointment by and by."
(First Presidency {David O. McKay,Hugh B. Brown, N. Eldon Tanner} Letter to presidents of stakes, bishops of wards, and presidents of missions, 14 April 1969)

In 1973 President Kimball said: I have told many groups of young people that they should not postpone their marriage until they have acquired all of their education ambitions. I have told tens of thousands of young folks that when they marry they should not wait for children until they have finished their schooling and financial desires. Marriage is basically for the family, and there should be no long delay. They should live together normally and let the children come. . ."
(Spencer W. Kimball, "Marriage is Honorable," Speeches of the Year, 1973, p. 263)

And in 1974: The tendency for many of our girls and many of our married women to put off or to reduce their families is not pleasing to your Heavenly Father, for He said, 'multiply and replenish the earth,' and He knew what He was doing, and any of our personal opinions don't amount to much as compared to the wisdom of God. And he said as he concluded this great effort of creation, 'And I . . .saw everything that I had made, and behold, all things which I had made were very good . . .' He stood off and looked them over. He had made no errors; He had made no mistakes; He had created man and woman for a purpose. That purpose was not fun; that purpose basically was to live together in harmony and peace and to rear children in righteousness . . ."
(Spencer W. Kimball, Address to Special Interest Fireside in Tabernacle, 29 Dec. 1974, pp. 4-5)

the 1998 Handbook read:
Surgical Sterilization (Including Vasectomy)

The First Presidency has declared, "We seriously deplore the fact that members of the Church would voluntarily take measures to render themselves incapable of further procreation.

Surgical sterilization should only be considered (1) where medical conditions seriously jeopardize life or health, or (2) where birth defects or serious trauma have rendered a person mentally incompetent and not responsible for his or her actions. Such conditions must be determined by competent medical judgment and in accordance with law. Even then, the person or persons responsible for this decision should consult with each other and with their bishop (or branch president) and receive divine confirmation through prayer." (1989 General Handbook of Instructions, Chapter 11)

Most of these I read/learned about when I attend BYU. I know not everyone can or even wants to attend a Church university, and may not have access to so many General Authorities and so much information on the doctrines of the Church. I learned SO MUCH about my religion while I was there. I am not a vast reservoir of knowledge on very many (if any?) subjects, and there are countless others who know considerably more than I. Nevertheless, when I'm given the information, particularly when a Prophet of God has spoken it, I like to make some effort to follow it.

Several years ago I was one different parenting boards posting about babies and all things associated with them. There were "LDS Moms" groups within many of those communities, and (mostly) young LDS moms/parents would chat back and forth about things. I was alarmed at the number of young couples who literally had no idea that the LDS Church had any viewpoint at all on such matters. They would talk about how important they felt it was for them to hold off having children (or any "more" children as some of them had "accidentally" had one, which was the basis of their conversation) until the husband finished school, or got a "good job", or even until the wife was able to finish her degree.

Believe it or not, I didn't often just interject my "opinion" because I am in fact aware that people think I'm angry when I'm not, or the falsely believe that I think I need to have my own way. I don't actually think I "always need to have [my] own way"- I just like people to make decisions quickly and stick to them, but that's actually another topic altogether. So anyway, when pressed for a response I made every effort not to offend EVERYone there, by stating (who) said (what), and tagging on to the end of that said statement was never rescinded. As you may imagine, MANY young couples were quite furious with me on more than one occasion.

Nevertheless, it is true (to the best of my knowledge) and I did not make it up. I kind of feel like if you're offended or angry about something a Prophet of the Lord has said- that actually doesn't have anything to do with me. While I obviously cannot sympathize with a woman who already has 5 children by the age of 30 (try as I may, I failed miserably in my attempt at that very thing), I can with being overwhelmed in general. And I still feel like maybe what people maybe need is more faith. Faith not to take matters into my own hands by preventing or delaying childbirth, or permanently sterilizing myself without medical cause.

I have faith that the Lord will not give me more than I can handle. He clearly does not guarantee to give me more than I can handle alone- I feel like He often expects us to lean on others during times of trial. Maybe many others. There are many trials (many are actually known by only a few) that I've dealt with in my life, just the same as most everyone else, I would imagine. I don't suppose that I've had to endure any more than anyone else. My trials may be different than someone else's, but they're trials for me nonetheless. And honestly, I have been known on many occasions to look around me at the young, inexperienced "mothers" that seem to abound and wonder why they were given those children. Babies are born to teenagers, mentally ill girls and women, and in all manner of deplorable circumstances; when I have been ready, willing, able, and begging for children. I've lost more children than many people- and it has been difficult. I have often had to have Priesthood blessings, pray for hours on end, and remind myself that this too shall pass. It has been physically, emotionally and spiritually painful. But as a friend recently reminded me- I would not be the person I am today without all those experiences I've had.

I could swear that morning

2010-02-13T07:03:00.004-06:00

comes earlier and earlier every day. Obviously I realize this cannot be accurate, but morning is definitely not my best time of day. I don't think we ought to have to interact with other folk until at least 10am... 11 would be better for me. Just sayin'.

Yesterday was a little busy for us. B was off work, so the three of us went together to Sam's to see about getting new glasses for moi. They didn't seem to be any less expensive than my eye doctor sells them for, so I didn't get any yesterday. I'm going back to the eye doctor Monday or Tuesday, because he offered an additional 20% discount when I requested my spectacle Rx. FABULOUS!

I neglected to mention that as an "early Valentine's gift" we got a new washing machine last weekend. It's a front loader with "silver care". Samsung says, "Samsung has developed and patented a technology, using a 99.9% sterling silver plate located inside the washing machine. Through electrolisation, 400 billion nano-sized silver ions are emitted, directly penetrating into fabrics during the wash and final rinse cycles, creating an amazing anti-bacterial and sterilisation effect on clothes." Either way it was only $30 more (at Nemos) than the one without silvercare, and I believe in silver- and being able to wash clothes on cold and have them come out sterilized sounds perfectly fabulous to me. Also I'm cheap and poor, so the additional savings fromusing cold insteadof hot water only adds to my delight. And finally, my other machine was broke and we had to start it spinning by hand- very tedious. Happy Valentine's to us!
And we did not stop there for V-day. Dball went to play at the Wheeler's while B and I saw Percy Jackson. B is quite disturbed when they change things ("unnecessarily") between the book and the movie, but I enjoyed it because I look at them as two separate entities. DBall will see the movie with his Mythology class friends tomorrow.

Yesterday was one of our home-schooling group's Valentine party at a local skating rink, and B went with us to that too. Poor Truman didn't get to come- he broke his tiny little leg and spent the majority of the day at the Dr. for xrays and finally, thankfully, they cast it yesterday afternoon. The three of us went out to Texas Land & Cattle Co. for dinner last night- it was fabulous! I had chicken fried steak (of course) because I was concerned a regular steak might not be tender enough for me to get down. We had a sirloin queso as an appetizer- and a chunk of meat slipped down before I could chew it and I was really concerned it might get stuck there. I'm guessing it didn't because I haven't been ill, but I was glad I ordered the chicken fried so I didn't really have to worry about chunks of food and my altered digestive tract. Dball had, obviously, the chicken strips and fries. B had a sirloin and the piece I tried was actually very tender and tasty. I still prefer Ruth's Chris, but if you don't have $100 for dinner (we don't, lol!) TL&C is a nice alternative. I still like the Outback, but now it's a toss up between the two places. By the way I also had the sirloin soup- and I couldn't eat it because it was so salty. The manager was our main waiter- and when he came to pick up the bowls he asked if it was too salty, so they must be aware of it.

I happen to love fresh flowers (tulips, stargazers, pink roses....) but while we were at Sam's yesterday I suggested instead of getting me cut flowers for Valentine's maybe we could get something to plant in the Spring. I'm SO EXCITED B went with it, and we got some pink peonies and Nelly Moser Clematis. I'm hoping the clematis will grow on the front porch rails (concerned about enough sun?) and the peonies maybe by the mailbox? Both could grow on/near the mailbox though.... but I can take cuttings off the clematis if it grows and then have them in two places. We took a huge rose bush out of our front flower bed last Fall and relocated it (fingers crossed), and I'm hoping the hostas that were surrounding it still come up. I want to put a river birch in the corner of it but B is balking about that. I might have to put a rose-of-sharon or something in there instead. SOMETHING has to go there either way.

So anyway today B is back to work and D and I are going to Cman's basketball game at 9:30, thern the library to pick up Fablehaven audio CD that's in, then DBall is going to see Percy Jackson with his mythology class. I will be cleaning house and preparing my Sharing Time lesson/activity for tomorrow. B thinks he may get off work "early" today, like around 3-4pm. He and DBall are going to make Valentine's this evening, and we may rent a movie? Or just play wii guitar hero... we desperately need a third wii-mote. Hah! Bet you didn't know you could "need" one of those. We have two guitars and a mic though, but only 2 motes. So there ya' go.

I've been thinking.... I want to dance. Like two-step. When I was at BYU (Go Cougs!) there were dance places that didn't serve alcohol, so teenagers could go. I wish we had one here. There's an Electric Moo (B says it was Electric Cowboy before) that appeared to be a dance place, but when I was suggesting to B that we should go there, he said a friend of his from work was flashed by some skank floozy who was charging $5 a guy.... ???? SERIOUSLY??? That's disgusting, and B says if that's the kind of crowd that frequents that place then maybe we shouldn't go there. B doesn't even dance, but he'd be willing to learn if there was somewhere we could go to dance. In this house there aren't many wide open spaces for dancing.

Don't even know where to start

2010-02-10T22:07:00.005-06:00

because I don't really have much to say.
Things are going pretty well here these days. I've yet to find pain relief, though excederin stress (tylenol + caffeine, with no aspirin) works somewhat and doesn't keep me awake. I guess that lunatic psychotherapist wasn't too far off in diagnosing me with ADD.... but I don't want to take ritalyn (I hear there's newer meds- but I don't much want to take them either). I remain slightly disappointed that I cannot drink Diet Coke or Dr. Pepper since surgery- I try it every so often and regret it fairly shortly thereafter. The cherry DP is FABULOUS- I would likely drink it every day if I could. The excederin works for mild headaches (if I take them before they've made migraine status) but not for too much else. A Dr. suggested lyrica, but the side effects sound sort of awful, and with my luck I'd get them all. I might end up trying it eventually- but I don't think I'm there yet. There's a semi-local chiropractic group that accepts our insurance, and while I'm terrified of chiropractors since that one in Utah tried to kill me- I'm intrigued by their description of theraputic massage. I'm thinking that's what I need- but I bet my insurance doesn't cover it. Presently I cannot not turn my head all the way to the right. It's not as bad as it was in college, but it's getting worse in spite of hot baths and excederin.

I feel like home-schooling is going pretty well. DBall had started complaining about math, and Celeste suggested he might be bored so we sped it up and are skipping a lot in each unit. He's complaining less so I'm thinking he might have actually been bored. Thanks Celeste. =o)

He still hates writing, especially in cursive, and I dislike arguing with the child about cursive writing. Therefore we're doing very little of it right now. We're not dropping it entirely though, because I still feel like he needs it even in this techno electronic world we live in. I wish I didn't have carpal tunnel and could write things out longhand- and while he may never enjoy it, I want him to at least know how.

We're still doing the Pathway readers and workbooks and I love them. He doesn't love them, but he doesn't hate them and I'm good with that. Since it's only himself I only make him read a couple paragraphs out loud, and he has to do all the worksheets that go with each story. I think there's 3 worksheets for each little story. Really I think they're fabulous, and I'm glad he tolerates it without too much complaint. He would continue to do them regardless, because I was an English major and it's still one of my favorites.

He's been listening to the Percy Jackson series on audio CD with his father most nights before bed. They previously listened to the Harry Potter books, but with the Percy Jackson movie coming out I wanted him to be familiar with the story. I've gotten him Huckleberry Fin on "playaway", so he's been listening to that during the day the last week or so. We record the Bill Nye (the Science Guy) shows that come on PBS in the middle of the night (2 am, I think??), and he thinks I'm giving in to him when I let him watch the recordings during "school hours". I don't feel bad about it.

I'm increasingly distressed about the pink master bathroom. ABall removed the outer layer of wallpaper while I was at Mom's last Fall, but several walls still have the backing on them. With my neck and back in their current condition, I'm leery of getting up there and trying to scrape it off. It's almost stressed me completely out though and I might just have to do it sooner rather than later. Also we have the dark taupe pain for the front two rooms (dining room and office) that I'm really spending a lot of time considering lately. That, too, will put my back in worse condition. But I might just have to do it?! With the master bath I feel like taupe walls (instead of the current rose pink) couldn't HURT the overall appearance, even with the pink tile and pink countertops. I figure it can only help. I'm going to insert pics of the pink master bath just so y'all can see why I might be distressed about it.... maybe you won't see it, but I'll feel slightly more justified at any rate.

We had the Cub Scout Blue & Gold banquet tonight and I thought it went pretty well. We only had 4 boys there, but their families and leaders made up the other 20+ folks there and I think they had a good time. I took pictures, I might try to get them loaded up later, but not this evening.

I think I'm going to have to close this for now. I've had a hot bath, excederin, and I need to lie down. I'm going to think about painting a little more before bed, and about getting the chair rail for around the kitchen table.... oh! and the hook to suspend the chandelier over the CENTER of the kitchen table, instead of where it's currently hanging in my way....

Some books I've read... and generally recommend

2010-01-28T07:43:00.002-06:00

In Jr. High and highschool (lo those million years ago) I used to read and read and read. Then real life set in, we got married, we both worked fulltime, we spent years and years trying to reproduce. I tried to read when I was pregnant (and on bedrest) with Logan- but I don't remember much about that time period. I could've read some good books- but who would know. When D-ball finally came into the world, I nursed him for 2+ years and was much busier (and more exhausted) than I ever anticipated.

So sometime in the last couple years I decided reading was good for me,and enjoyable, and I should try it again. I wish I had kept a record of everything I was reading- I've forgotten many of them. But in the last year or so I've read a *LOT* and it's been fabulous! I'm going to list a few (mostly series) so that I have a ready-made list I can recommend and also so I can check back on specific series' to see if there have been additional volumes published.

All the Harry Potter books, of course
Twilight series (of course)
Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer
Leven Thumps series by Obert Skye (Ruins of Alder coming out Sept 2010!!)
Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
The Gideon Trilogy (Time Thief) by Linda Buckley-Archer
Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
Gregor the Overlander series Suzanne Collins
Hunger Games series (currently reading Book 2) also by Suzanne Collins
The Navigator series by Eoin McNamee

I can't think of the others at the moment... but I'll update when I do. Many of these are from the Young Adult section, and still others from the Children's Area of the library (like for grades 5-9). Sometimes the language and sex are too much for me in "adult" books, so I'm leery to read many things unless someone else has read them and can assure me they're not too smutty. =)

Wow- I'm way behind

2010-01-08T16:09:00.003-06:00

I may never catch up!
We've stayed pretty busy for the last few weeks, with Christmas, company, New Year's and all.

My in-laws arrived two days after Christmas. That evening I made broiled lobster, garlic smashed potatoes, cheddar bay biscuits, broccoli w/cheese and cherry pie for dessert. We also had that sparkling grape juice- it was our "Christmas dinner". DBall of course had frozen pizza.

Since B is the only one here who eats sandwiches here and he normally eats P B & J, and we were all going to be home at lunchtime; I thought it would be good to get some lunch meats and cheese, and we could have sandwiches for lunch during the week. Evidently it wasn't a very good idea- because I've still got loads of ham and turkey left over.

I cooked almost every night while they were here- didn't want them to go hungry. Monday,of course, was pizza night so that's the one night I didn't cook. We had Eureka pizza- our fav. The next night we had chicken and rice with salad, green beans and biscuits. Then we had crock-pot beans w/ habañero & cheese chicken sausage (fabulous!) and cornbread. We had king ranch chicken one night (I really thought it was tasty!). For New Year's Day we had ham, scalloped potatoes and black-eyed peas. I forgot to make rolls that night, sadly.... We had (homemade) chicken veggie soup with rolls Saturday night.

We did manage to go bowling one afternoon, and one night we all went to see The Princess and the Frog (loved it!). Other than that we mostly played card games, and D was able to convince his grandparents to play wii games with him at one point. Church was canceled last Sunday due to the weather, but the in-laws were able to fly out anyway and are back in California where it's warm now.

D didn't do school for a couple weeks in December. For the first two weeks, when I was busy baking a lot, he helped me bake and did a couple of school subjects but not as much as usual. Even though the local public schools have not gone back to class yet because of the weather, we started back on Monday with a full schedule. And I have to say-I just don't care what anyone else says or thinks. I know that this is what is best for my child at this point in his life. He's so much happier and friendlier- and he's able to progress much faster at home with me. And for the record: Even if I don't comment or respond when people make snarky little comments toward me, our family or our decision to home-school- please know that I DID notice. I often just don't choose to dignify your nonsense with a response.

Since we were finally able to switch back to a regular type of insurance, I was able to get my thyroid blood-work done this week. The Dr. indicated that my levels were both fine (T3 & T4) but I'm still tired. He only raised my synthroid from 200 mcgs to 224 mcgs. Maybe that'll help- who knows. Maybe I'm just supposed to be tired and cold all the time? All my other levels were fine in June when I had then run, and I still felt this same way. Perhaps I just need to accept it.

It's been super cold this week... the high today was all of 9° f. Tomorrow it may get up to 19° though- so that's something. My poor sister Ashlie had some horrible drawn out jaw/mouth surgery on New Year's Eve.... sounded like a complete nightmare but it's over and she's home recovering now. I'm kind of wondering if she'll look totally different when she finishes healing up from it? That might be fun. Not that she looked bad or anything to begin with- I'm just sayin'.

We haven't put away our Christmas decos yet. Bryson did brave the elements on Wednesday to take the outside lights down. They're still sitting in bags on the front porch next to the ladder- but technically they are 'down'. Today I packed a whole box of ornaments! Only one more left to go. I'm hoping shortly after we get the Christmas decos put away, B will hang my new pot rack in the kitchen for me. I'm so excited about that I can hardly stand it!

I only just realized we didn't take any pictures of gift opening activities. How truly sad for us. We also never made it back to the square for pictures. I think I'm a little depressed now. It's late though, I'll probably feel better in the morning. At least somewhat. Even though I likely won't be much warmer.

A little scratchy

2009-12-08T14:30:00.004-06:00

(my throat, that is) but pretty good all things considering. I'm thankful we have had neither the flu nor the swine flu this season, and hope to avoid it altogether.

Bless his heart B has to work today- on his 34th Birthday. =( I wish he didn't have to- it's cold and rainy and he's out in it all day. D and I gave him under armour - the Walmart brand - pants and shirts for his Birthday and we're praying it keeps him warm and cozy all day.

We are financially challenged this Christmas, but that may not be such a bad thing. Our meager finances have inspired Aball to consider making me a pot rack for Christmas, out of a really neat cast iron grate he found on ebay. He's bidding on it now. If he wins he plans to brush off the rust, spray it with black rustoleum and hang it above my kitchen peninsula. I've been asking for a pot rack ($300? 500? SERIOUSLY!?!?!?!?!?) for years, and I'm pretty excited at the prospect and possibility of finally getting one!

I've been baking a lot lately. I've made Gingerbread Men,and learned how to make that icing that hardens and looks glassy- so you can stack them on top of one another without them smudging or getting messed up (or sticking to the lower cookies). I LOVE THEM!!! It will be fabulous with sugar cookies too- I think I'll make some shiny sparkly snow flakes!! I'm going to add the recipe to my recipe book. I had to tweak several recipes I found online, because I just couldn't get them to work out. Here's a visual of the Gingerbread Men- so yummy! Aren't they the cutest?

I've also started making peppermint bark. It is so wonderful I can hardly stand it! DBall has been a great help- and B. has helped on occassion as well. I bought the cutest little "ginger bread houses" to mail cookies and candies in to people. I can't wait to pack them up and give them away. I used a chocolate mold so they look even more Christmasy. D decalres them great- and keeps asking for more. Here's a pic I just took of these:

I've ordered D a "Fair Isle" sweater (from Nannie, actually- THANK YOU NANNIE) that will hopefully arrive soon. Then we can think about getting some pictures made I think. I figure since D won't be getting pics made at school this year, since we're homeschooling, I should get some individuals made of him as well.

You know he still has some stitches hanging on. Apparently the new dissolving stitches were actually for use in circumcisions, so if his injury had been in a warm moist place they might have dissolved by now. I guess that's what you get when you have a urologist stitch you up though, lol. We love him though and still appreciate his willingness to take care of our Dball so late at night- we can wait for the little things to dissolve. =)

Dball woke up yesterday morning saying his throat hurt "worse than usual", and mine did as well. They still hurt today. For several days we've both had scratchy throats- but mine is considerably more sore now.

I've been trying to sell some size 8 boy's Gap jeans on craigslistfor several week now. I have one woman who keeps meaning to call me when she's in Fayetteville (so I can take her the pants and get MONEY from her for them) but she never does. I've relisted twice now, and I'm frustrated. D refuses to wear jeans if there's any way he can avoid it- he thinks all jeans are uncomfortable. I need to sell them soI can buy him more clothes with the money from selling the jeans. UGH! Ironically, I listed some old Christmas lights I found in a box and sold them within 3 hours this morning.... but only for $10. It did buy bread though!

I think I need to lie down or something now. I want to include pics of my peppermint bark and gingerbread men though.... I guess I'll take those and then lie down. =o)

Christmas Season... advent

2009-12-01T12:25:00.003-06:00

I have so many ideas and not enough time (or ambition? That could be the word I'm looking for) for this season. It's after noon and I haven't even showered and dressed yet because I've been looking up all these ideas online, and trying to figure out how I could get them all done.

I hope to finish my muffin pan advent calendar, but I'm lacking a few of the ornaments and some magnetic strips. Or something. So I need to go to Hobby Lobby today to get those, as well as some spray paint for the base.

My mother gave us a "Nativity Book" for Christmas several years ago, and sadly this might be the first year I've actually looked at it ahead of time early enough to start it tonight. There's a scripture, story and song for each night of the week for the 24 days prior to Christmas. I wanted to make a couple of these for friends, but didn't look at it THAT early and have not time to do that now. =( Maybe next year.

I keep reading about "Jesse Trees" and decided to spend the majority of my morning figuring out what they are. So now I would like to make one of these too- though that would be another scripture w/an accompanying ornament to go on one of the smaller trees (I'm thinking DBall's fiber optic tree, maybe?). Here's a link from Rocks in My Dryer where she talks about a Jesse Tree. You can find many references online as well. In fact you can spend hours and HOURS reading about it!

I've got dinner (Black Bean Soup!) in the crock-pot, and that's pretty much what I've accomplished so far today. Well, I did semi-balance the checkbook. Oh! And I went over math some with D, because he was ignoring the signs and multiplying everything- even the problems with division signs. Oh! That reminds me, I need to print up some more multiplication and division word problems for him- he has indicated that he can't always figure out what kind of problem it's supposed to be. Obviously. Perhaps I'll just use the same ones from the book, and change up the names and numbers. Maybe after my shower....

Quilt Giveaway at Marie-Madeline!

2009-12-01T11:47:00.002-06:00

There are so many fun blogs here, and one I've recently found is Marie-Madeline. They make gorgeous fun quilts,and they're giving one away! You just go comment on their blog to enter... and you can blog about it for more entries, link to it on facebook (you know I'm going to) and dream about the warm and cozy quilt you're hoping to win (I am *so* cold today!!!)

Just go here to enter: Marie-Madeline, and don't forget to check out the pics above & below! Thanks y'all for fun giveaways!!!!

Perhaps a little behind again....

2009-11-18T11:49:00.004-06:00

But I've definitely done worse, in the recent past. While DBall is doing his silent reading, I shall endeavor to update a little.

I had my big Boutique Show last weekend and sold exactly 4 items. I'm so broke now I may never recover, and I'm not impressed with the situation. Obviously I will get through this, but I'm out over $200 over the whole experience. I feel it was completely due to the placement of my booth- whereas during the Spring Show I had great placement. Pretty much ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE ROOM would have worked out for me except where I was. I'm just sayin'.

Yesterday was my 1 year "re-birthday" of my new life after RNY Gastric Bypass. What an AMAZING difference a year can make! I really wasn't sure if I was gonna live through it the two weeks after surgery. I actually might not have if Celeste hadn't been around to take care of me and my family- God bless her. She visited me in the hospital several times, brought food for days and had to literally drag me out of the bed and the house to drive around town looking for liquid protein I could tolerate. (I still can't deal with "milky" protein drinks- I am SO over it). But I'm 115 lbs lighter and SO THANKFUL every day that I had the surgery. I see overweight people on the street (in the store, at Silver Dollar City, in restaurants) and want to hand out Dr. Roller's business cards. His seminar literally changed my life- and with all the health issues I was having then, who knows if I'd even be alive now if I hadn't had the surgery. People who are overweight OWE IT TO THEMSELVES to attend one of his seminars. The statistics are alarming of people who actually die from obesity. Obviously their death certificates don't read "died from being too fat"- but the list of co-morbidities caused by obesity are staggering. I am no longer diabetic, hypertensive, nor have GERD, Irritable Bowel Syndrome or sleep apnea. I've eliminated high blood pressure meds, IBS meds, diabetic meds and shots, and my handy CPap from my life altogether. HALLELUJAH. I have more weight to lose- and now that I've gone back to synthroid (instead of armour) I'm thinking I can DO IT! The last 5 months or so I've been exhausted- like taking an hour nap every afternoon if I sat still for too long. It's been dreadful- but I'm hoping to make up for it now. =)

Last week we didn't homeschool at all because I was getting ready for the sorry boutique show. This week we're back into it. Once more I'm overwhlemed with gratitude, peace and relief that I'm able to stay at home and teach my DBall myself. His personality has reverted to the original sweet, curious, bright, thoughtful, pleasant child he had always been until 2007-2009. I don't know what happened, but obviously it happened at his elementary school and I'm absolutely traumatized that I left him there for as long as I did. He would never complain, and his teachers were delightful- I have no complaints about the way the handled their classrooms or taught my son. I was there every week (or close to it) and was the Room Mom. Due to observations of my friends, I believe it was bullying by older kids at recess, and one Hispanic girl (EMI) in particular who was not older is a known mean little bully. I heard she used to periodically run by and slap him on the head- which is completely unacceptable to me. He *appeared to* want to cry (I heard), but held it in so the others wouldn't make fun of him, and so she wouldn't be encouraged to abuse him more. When reports were made to teachers, apparently they responded "no tattling" or similar, and went back to talking amongst themselves. The older kids who were out during their recess (at the end of their own recess) cheated horribly at group games, and no one was around to monitor it. Since my child is somewhat OCD, he likes rules and expects people to follow them. When the bigger bully kids "took all the good balls" and kept them from the younger classes, and changed the bases when the younger kids tried to join in- he was frustrated and disappointed (obviously with good reason). MY POOR CHILD- it makes me SO SAD inside. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal. But for him not to be able to trust the teachers, his peers, or pretty much anyone else to do their jobs and act appropriately- it almost completely ruined his personality. He was angry EVERY DAY- and constantly said things like "I hate that", "that's boring". About EVERYthing. I had to send him to his room for at leat an hour after school every day because he was so antagonistic and negative and hateful. He detested school, and complained about it EVERY SINGLE DAY- no exceptions. He even complained about it on the weekends- about how he wished he wouldn't ever have to go back. Anyway, I guessI'm reminiscing today. And rambling a bit. I'm just so glad he's home with me now, and happy and sweet and learning and growing every day!

Next week we are planning to go to Mom's in Alabama for a short visit. Nannie seems very excited that we're visiting, "since it's been so long" since she's seen us. We were there in September..... But maybe she doesn't recall that far back? We'll be happy to see her either way =).

I'm thinking of making one of these:

Isn't it the caa uutest? A girl in a booth across the way from me at the sorry Boutique Show Saturday was selling something similar... it read"Countdown to Christmas" on the back of a cookie sheet.

There was a calendar and under each magnet, there was a little something to do each day before Christmas (sing a Christmas song, mail a card, drink hot cocoa,etc.) SO CUTE- and SOLD LIKE GANGBUSTERS. The girl was seriously making money hand over fist on them. This one in the picture is made with a 24 cup muffin pan (it's an advent calendar) and under the magnets there's something to go in every cup, from candy, to scritupore references, to tiny notes with an activity listed on them. FABULOUS! I am SO making one or both of these to sell on etsy (or somewhere) next year! I also have some FABULOUS other themes of things to make.... just you wait!

Today DBall has finished all his school work and is currently vacuuming the kitchen and livingroom. I managed to sell 4 pair of GAP jeans that don't fit him properly, so now I can buy him some more "sports pants" (don't know the legal terminology, but they have an elastic waist and oftentimes have a strip down the leg). He complains mightily about jeans, so I'm giving up on them. He won't have any when I get the last 4 pair sold.....

Tonight they have cub scouts, and we're having white beans with spinach-asiago-chicken sausage (all cooked in the crock-pot) and homemade biscuits for dinner. YUM-O! Can't wait for the dinner part, though I'll only get a few bites in. But nothing tastes as good as being thin(ish) feels!!!

The day AFTER the Birthday is somewhat of a letdown...

2009-11-04T11:29:00.007-06:00

I'm not complaining really. I realize EVERY day cannot be my Birthday. I hold this truth to be self evident...oops. Well I mean to say that I realize and accept that every day cannot be my Birthday. I disagree with the basic premise that we cannot celebrate me, at least in some small way, every single day... but that idea hasn't yet caught on like I hoped it would. But I digress...

So my beautiful, beautiful, beautiful boy- a word about that quickly though. Has anyone else noticed that my child is gorgeous?! I'm uncertain how I go to be so lucky- but the child is truly a vision. He's so fabulous- I think I can understand why other moms out there may harbor some resentment toward me, and therefore may decline to celebrate me (at least in some small way) every day. It could be that they're distraught that they were not blessed with so precious a child as I. I cannot blame them. I, too, would be a little sad and annoyed were I not the blessed mother of so amazing a son. Sometimes I look around at other people's kids, and I think to myself, "Oooohh maybe that one is cuter than mine".... then I realize my folly and move on. It hasn't happened yet, but I know the time may one day come when I see such a perfect little one.

So said beautiful boy must've been on his very best behavior for his beloved mother's special day yesterday. There was little, if any, complaint about the newish requirement to write in cursive. He did his math and reading comprehension worksheets with nary a whine. Even the spelling test went off without a hitch!

However today the child has almost made up for yesterday's bliss. Maybe "made a complete mockery of" is the phrase I was searching for there. Cursive handwriting is hard, and he shouldn't have to do it "all the time, on everything". This poor child can never get a break. Even after he wrote his words in his spelling log (in print I might add) his horrific mother made him rewrite ALL of them (yes ALL OF THEM) in cursive. It took him 6 whole entire minutes. It didn't take him HALF that long to print them in the first place, if you wanted to know. And when "break time" rolled around, how OBNOXIOUSLY RUDE that aforementioned mother wouldn't let him eat popcorn, drink root beer and watch an entire Harry Potter movie. WHY ON EARTH NOT?? It DID SAY it was time for BREAK on the chart!!! Sounds like a break to him. To his mother- not so much.

Not only did I not allow him to watch the movie (he did, by the way, eat a miniature bag of microwave popcorn from his Halloween stash and drink a cup of root beer) but I also made him finish the chapter book he started yesterday. Because I'm just that mean of a mother. Nobody else has to these things- all those happy children sitting in public school classrooms for 8 blessed hours a day you know. They aren't doing work- at least not the WHOLE TIME. Dball told me so himself, so it must be true. I actually know it's true, as it is one of the the primary reasons I pulled him out of public school- sitting there for 7-8 hours a day vegetating while waiting for others to catch up. Seriously. He maintains that TWO WHOLE HOURS A DAY of schoolwork at home is torturous and inhumane. And you wouldn't believe the response I get when I FORCE THE CHILD TO GO OUTSIDE for 15 minutes. I mean it's sunny and 66° F outside. What kind of thoughtless, evil person makes their kid go outside in such monstrous weather?

In his defense, the delightful little imp did give me a fabulous, fuzzy, pink bathrobe for my birthday yesterday. And a talking card that goes on and on about how I'm not aging at all- no flappy arms (just wave them around woman)!! No wrinkles!! No bulges!! He's pretty impressed with it, and laughs hysterically every time he opens it. The voices are those two little critters from Hallmark that sounds like Beevis and Butthead. And then DBall laughs like Beevis and Butthead while he listens to it... "huh... huh huh huh... huh.... huhuhuhuh...." It's worth it just to hear that every couple of hours or so. The child does NOT watch Beevis and Butthead,unless the child's father has snuck it in when I'm away from the house. I'm just sayin'.

Last night B and I ate at Ruth's Chris and mine was SO FABULOUS I could hardly stand it. For our soup course we both had Louisiana gumbo (glorious!) and I had a rib eye steak apparently grilled in butter, and creamed spinach. The steak reminded me of when Grandpa used to grill steaks on the charcoal grill (not to be confused- EVER- with a gas grill, which just cannot ever hope to produce the same amazing taste) on Saturdays. B had the spare ribs, but they arrived at our table still cold inside, sitting on a 500° plate. We had to send them back. Sadly, since we had a problem with his food- instead of getting the little dessert that came with the "deal" we were eating, we got to order off the real dessert menu. We had a chocolate explosion (fabulous little chocolate cake with ganache inside and Häagen-Dazs ice cream on top!) and crème brûlée. We brought the crème brûlée home for tonight!

Bryson gave me my Birthday gift after we got home last night. I received a black nightshirt that reads "Sparkle" on the front... since I sparkle he said. =) And, mostly, I just like things that sparkle.

I can't remember what else I wanted to say. I'm thinking I forgot to make the rolls again today though, so I better go get them mixed up so they can raise while I go to the library. I do love being a Wifey, a Mommy and homeschooling. I love cooking too- so being home all day to do those things is just about perfect for me. Hmm.. more on that later. Ciao!

It's almost that time again-

2009-11-02T14:50:00.011-06:00

I'm not sure if I love Fall because my Birthday is in it, or just because it's Fall. I recently realized that it's entirely possible that Halloween is my favorite holiday because it's 3 days before my Birthday. Either way, I love it.

Our Halloween festivities went well this year I thought. Monday night after a short Family Home Evening lesson we carved our pumpkin ("Jack") and roasted pumpkin seeds. B didn't love the seeds, but DBall and I enjoyed them. They ended up using the electric screwdriver (drill)to help carving the pumpkin....

Jack

Jack "all dolled up"

Then we had a Halloween Party at our house last Wednesday, there were LOTS of people, lots of food, fun and games. Celeste handled most of the games- I didn't intentionally stick her with them, but she does an amazing job.... =).

Donut String Game....

I'm going to a Halloween party, and I'm taking....

I was actually surprised how many folks came out for a kid's Halloween party- but it was a lot of fun. It gave me a good reason to clean the house. I wish I had the time and inclination to paint the front office and dining rooms.... maybe I can get that done before Christmas?! I have SO MUCH to do to get ready for the Boutique Show on November 14- I doubt there will be any painting (or much of anything else) until after that.

Meringue Ghosties for the party!

And more and more party foods....

Friday night we had a chili dinner and Trunk-or-Treat at Rick McWhorter's party barn. We couldn't wear masks, so D-ball had to have his face painted (by me). I went ahead and painted some on my own face as well- figured it couldn't hurt. The food was plentiful and good, and I think all the kids had fun Trunk-or-Treating.

DBall & me, almost ready for Trunk-or-Treat!

Saturday was actually Halloween, and I had Super Saturday up at the Stake Center. DBall played with the other kids there while I painted most of the time. Then we came home for a quick lunch, and went to the indoor arena for the "Trick-or-Treat open". The kids dress up and golf 15 holes (like putt-putt) and get candy and treats at each hole. Aball finished up his day of work in the middle of it, so I picked him up and brought him back to participate in the end of the activity. Not much later the boys went shopping for my Birthday and a couple of grocery items, and I tried to take a nap. Trick-or-Treaters started coming before 6pm (who does that? I still think you're supposed to wait until dark!) After twilight Donnie & Aceball took the boys Trick-or-Treating while Celeste, Truman and I passed out candy here at the house. It was fabulous-I love Halloween!

Me- "all dolled up"

So glad it's Fall....

2009-10-11T20:34:00.003-05:00

I'm considerably colder than I anticipated- but I can't complain. I HATE to be sweaty, and watching the leaves change and wearing fuzzy warm clothes all the time is fabulous.

Tomorrow is Nannie's birthday, and also Columbus day. I'm calling it a holiday! We're not having homeschool tomorrow- I'm kind of worn out?! Aball is off work tomorrow also- I really wish Where the Wild Things Are was already out so we could go and see it. At least we'll have pizza (medium for only $2.99 at Eureka!) and maybe (rental) movie night. Also there's soccer practice for DBall. Their Saturday game was canceled for some reason, so he has a soccer game Tuesday night this week.

Saturday Celeste and I had a bake sale for a missionary family we became aware of through one of our homeschool groups. They had been serving in Singapore, I believe, and came "home" to deliver their baby. The woman was at home w/a midwife, and there was some complication and she couldn't push the baby out. They went to the emergency room, but the baby had died before they arrived. My understanding is they had to do a C-section to remove the baby, and then of course they had unexpected hospital and burial bills.

So I had signed up through "House Party" and was selected to do the Build a Better Bake Sale House Party. We received lots of baked goods from fabulous friends, and set up OUTSIDE at Baum Stadium before the Razorback Game yesterday. It was cold! Celeste decided to sell things for "donations only" and it went wonderfully. We made over $200! I'm so excited to be able to help this little family out at least a little.

I finally broke down and purchased the pocket chart for DBall. It hangs on the wall outside his bedroom, and has clear pockets all the way down. I made little cards for every little thing (meds, brush teeth, brush dogs, Math, Writing, break & snack, lunch, park day..... you get the picture) and I'm really loving it. I'm still hoping to get into Arkansas Virtual School at least by next Fall. I'm thinking with the State providing a computer, printer, books, art supplies... it'll be a much more - mmmm - well-rounded (?) experience.

Oh yay- I've been sitting here watching "scary"movies (on Disney) w/Dball waiting for Aball to get home from his trek with the missionaries. We had French toast and bacon for dinner then he had to leave shortly thereafter. He's home!

It has been a long day....

2009-09-18T16:26:00.003-05:00

This morning Celeste and I taught a home-school Science class. Well,we did the experiments/labs anyway. I did the Bee Books and Celeste's group made the ant farm. I was under the impression that everyone would've read the lesson beforehand,and shown up with their supplies (like ANTS) on time for the activities. I must've been mistaken- at least it didn't go that way. I found that somewhat stressful and my "smile and raise my eyebrows" technique didn't exactly work for me. I think we'll organize a little better next time, and make sure the only parents actually participating in the activity are the volunteers that I've requested. I don't handle all the parents thinking they need to be in charge all at the same time very well.

So my head hurt to begin with- but I came home and ate and napped and it was somewhat better. DBall didn't do any school work today besides the Science this morning, but that's okay.

Tonight is our ward Primary Fall Festival. All the kids are playing games, and the teachers are "hosting" games. I would be one of those hosts! Also each teacher is supposed to bring a dozen cupcakes. So I decided to make "brownie cupcakes" (that would be brownie batter cooked in cupcake liners, lol) with Texas Sheet Cake icing. I felt obligated to taste a mini mini brownie cupcake, since I've never made them with Texas Sheet Cake icing before. I almost put myself in a coma- and now my head is pounding again. Not so sure it was worth it. But they're darn tasty, if I do say so myself (I do). I figure if no one else likes/takes one, I will bring them home. I know B & D will sacrifice themselves and eat them so my feelings won't be hurt. ;o) I love my family!

2009-09-16T09:38:00.001-05:00

Just testing out my new mobile blogging capablities. . . And thanking GOD for the blessings already enjoyed today!

I have about an hour

2009-09-14T09:54:00.004-05:00

before we need to run and do Science stuff with Celeste and her family. But I just don't think I have it in me to write a long drawn out post.... So I know I need to get all the vacation info in, but today is just not the day for that.

We're having crockpot chicken & (brown) rice for dinner tonight.... and we officially started our semester of homeschool. We managed reading (aloud) and comprehension, which I believe we will do 3 days a week. We're using Pathway (Amish) readers and the teacher's and workbooks that go with them. We did math, which will be every day, and we're still using Singapore math. We worked on cursive, but I've got to figure out an actual plan for that... going to see how "Cursive First" does it, which is the curriculum Celeste is using.

I managed to print out my menu/chore list/calendar for the rest of this month (thankfully) and tonight is soccer practice. Tuesday I don't seem to have anything planned in the evening (HALLELUJAH!). Wednesday evening is Cub Scouts, Thursday evening is Chess Club (which ABall and DBall will attend) as well as Enrichment meeting for me. Friday night is our ward Primary Fall Festival, I have to bring cupcakes and host a game. Saturday is several different things, but we're hoping to attend: Soccer game at 9am, Charlotte's Baptism at 1pm, and the ETCNWA (homeschool group) season opener... it's potluck and for the whole family. It is actually scheduled for 2-8pm,but w/Bryson likely working until 4pm or so, we won't get there until he's off work.

I've gotten the laundry started (one of today's chores for me), everyone's had breakfast, and D and I are dressed and B is at work. It's a good start I figure. Onward and upward!

DBall at Disneyland

DBall & Aball, w/Bobby & his girls

Dball at the Lorikeet Aviary

Evelynne at the Lorikeet Aviary

Aball & Shylelagh (Sissy!) at the Aviary

So much to catch up

2009-08-31T14:08:00.003-05:00

And I likely won't finish it today.

We had a fabulous vacation but I know I am grateful to be home. I can't imagine why anyone would move to Southern California on purpose- I know I never would.

Our trip out was really fun- we stopped and played at Katie's (THANKS KATIE & FAM!!!) , then at Winterton's. :D It's been years and years since I've seen Katie and her parents; we really enjoyed our too-brief stay with them. We've seen the Winterton's a little more recently, but it's always good to catch up. They were all so hospitable- it was fabulous.

ParTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYY!

2009-08-11T09:37:00.007-05:00

After quite a bit of rain yesterday and last night (hallelujah) it has been a cool morning. I went for my walk before 6am this morning, while B was showering before work. It's not quite chilly, but it hasn't gotten above 70° yet....
Saturday we celebrated DBall's birthday with his friends. I made him a Star Wars Lego cake out of double chocolate chip cookie (on the bottom) and brownie on the top. He wanted green (homemade) butter-cream frosting. He enjoys cooking and baking, so he was lots of help. We ate in what we hopefully refer to as the "Party Cabana".

D of course loves opening presents. His friends gave him great gifts- he even got a Kid's Bop CD that we listened to for most of the party. That will come in handy on our vacation (road trip!) and B can download it to to D's mp3 player for him. He also got Legos and Bokugon things- he's enjoyed them all. Nannie sent him a huge Lego Star Wars kit which he started putting together that afternoon, and his father helped for a couple hours as well. D says he "loves Legos- they are the best thing EVER and [he] wants hundreds more!". It does keep his mind active- he's such a little engineer. He constantly amazes me asking how things work or go together (do I look like I know?) and when I can't provide a suitable response, he just makes one up. Often they're pretty good, and seem like plausible explanations. He even explains to me how that would work and why. I maintain that I'm putting him in charge of the whole household in the next couple years....

Our party games didn't go as planned- the grass was too dry and sharp to roll water balloons across it (they popped- over and over). So we just went with the water balloon toss. We did (2? 3?) rounds of it. I think Evan and Laura won- I remember them getting prizes anyway.

After that they swam, which is always a blast. I was surprised when B jumped in the pool with them-

but the kids seemed to know just what to do.

They all chased him around the pool and hung on him, and he threw them off over and over again. He was pretty worn out when he finally got away from them and climbed out of the pool.

We intended to go to the Grape Festival later that evening, but instead we ended up going to Patron's and it was fabulous. B figures he can try the grape ice cream next year...

Tonight D is going to his first sleepover birthday party. I'm a little scandalized about the whole thing, but I'm thinking it's better if I keep that from him. He's pretty sensitive and I don't want him worrying about me. They're going to play laser tag, bowling, and eat pizza. They're all bringing their wii controllers and games, and he says they're going to stay awake all night long. I don't see that happening, but it could I guess. Sounds like lots of fun for the party mom!

Today we're just reading again (for school purposes) and I think that'll be the case most of the week. I'm strangely bluh and tired... not sure what it is. I sure do wish it was already Fall though- I can't wait!

Wow, twice in one day....

2009-08-05T16:39:00.003-05:00

I've been reading Adriana Trigiani novels lately. I was so glad to find an author who uses so little vulgarity and cursing- really I was getting worn out of it some days. I've read three of her novels now, and the last one was the first in a trilogy- woohoo!

So we went to the Jones Center to see Cman on the zip line. D had previously said he was glad he wasn't old enough because he didn't want to climb up all those ropes and stuff. He seemed pretty impressed with it though when Cman went across- and he's considering it for his birthday next year. When we picked B up from work (at 2:45p!!) he told him all about it. He was pretty excited.

Back-to-school was always one of my favorite times of year. As I notice all the back-to-school supplies and sales this month I've been a little sad that DBall can't experience that. But then I realize that he never looked forward to school (after kindergarten) like I always did. He is ecstatic to stay home and not have to go back. He no longer calls everything "boring" or says that he "hates" everything. He's seldom pissy and hostile anymore- and during the school year in 1st and 2nd grade it was an every day occurrence. I'd have to send him to his room for at least an hour every day after school just to be able to deal with him at all. I don't know what happened to him there- but something must have. I know kids need to learn to get along with other kids, of differing ages, but the older kids at recess were mean to him, and they cheated bad at games. I SO wished someone out there would supervise and make sure the kids were playing fair and nice- being bullied SUCKS. D is big on rules and order, so maybe that's what "happened" to him that turned my joyful happy son into a depressed and angry child. I don't know- but I'm really relieved that he's "back" and neither of us have to deal with that anymore. I'm actually a little scandalized that he had to deal with it at all.

Presently I'm working on a migraine. AceBall has gone to the old house to pick up the closet organizers, then I will take DBall to chess club. We will leave chess club 1/2 hour early to pick up ABall and go to soccer practice at 7:30. We'll probably go directly from there to the high school for CMan's midnight football game. :) Busy, busy!

Celeste says we may be going to White Water Friday or Monday- which would be really fun, but I don't know if she's really up to it. We shall see...

Guess I'll go make Aball some grilled cheese sandwiches.... .

Can't wait for vacation! DISNEYLAND here I come!!

2009-08-05T08:22:00.003-05:00

This has been a pretty busy week so far- and promises to be more so before it's all over.

Monday D. and I searched all over- for hours- at department stores and malls for a short sleeve light purple golf shirt for him to wear in family pictures in California. To no avail. I guess I could check the different walmarts again... but I don't know where else to look. He has a long sleeve button up shirt of the appropriate color, which he may end up wearing with the sleeve rolled up, but I'd really rather he have a golf shirt (short sleeve polo).

I can barely remember yesterday, except D and I cleaned floors (I vacuumed and he mopped), and he cleaned his bathroom. His Birthday party with friends here is Saturday- so we have to get ready! Today we're going to a home school activity at the Jones Center for a few hours. But later this afternoon he has Chess Club (6:00pm), soccer practice (7:30pm) and his friend C-man's first and only football game at 9:00 pm (if you can believe that!!!)!!! Unbelievable, 8 year olds starting a football game at bedtime.

Tomorrow we have ETC home school meetings from 10am-1:00 pm. I can't remember what we're doing Friday during the day- but I'm fairly certain I'm forgetting something I previously agreed to? Maybe someone will remind me somewhere along the line..... Friday night is a pool party at 8:00pm in Fayetteville for another home school group we're in.

Saturday is DBall's 8th birthday party from1-3pm in the afternoon, and then later that evening we're going to the Grape Festival in Tontitown because we've been here 7 years and never been there. This is the first time Aball has had normal work hours so that we could go as a family.

Next week is our last week here before we leave for vacation- I'm so excited I can hardly wait!! We're leaving early in the morning on 8/15 and staying that night with Katie in Texas. The next day we're driving to Arizona, and will hopefully be able to make it all the way to Laurie's house in Tucson to stay there for the night. Then we'll arrive in California 8/17 and stay that night with Bonnie & Sam and their cute girls. We're leaving the next morning for Disneyland, we have hopper tickets (we're going 8/18-8/19, staying overnight in Anaheim and will be in Disneyland for DBall's actual Birthday!). The grandparents are going to Disneyland with us,and we've invited the entire rest of the family but we're not sure if they'll be able to make it or not (but we hope so). I think we're planning to eat at Goofy's Kitchen the night of DBall's birthday- if we can afford it and they have chicken strips that DBall will eat. :D We'll get home fairly late to Bonnie's house that night.... I believe they've scheduled D's baptism for the next evening (8/20) and we will have family pictures that night as well. I believe the next night is pool and movies at Bonnie's complex. When Benny and Anissa leave town we'll be moving to Bob & Em's house- we'll get to see their girls and their very newest baby girl! We also have tickets for Legoland and Aquarium of the Pacific, and would like to make it to the beach if at all possible the next week. We're hoping other family members will be up to some or any of these activities with us- the tickets to the Aquarium are fairly inexpensive and we have an extra one if anyone needs to buy just one. I got a good deal on them on ebay last week. Oh! And Amy mentioned going to the LA Zoo as well.... I LOVE ZOOS!

Right after we get home I'm driving D. to Nana's house in AL, where she is going to take him to the Zoo and the Science Center place, and other fun stuff while I drive Ash to Idaho. We're going to be very busy for a few weeks there- but I'm SO EXCITED!!! I've also been exercising more again, and have lost a little over 6 more of the 15 lbs I wanted to lose before vacation. It's definitely doable... I'm going to look for another swimsuit in a smaller size maybe today sometime- the one I have has a halter neck and I feel like the sisters are flopping out of it all the time. They don't actually flop out, but it seems a little risque to me. I'm thinking I need a smaller size now. The girls need to be strapped down a little better.

ABall bought me a new nightie and muumuu for vacation last night!! I cannot wait to get them!! he wasn't so excited about the muumuu, but they're SO COMFORTABLE especially after swimming or all day at California Adventure... or Disneyland.... I LOVE THEM. And he loves me, so he deals. It'll be nice to have a nightie that fits for a change- most everything I have on hand is HUGE on me and I get a little tangled up in bed at night....

Alright I've gotta run now- I can't remember what else I wanted to include here. Oh! For D's birthday I'm making a jelly roll sized "cake" with double chocolate chip cookie on the bottom, and brownie on top. I'm going to put icing in the middle of those payers, and icing all round/on top of course. I'm going to put iced chocolate oreos on top to look like legos (Lego Star Wars is his party "theme"- even though it's mostly a swimming/water balloon party). We also signed him up for the Lego's Brickmaster Club as one of his Birthday gifts, and he'll get a cool Star Wars mini Lego thing on top of his cake as a surprise- he doesn't even know it exists yet. :) So I'm thinking I'll make the brownie layer tonight, freeze it, and then I'll be able to more easily place it on top of the frosting on top of the cookie layer. It's like 11'x16", and I was afraid it would break up when I tried to flip it over the top. I'm hoping this works,or we may end up with brownie on the bottom?!

Okay, ttfn!!

Wow I'm pretty far behind....

2009-08-02T10:34:00.002-05:00

Oh well... I do what I can I guess.

DBall and I have continued Homeschooling pretty well this Summer. We've had weeks where we did nothing "officially" towards school, but I figure we need breaks every now and again. We're going to stick with Singapore math for now, it seems to be going really well. We've begun learning/writing in cursive, though DBall complains oft about his sore hands. Truthfully I haven't been having him write nearly as much as he should've been all Summer... so his hands may be sore for a little while as they toughen up. I've been giving him spelling lists at some point during the week (usually Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday), and he must write a sentence using each word. Then he's been having only one spelling test per week- usually on Thursday or, more often, Friday- which is good enough for me. I've purchased the age-appropriate Pathway Readers for third grade, I'm optimistic about starting those in another month or so. There's the reader, plus the teacher's manual plus the kid's workbook; which includes comprehension, vocabulary and spelling. We've started going to Chess Club with ETC (homeschool group) and D says he "loves chess", so that's a definite plus. ABall likes chess as well. I may be helping to teach an apologea Science class this Fall through ETC.... if not I have loads of Science experiment books we can utilize, and Celeste teaches Science at her house so hopefully I can finagle in invite for him to that too.....

D turns 8 in August- and will be starting Cub Scouts (yeehaaw!). With B working days now he should be able to go to Cub activities and such with him, which he will enjoy. We'll be leaving by Aug 15 for Claifornia, can't wait to go to Disneyland and we've tickets for Legoland and Aquarium of the Pacific as well. I wish California was somewhere other than in California.....

I've slowly started losing weight again- I really think I wasn't getting enough protein. I only managed to exercise 3 times last week, and need to do a lot more this week. D should be starting soccer soon (seems that way anyway!) so he needs to walk more also. We have an appointment with his pulmonolohgist tomorrow- I've got my fingers crossed. His pulmonary function was down 3 months ago, and she said if it isn't back up this time we'll have to change his meds to something stronger :(. I'm really hoping to avoid stronger meds.

As if Church at 1:00pm wasn't bad enough, it's been moved to 1:30pm now. I figure in the Winter, when they probably plan to do choir afterward, it will be dark by the time we get home. It's a good thing that there's so much growth in the Church, but I really wish we didn't have to meet so late in the afternoon. *grumble*grumble*grumble*

Well I'm tired again. I actually have timeto take a nap- but all this sleeping is driving me crazy (it was a short trip). I'm on 180 mg Armour Thyroid- but I'm thinking I could use another 60mg. Since I have "extra" now, I may have to try it. Celeste has been suggesting it for a while now....

♪♫ And it's a great day to be alive I know the sun's still shinin' when I close my eyes ★♪♫¸.·*¨)

2009-07-17T17:19:00.003-05:00

I haven't despised Summer for the first time in many years..... but it's taken it's toll I guess. With the record lows coming tonight and tomorrow night- it has been an AMAZING 80° F (the HIGH!!!) today and I couldn't be giddier about it. It's SO FABULOUS I can hardly stand it.

Also I got an insurance refund in the mail today- which was truly a blessing. And when I cleaned out some more stuff from the old house- I found over $100!! Then just moments ago we sold that blue race car toddler bed to someone with toddlers. WONDERFUL!!! We get to go to Higgins tonight for Evan's birthday- there'll be pizza and chocolate cake with ganache. What more could you ask for??

Yesterday I took LilB, Cman & Bman to the movies- we saw Space Chimps. Well, they enjoyed it anyway- I'm pretty sure I slept through most of it. Then we followed poor Celeste home from the grocery store and had pizza rolls at her house. I bet she thought she'd never get rid of us, but swimming lessons (for Bman) did come and we did go home. :( We are definitely going to need someone to swim with us next week..... (taking volunteers)

Wednesday we had library day- and we signed and filed out intent to home school this year. I'm relieved to have that out of the way. And I'm really enjoying homeschooling- though B2 whines and moans when it's time for (__fill in the blank__) and I'm having a difficult time convincing him not to. I remind him that he never moaned and groaned when his (K, 1st or 2nd grade) teacher(s) told them it was time for spelling, or time for math. It really gets on my nerves, and I get temperamental and snarky. I know that is my fault and completely within my control- but seriously. "School" takes maybe 2 hours a day- TOPS. And even though we have technically been doing school all Summer- it's been a really light workload to say the least. I can't see where he has anything to complain about. At all.

I gave a talk Sunday on "being in His kingdom and of His kingdom". I thought it went pretty well. It must not have been awful, or else lots of people are just lying to me... It's possible. BigB thought I didn't stay on topic very well- but my mind really doesn't stay on topic so well since we did all that infertility works years ago. Also that psycho~~path~~therapist did say I had ADD with OCD tendencies. Perhaps it isn't all my fault.

Alright I've got to go. Finishing up burritos for Bryson then heading out to Melanie's. Cheeriooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

About that 30 mins of walking 3-5 times a week....

2009-07-04T08:17:00.004-05:00

So my surgeon and nutritionist seem to agree that all WLS patients need to walk 30 minutes/day, 3 times a week. I did manage to exercise 3 times this week already, but due to the (albeit sugar-free) candy I've felt obliged to eat a couple days this week, last night in particular, I figured it couldn't hurt to add another day.

The thing is, I see other people out jogging or walking while I'm out, and they look good?! I do not look fabulous by any stretch. Picture it in your head (if you dare!!): ME- for starters. Then I'm wearing navy yoga pants (not 'cool' ones, the WM ones, but they're comfy at least). I'm wearing a black T-shirt that is (I CAN HEAR YOU ALREADY CELESTE SO I'LL JUST SAY IT FOR YOU) TOO BIG for me. And my delightful hair, which I did wash last night but slept on since then, is back in a barrette on top and a pony tail in the back. I've got my cell phone in my pocket (so I reckon there's an extra bulge there) and I'm carrying my 27 oz water.... which is in silver Klean Kanteen with a red case. I often wonder if the neighbors cringe when they see me coming....

Another thing is, some time during the last 7 months/100 lbs lost, I've begun walking faster. This may sound like an improvement, but I actually find myself wondering if I should slow down so I don't have to walk so far..... I get that sounds retarded, but I don't really care to THINK at the time of the morning. Not so much so anyway. So instead of just walking around 2 blocks or whatever, I've ended up walking around each block twice, once in each direction. And still I managed only 26 mins today, and no the 30 I was going for. I was thinking we might go to the Arvest stadium today though, where there will be lots of activities and of course fireworks later tonight, and we would be walking around the whole time so that will so that ought to count for at least another 4 minutes of walking. That's what I tell myself in my head anyway. And surely we'll swim today or tonight sometime, and walking around in 4' of water is good exercise for me too. I make it a point to walk around the diameter of the pool and make water tornadoes, so it's fun for DBall and me. :) ABall is off today (HALLELUJAH!!!!) and he may be entertained by my pool circles too.

I've been taking the Armour for, what, a month now? I'm exhausted most afternoons. Actually yawning and falling asleep if I sit still too long. I'm seriously wondering if I need a higher dose. Dr. O. said my Vit D was low, so I've been taking 6,000 IU a day. With the magic pouch and needing water to swallow 6 pills, it's a pretty daunting task for me some days. As luck would have it Dr. O. sells 5,000 IU pills in his office. I went to pick them up yesterday but their office was closed for the holiday?! Sad for me. Also my B12 is "normal" (I'm taking sub-lingual twice a day), but I'm still too tired and my muscles are killing me (like my thigh muscles have started cramping up in the middle of the night again- and even during the day when I'm sitting there doing NOTHING). I had all that blood-work done last month, and apparently everything was "normal" and there was no cause for concern. I'm going to copy my lab-work results and send them to Dr. O. and maybe he can figure out what's "wrong" with me.

I'm going to go ahead and confess that: I don't like water. I just do not. My surgeon and nutritionist encourage us to drink at least 64 oz of fluid a day, and half should be plain water. I am certain I get at least 64 oz every day- but I'm also pretty darn certain less than 12 oz of it is plain water. Really I think Crystal Light is fabulous- the cherry, the grape, the dark berry..... and if you're drinking high protein drinks, the fuzzy naval protein mixed with Orange Morning Sunrise is more than palatable. I see no way to "like" water. I guess I don't "dislike" it, I'd just rather not drink anything at all, unless I'm thirsting to death. It's really not a good motto when you're trying to keep from dehydrating after WLS....

Okay I took a break there for a while. Showered and dressed, and the boys have gone to buy fireworks. We were going to go to an early movie, but couldn't find anything suitable for our almost 8 y/o. We might rent movies for later I guess. We're having steaks on the grill for dinner... hope it isn't raining at dinner time. HAPPY 4th of July y'all!!

This is from Silver Dollar City at Christmas (2008). Thought it was fabulous, and though I've likely posted it here before, seemed to go well with the holiday!

Don't feel fabulous

2009-06-18T20:49:00.005-05:00

but wanted to add some photos from yesterday. The Wheelers and Peyton came over for swimming- and I was able to get a few pictures. They were mostly taking turns jumping from the ladder into the pool... after Benjamin left for swimming lessons they were all trying to ride on the same floaties at the same time.....

Peyton, C-man, Dball

Dball, C-man, Peyton

again

little brother's turn!

THE END

HAPPY 33rd BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!

2009-06-16T10:15:00.005-05:00

My younger brother celebrates his 33rd birthday today- how exciting! Somehow he got to be older than me somewhere along the way... funny how that happens.

Yesterday I thought I had a lot to say here,but after updating the recipe and homeschool blogs, I couldn't recall anything. I'm still not sure what I thought I might mention last night, but since I feel somewhat accomplished so far for today, I'm going to list a few things here.

Yesterday I had DBall do his 2 math worksheets and spelling sentences, then we went with the Wheelers to do some mystery shops in Prairie Grove and Siloam Springs. On the way home we all ate at Flying Burrito and came home to take a nap. Well, I took a nap. Apaprently CMan & Bman thought we shoudl swim, and DBall no doubt would've agreed but I was so exhausted for some reason (lackof thyroid meds, no doubt) I could barely drag myself in the house fast enough to lie down. DBall ate popcorn and koolaid and watched a recorded movie ("When Good Ghouls Go Bad") on my bed while I napped. ABall was in Ft. Smith for more driver training yesterday, and got home a little after 2:30pm yesterday afternoon (yay!). We had red beans & rice for dinner- which I thought was fabulous, and ABall thought was a little spicy. We're back to DBall having to try everything at dinner, and he didn't love it. He at the rice separately, which he managed not to gag about (it was one piece of rice for glory sakes) but the ONE red beans he ate caused him some issues. But he ate it, and then promptly threw it up in the toilet. I'm good with it though- the child has to learn to eat something other than hotdogs. I MEAN IT THIS TIME. It is SO WONDERFUL knowing that ABall will be home for dinner every night, and we will all sit down at the table and eat, and he can help with learning the boy to eat.

This morning ABall has to do more ridealongs, so DBall and I dropped him at the post office at about 10 to 8:00am so we could keep the car. Then we made a deposit and returned a couple of library books. We do have library day tomorrow, but I thought we'd just go ahead and take them this morning because I also wanted to run by the "old house" to make sure everything looked copasetic.

When we returned home DBall did his two math worksheets (yes, even though his arm hurt- his right arm- the one he writes with) and then I read a few chapters of the Chronicles of Narnia to him. I had him look over his spelling words, then gave him the spelling test. I even gave him two bonus sentences. The only word he missed was "chocolate", so I was pretty pleased with the results.

With all the complaining he sometimes does about how hard his school work is, he completed it all for the day before 10:30am. So less than two hours, which I justd don't think is bad. At all. Last night I ordered the Pathway Readers and Teacher's Editions we need. I ordered the two third grade sets, "New Friends" and "More New Friends". I'm certain he's going to complain mightily about having to read those as well, but the child has to be literate, whether he likes it or not. I am starting to feel like we have a system going for homeschool now, and that's a relief for me.

It seemsto have stopped raining for the most part. Was pretty stormy this morning- the wind blew things all over the front and back yards, and the rain came all the way up on my front porch and managed to hit the windows on the front door. DBall was hoping the lights would go out ("it's always funner in the dark"). I'm glad they didn't go out....

I love folk art, and this is a lithograph I really want. I'm only putting it here so I can look at it, it makes me happy.

We've been so busy

2009-06-01T23:09:00.002-05:00

I'm starting to wonder if it's ever going to slow down. Of course I'm spending WAY too much time playing on facebook, but I'm fixing to put an end to most of it. I will still read about my friends and family's activities and such, and include my own, but the little extra apps will have to go.

Today D-ball and I went to Tanyard Creek with Wheelers and several others from one of our homeschool groups. I got more than double my "required" amount of exercise in for the day, so that's a plus. It was a nice park, and the water/waterfalls were lovely. I think we can count it as one of our trail hikes for the Summer.... maybe next week Celeste will think of another (more local? perhaps?) for us to try. Once I figure out how to download these pics off my phone and camera, I might add them to this entry.

Aceball went back to work tonight, but there's only 3 nights left of the graveyard shift, I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. He has a third Dr's visit with the eye surgeon on thursday morning at 8:00 a.m., then we're heading off to Branson. Currently the 'plan' (because you know by now that I must have one at all times) is to go to White Water Thursday, spend the night in a hotel, then go to Silver Dollar City on Friday. We will come home late Friday night I'm sure, and ABall will start as a mail carrier Saturday morning. WOOOOHOOOO!!!!!! Wednesday night will be the last night he sleeps during the daytime because of work.

DBall and I started Singapore math today and I think we are going to like it. I didn't have to teach anything, because even though it's third grade math (I believe) it's review for him. He did a fabulous job on the 4 worksheets, and didn't complain once (you should be shocked and amazed here- I truly was). Afterward he told me he doesn't want to do Time 4Learning on the computer anymore. He wants me to find him a language arts curriculum with worksheets and a book, like Singapore math. So there ya go. I've already paid for Time 4 Learning for June; so he will do Language Arts, Science and Math through T4L throughout the end of June. I'm going to need suggestions from any and all homeschoolers out there about Language Arts curriculum with worksheets please!

I feel like I have so many things I want to do, and I dont' know how I'm going to get them all done. ABall took the van to work tonight (instead of the Camry) so he could stop by the "old house" an dpick up some more stuff tomove over here. I SO WISH we could've afforded movers to pack and haul it all over here. Doing it piece meal is driving us crazy. I'm absolutely worn out every time we walk in the door at the "old house"- and way too little gets done because of this. I've got a few boxes here now that I need to unload. I couldn't do it today because I was at Tanyard Creek all day,but I definitely need to force myself to unpack and organize at least part of the day tomorrow. At the same timeI feel like there's something I'm supposed to do tomorrow that I'm totally missing- maybe it'll come to me.

I'm currently working on my meal/chore calendar for June. I've moved "breakfast night" to Sundays, because for some reason Mondays were SO NOT WORKING OUT for me. I've moved "crockpot night" to Mondays, hoping it will relieve some of my nonsensible Monday night stress. Unfortunately tonight I had to go ahead and have "Breakfast night", because I wanted to have grill night last night and convinced DBall to have breakfast night tonight, under the condition that I would buy "real bacon". We've been having turkey bacon and my boys have been dealing with it nicely; but Nana makes blasted "real bacon" when we visit her house so DBall felt obligated to tell me that he actually prefers "real bacon" because "it just tastes so much better!" THANKS MOM.

This wonderful LDS mother whose blog I have added to my roll always has fun activities and ideas, as well as and fully prepared Family Home Evening Lessons on her blog. I LOVE HER! She is an absolute God-send. We haven't been doing FHE mostly because I'm a horrible mother, but also somewhat because of ABall's ridiculous work schedule. Another reason I am personally excited about his new position and daytime work hours is because I'm convinced and determined that we will have FHE once a week (probably on Sunday nights) whether we need it or not. But we definitely need it. And I'm SO TRULY GRATEFUL for this amazing woman with all the FHE lessons available on her blog. I can just print it out and use it as though it were my very own. LOVE IT!!!!! I'm planning ones on: prayer, sacrament, Ministering Angels and Agency and the Fall (of Adam). I cannot wait!

The same aforementioned blogger has Summer activities and ideas on her page. I'm hoping to get all the ingredients together to make "I Spy Bottles" with Deucey, Coleman and maybe Benjamin. They're made with water bottles and each bottle will have the same items inside, and a master list on the outside. Since there is no actual skill required to play "I Spy", they should be able to play together and I figure we can have winners and prizes sometimes. I might even make extra to take along for long car rides/trips as well.

Another activity I recently re-thought of is Geocaching. Click that to read a little about it. I do have a Garmin GPS, and I'm wondering if you can use coordinates (as opposed to street addresses?) with it. If I can figure it out I'm going to see if Coleman (and Benjamin?) maybe want to try Geocaching as well. I know *I* definitely want to try it! It's like hide-and-seek with complete strangers.

SoI need to finish up my June calendar and maybe take a bath. And read my book. And get to sleep already! What was I supposed to do tomorrow?

Mom~

2009-05-30T10:58:00.002-05:00

Here's the link about our house... it still has pictures up and everything: New House .

We went to the drive-in movies last night and saw Up! (it was SO MUCH fun!) and then came home just in time for the fireworks from the Naturals stadium nearby. We can sit in chairs in the backyard and see them clearly. :)

Today we're still working on moving and unpacking etc..... but we're having that garage sale no later than the weekend of June 19-20. I'm convinced of it.

Had a good Memorial Day

2009-05-26T13:21:00.002-05:00

spent it with Nana & Grandpa in Alabama. We were sad he didn't get to see Jonathan yesterday before we left, but we did enjoy Guitar Hero and Star Wars with him Sunday evening. We got Ashlie graduated from Seminary,and made it home safely last night. Had a flat tire in New Albany, MS on the way home; and got to ride inside the van, on top of the flat bed tow truck that came to haul us and our crippled vehicle to Walmart for new tires. Since there were three humans and two shih tzus, we wouldn't all fit int he tow truck cab.

This morning Bryson and I went for a walk while D-ball did his school work. He did language arts, language arts extensions and math. D went to Celeste's house (thank Heavens for Celeste!) while I took Bryson to the eye clinic for his LASIK surgery. We were there an hour and a half or so, but the surgery only took like 20 minutes. Aceball is resting now- his eyes are sensitive and sore, the right one hurts worse than the left. He took a second valium, a zyrtec and 3 ibuprofen and went to bed. He's supposed to sleep 6 hours, we'll see how that goes. He goes in at 8:45 in the morning for the srugeon to check his eyes. I'm thinking/hoping he'll feel better tomorrow. The Dr. said to avoid lake water for 3 months, but in about a month he can go in pool water (wooohoo- WHITE WATER!). He can go to Silver Dollar City and ride the roller coasters in a week- which is fabulous since we were planning to go next Thursday or Friday.

I'm thinking I need to help DBall locate his library books now and get some reading in. Then we need to obtain some more weed-n-feed, a water hose and a sprinkler. The hose and sprinkler are mostly because we don't have the pool set up yet. One gets bored, and it's kinda warm today and not raining (yet).

Triumphant day!

2009-05-21T18:05:00.002-05:00

I'm tired, due to only getting 3 hours of sleep last night. But I had an extremely successful visit with my new Dr. today. YEEEEHAAAAW. I was fully prepared to give him my list of low thyroid symptoms and try to convince him what dosage of Armour thyroid I felt I needed, but it was completely unnecessary. I printed out my labs from last July and this past February, as well as my letter to Dr. Alex and her response refusing me Armour. We chatted about how Armour was approved by the FDA in 1932 (or 1937, couldn't recall exactly) and how it wouldn't be left on the market if it was inconsistent and all that rubbish Dr. Alex claimed about it. We also noted that Synthroid couldn't even get FDA approval until 2002, because of the inconsistency between batches. I have done some research online and through medical journals (a nightmare in the best of times) and I'm sure he's done considerably more. Why they're telling folks in medical school that Armour is bad is completely beyond me- almost everyone I know with the exception of one friend has felt immensely better on Armour than on the synthetic. And Armour at least has T3 in it- which is the active thyroid hormone not even contained in Synthroid. I had told Dr. Olsent hat initially I had trebled my dose of synthroid, then wondered if that was overdoing it, so I dropped it to double my prescribed dose. I felt fabulous and for the first time in 6 mos my hands and feet were not numb with cold. Then I received that response back from Dr. Alex and wondered if double was toomuch as well- so I settled on 1.5 times my prescribed dose of synthroid. Dr. Olsen agreed that it would have been pretty obvious if I was taking too much thyroid (heart racing, sewating, jittery, etc) so he was certain the triple and double doses would not have killed me. We decided on the equilvalent of 1.5 my syunthroid dose to start with on Armour, because it could be that just the addition of T3 will make up the difference. He said if I don't feel as good as I did before, we can raise the dose until we get it right. He also said I needed to be taking 5000 IU of Vit D per day, because I've only been taking 2000 IU and it's only raised my Vit D levels to 43. They should be 50-65, and he said that would help a lot. I believe him- as I've done a lot of research on Vit D as well.

Later this morning CMan, Celeste and TuTu came over for movies/video games. The boys had pizza rolls and played PS2 the whole time. Celeste and I (and TuTu) watched Twlight until they had to go retrieve Benjamin from school.

Bryson had his "eye mapping" for LASIK with the eye Dr. today. They dilated his eyes so I drove him home. His surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. It doesn't look like we'll be able to leave for AL tomorrow, they're planning to make him work Friday night. But we'll most likely leave Saturday as soon as B gets home from work. Then we'll spend Sat & Sun nights in AL, and drive home Monday so ABall can be fully rested and prepared for surgery on Tuesday.

2009-05-20T22:44:00.002-05:00

7/15/08

TSH, 3RD GENERATION

1.53

HEMOGLOBIN A1c

7.2

VITAMIN B12		641		200-1100
FOLATE, SERUM		>24.0

GLUCOSE	183	65-99
UREA NITROGEN (BUN)	16	7-25
CREATININE	0.49	0.50-1.20
eGFR NON-AFR. AMERICAN	>60	> OR = 60
eGFR AFRICAN AMERICAN	>60	> OR = 60
BUN/CREATININE RATIO	33	6-22
SODIUM	138	135-146
POTASSIUM	4.5	3.5-5.3
CHLORIDE	104	98-110
CARBON DIOXIDE	23	21-33
CALCIUM	9.2	8.6-10.2

VITAMIN D, 25-OH, TOTAL	37	20-100
VITAMIN D, 25-OH, D3	37
VITAMIN D, 25-OH, D2	<4

TRANSFERRIN

333

188-341

Just putting this here for reference.....

2009-05-20T22:38:00.003-05:00

Labwork from 2/24/09

CALCIUM, IONIZED

5.01	(4.8-5.6 mg/dL)

TRIGLYCERIDES

(<150>

CHOLESTEROL, TOTAL

165	(125-200 mg/dL)

HDL CHOLESTEROL

38 L

(> OR = 46 mg/dL)

LDL-CHOLESTEROL

109

(<130>

CHOL/HDLC RATIO

4.3	(< or =" 5.0">

GLUCOSE

96	(65-99 mg/dL)

UREA NITROGEN (BUN)

13	(7-25 mg/dL)

CREATININE

0.56	(0.50-1.20 mg/dL)

eGFR NON-AFR. AMERICAN

>60	(> OR = 60 mL/min/1.73m2)

eGFR AFRICAN AMERICAN

>60	(> OR = 60 mL/min/1.73m2)

BUN/CREATININE RATIO

NOT APPLICABLE

(6-22 (calc))

SODIUM

140	(135-146 mmol/L)

POTASSIUM

4.6	(3.5-5.3 mmol/L)

CHLORIDE

106	(98-110 mmol/L)

CARBON DIOXIDE

21	(21-33 mmol/L)

CALCIUM

9.4	(8.6-10.2 mg/dL)

PROTEIN, TOTAL

6.8	(6.2-8.3 g/dL)

ALBUMIN

4.4	(3.6-5.1 g/dL)

GLOBULIN

2.4	(2.2-3.9 g/dL (calc))

ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN RATIO

1.8	(1.0-2.1 (calc))

BILIRUBIN, TOTAL

0.5	(0.2-1.2 mg/dL)

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE

72	(33-115 U/L)

AST

18	(10-30 U/L)

ALT

36	(6-40 U/L)

HEMOGLOBIN A1c 6.4

MAGNESIUM

1.9	(1.5-2.5 mg/dL)

VITAMIN B12

1419 H

(200-1100 pg/mL)

FOLATE, SERUM

22.9

( ng/mL)

VITAMIN D, 25 OH TOTAL

43	(20-100 ng/mL)

VITAMIN D, 25 OH, D2

( ng/mL)

VITAMIN D, 25 OH, D3

( ng/mL)

TSH 1.17

Now the day is over.....

2009-05-19T21:29:00.002-05:00

And I don't feel like I've accomplished all that much, but I'm tired nevertheless.
C-man came over this morning for a few hours- after surgery yesterday he wasn't up to the Dr. appointment with his mom. He and DBall played PS2 for a while then decided to watch a Goosebumps movie DBall checked out from the library last week. He's watched it alone, with Aball, and now with CMan. He also checked out a "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book, and really enjoyed it. It's like a comic book (which I'm told is more appropriately reffered to as a "graphic novel" these days) and he's hoping to check out more. He had been reading huge volumes of The Peanuts. He may have just switched to "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". You're only allowed to keep the movies for one week, so we'll go tomorrow to return the movie and look for more Diary books...

We did not do any schoolwork today at all. We did go to Target to get storage containers for both the toys in the play/sunroom and my seasonal things (Halloween, Easter, etc...). Then we went to Petsmart for hermit crab food. Then we went to Walmart for the groceries that weren't at Target. Then we went by the bank, because I thought I had lost my debit card. When we returned home from those places I told DBall if he cleaned out my car and found my debit card I would give him 25 cents. He did!!

While we were at Walmart DBall used some of his allowance money to buy a Star Wars/Clone Wars lego set. He spent 40 mintues or so putting that together in different ways, then Aball got up from his "nap". We grilled mozarella/garlic chicken sausages (from Sam's) for dinner then the boys mowed the backyard with the riding lawnmower.

I did manage twoloads of laundry today- but that's about it. I have a few things I could unpack and find a homefor, but I don't want to.

We had previously been feeding the dogs (shih tzus) Royal Canin brand food. It was approximately $14 for a 3 lb bag. They went up in price ($17+ per bag now!) so I did some research and decided on Solid Gold shih tzu food. It's not cheap, but it was less expensive than the Royal Canin. Unfortunately it does not do much for Gizmo- he's back to scratching and chewing his hide off. So we've ordered 10 lbs bags of the Royal Canin online from National Pet Pharmacy. With shipping it comes to $38 per 10 lb bag. I'm kind of scandalized about the whole thing. If I had enough time inmy day to accomlish everything I already need to, I might break down and make the dog's food for them myself. I know they would flourish on it- but I just don't have time. I'm thinking it might work out to be cheaper as well.... Maybe once we get settled in I'll find some recipes online and experiment with it a little. I know they can't have corn or corn products, or wheat. Mostly it's fresh meat (livers, organs, etc.) and fresh veggies. Then I could just keep the Royal Canin on hand for when I don't get the homemade fresh stuff made. I think you can keep it in the fridge a couple days, and freezeit longer (obviously). If I made big enough batches for both dogs... maybe I could get away with just preparing it once a week? Once every two weeks?

Along those same lines I'm reconsidering cooking on the weekends for the entire week. Or maybe on a specific day during the week. If I could get a couple of girlfriends to do the same thing, we could make enough meals for each family to last all week long. I love to cook so that's not the problem. Basically with homeschooling I just don't have nearly as much time as I used to during the week. I'm not complaining because I don't mind homeschooling at all. It would just be nice for the kids to play on, say, Tuesday while we cook up meals for 3-4 families to last a whole week. I can't remember what that's called but there used to be books and websites about it- seems like it had a "name" people referred to it as.

While I was ordering the dog's food (through Amazon) I went ahead and bought this book as well:

The Parenting Breakthrough: Real-Life Plan to Teach Kids to Work, Save Money, and Be Truly Independent

I'm hopeful it will help me get it together. I totally realize I'm doing Dball no favors by doing things for him, and/or by not requiring enough of him. But having only one child (at the moment, hopefully not forever) it's just simpler for me to do things myself. It's wrong, I know. And I like things really organized and "done right". Please don't think for a moment that I am not fully aware that I'm a control freak. I get that- anyone who knows me gets that. I am willing to step back, I just don't know 'how' I guess, or on what issues. I'm optimistic this book will helpme.

Recently I've noticed a lot more ADD and OCD issues with myself. I'm starting to wonder if the complete removal of Diet Coke from my diet is keeping me from being able to focus. Perhaps the caffeine in it was working like ritalin might... as a stimulant for most people, but was maybe helping me focus? I'm going to mention it to my new Dr. on Thursday. A lot of the ADD-like symptoms are also low thyroid symtoms, so it could be that as well. Or both. I'm really hoping that the switch to Armour and higher dosage of it will improve lots of things. I may be pinning a little too much hope on that one thing, but hopefully the Dr. will have other suggestions/insight on my issues too.

I've just run out of steam... think I'll go watch the DVR'd shows from last night!

And a little (more) better today....

2009-05-18T11:46:00.002-05:00

Maybe it's going to clear up!
I guess I neglected to mention the other day that it's not a plain scrambled egg I'm eating. I would NEVER be able to get enough protein in that way! It has turkey sausage and cheese mixed in with it :). So at least 6oz for the egg, 6oz (at least) for the cheese, and 6-8 oz for the sausage. So in general I'm getting at least 18 oz of protein at breakfast... and I guess there's 1-2oz in the bread too, but I'm only eating half a slice.

It is sunny today- thank goodness. We have lots more work to do still at the old house. I think it may be sunny all week?! It's about time!! I planted my lonely tomato in a pot yesterday. I have some hydrangeas that need planting today if we find a shovel and have time. Bryson has an appointment Thursday for 'eye mapping' (I think it was) so he can have LASIKS next week. Thursday I have my appointment with Dr. Olsen (hoping for armour thyroid in a more theraputic dose!) and Friday or Saturday we'll leave for Alabama, depending on Aball's schedule at work. Barely 3 more weeks til he's a mail carrier and home every night!!

Maybe it is just me

2009-05-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

I have never enjoyed mornings. Ever. But since surgery, I think I may enjoy them even less.

I have to take my thyroid meds before anything else(can't remember why). Then I try to eat breakfast. I'm almost always nauseated from breakfast- no matter what I eat. If I eat too fast, too much, or the wrong thing I'm especially ill. It lingers on for quite some time- hours sometimes. I'm supposed to spend 20 minutes eating 1 egg and half a piece of toast. Could be I'm eating too fast- but I just cannot drag out 1scrambled egg and half a piece of toast for 20 minutes? Oh, I'm also not supposed to drink anything within half an before or after eating. Nor while I'm eating. So 30 mintues after finishing said breakfast, I start taking my meds. One at a time, of course. The magic pouch is only the size of an egg- and I need liquid to swallow each pill of course. This, too,takes at least half an hour. I could take them faster, but they'd sit at the top of my throat and I'd be nauseous all over again. My multi-vitamins are chewable and my B12 is sublingual, so that helps. I cannot take the calcium until an hour or more after all the morning meds, because the iron from the multi-vit interferes with absorption. Since I've been redesigned for malabsorption already- I have to do what I can to follow the rules from the surgeon or else I'll be too low on vitamins and minerals. I went for a few days at the beginning of the week without taking the calcium. Not intentionally- I just put it in the new bathroom closet, and didn't see it, so didn't remember. I know what happens when I don't take calcium! My legs/feet/toes cramped up all night and it was awful. I didn't even realize it was the calcium until the next morning. I'm back on the calcium though and the cramping has ceased.

I know I've said it before, but this really isn't the 'easy way out' I thought it would be. They told me up front it was a major/risky/hard surgery, blah blah blah .... but I figured it was laparoscopic, and then you're not hungry anymore. How hard could it be? I stand corrected. I'm not complaining, I'm just sayin'. Tomorrow is my 6-mo surgery anniversary. On a list I'm on we call it our "re-birthday". I'm not going to have lost 100 lbs by then... but this morning I was down one more, so that's 96 lbs so far. I've been walking the last few days again- and PACKING and MOVING and UNLOADING boxes the last 2. Somehow I think that counts as a little exercise, somehow.

The congestion remains in my chest. I have no fever, no chills, no aching muscles. I'm taking mucinex D every 12 hours (as directed). I occassionally use my symbicort and albuterol (often I forget). I do feel like it's going away- and I just dont' want to deal with antibiotics right now. There's little chance I could take antibiotics and pro-biotics on top of my other medications. I just keep hoping I'm right and it's really on it's way out. I do have an appointment with the new Dr. next week... the one who purportedly prescribes Armour. I guess if I'm still dealing with it then he can prescribe something if he thinks he needs to.

AceBall is off today thank goodness. I just can't wait til he's finished at the plant and is working as a carrier. We'll have to get up MUCH earlier then for family prayer. But then DeuceBall and I can go back to bed I suppose if we want :D . That's a happy thought. Early to bed, early to rise!

Alright I needto unpack some boxes and plant the tomato if I can. Then perhaps I'll dry my hair...

WoooHoo a solid 95 today!

2009-05-14T14:10:00.002-05:00

So I'm excited about that.5 more pounds and I will have met my next "big goal"- 100 lbs lost!!!

But I really thought this "cold" (PIG FLU????) would have cleared out by now. It's rattling in my chest- I have no fever, but I'm not loving it. I started my symbicort today (a little late, obviously) but hopefully that, albuterol, mucinexD and more fluids and sleep will clear it out.

Poor sweet Bryson continues to haul van loads of our belongings over here every morning after work. I can barely wait til we're completely done with that house! I need to go over and help him (a lot) and we're planning that for this weekend. Doesn't sound so exciting at first glance, but in the end it will have been worth it.

Alright I've got to go supervise Celeste grooming her standard poodle for the afternoon's entertainment.

Not quite 95lbs.....

2009-05-13T17:11:00.002-05:00

But close enough! I'm happy with it!!
I'm also ecstatic about the new house. I love *love* LOVE it! And my sweet Bryson moves more and more boxes over every day after work. There's still MUCH in the old house, but we have all the furniture and most of the necessities. Since we somehow have more junk than I even imagined, the June garage sale is increasing exponentially. I'm good with that.