Our Nora pup is almost 10 weeks (or if you rather, a bit over 2 months) old. She is a good dog. She goes potty outside about 85% of the time (#1&2) and she is fairly good at chewing on her own toys (not the kids'). She still gets rambunctious at inopportune times, i.e. bedtime, but for the most part keeps a steady line of "energetic", which we can manage.
She does still nip a bit too much, especially at the kids, but she never means it in an aggressive way, just too playful. She is growing fast and is sometimes unaware of her bigger, stronger size; she has knocked over the kids a few times.
Last night she threw up apart of her new chew toy she apparently ingested. That was fun at 2am. She has also taken to pooping inside the outdoor play area for the kids. They then step in it and go down the slide. That is definitely something we need to figure how to correct.
She insists on eating out of Phoebe food bowl, which is only fair, Phoebe insists eating out of Nora's. The only thing is Nora needs the puppy food, and Phoebe absolutely does not.
Nora thoroughly loves walks/runs outside, though doesn't yet grasp the idea that to road is not just a giant sidewalk. She loves to pounce on leaves, and even munches on a few of them.
She dislikes the vacuum greatly, but loves to attack the broom.
The biggest issue we have at the moment is what to do with her when we leave. She hates her crate, which I understand. Phoebe hated hers too, and I simply feel like it is unfair to crate up animal for hours in a small cage if you can avoid it.
I did fashion a small dog run with our toddler gate, and that worked great for few weeks. It was big enough for her to walk around in, it had her bed and a couple toys, but there was no top to the "pin" she she didn't feel too caged in.
That ended officially on Christmas eve when were greeted by her and Phoebe at the garage door. Nora figured out how to climb out. The damage wasn't too bad, just bathroom messes to clean up.
I then reconfigured the gate into a circular shape, eliminating the 90° angles I watched her use to climb up and out of the pin the next morning. This only worked for a short trip out, today she had escaped again and somehow knocked down the hall tension gate, granting her access to rooms I was not prepared for her to go in.
Thankfully, once again, she had just used my carpet as a toilet and nothing was chew up or destroyed. While I hate cleaning the carpet over stuff like this, I can, in fact, clean it and no long-term damage is done.
When she did this, I was out at PETSMART, buying a metal cable leash so I could tether her to the kitchen table when we need to leave. (I knew the circular pin would not work for long.) This leash grants her access to her food and water bowls, her bed, her toys, and under the kitchen table...which is one of her favorite nap places. It will also keep her from having too much freedom in the house without supervision. She can reach a bit of carpet, so she might do something gross, but it's not much, and I can't avoid it. It is a leash she cannot chew through, and it's rooted to the base of our table which she cannot move. I hope this is a good alternative to the dog pin.
(Also, I don't mind having the dog pin down...my kitchen feels a lot bigger with it gone.)
I will probably take down my tree earlier this year though. She does like to occasionally chew on the branches, and the leash tether still allows her to reach it. I don't put anything past a bored, annoyed Nora pup.
I also might buy a storage bin or bench to put the kids' toys in. We barely had enough space before Christmas, now I will need something else to help keep the new over-flow safe from puppy teeth.
All in all, she is a sweet, energetic puppy...and she is everything you would expect from that. Nothing too surprising, she just makes life a bit more interesting. ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, December 26, 2014
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Our Christmas Miracle
21/2 weeks ago, our family was in shock. Opa was barely hanging on, and we all felt (though rarely said) we would lose him, just weeks before Christmas.
It's been a long journey full of highs and lows, but I am happy to say that Opa is our Christmas miracle.
He is now awake all day, breathing on his own, eating on his own, walking the halls (with a walker), and of complete lucidity. He reads the paper, and his books; he discusses his medications, and makes Christmas lists for people. He is back!
Just days ago we were still uncertain of his recovery; (he has been battling ICU psychosis) now he has blown everyone away with his progress.
Even one of his doctors admitted to him that they didn't feel he would make it...and he only tells him this now because he is certain he will now make a full recovery.
We are overjoyed and humbled.
He will still have to have another surgery in the weeks to come, and we all pray still that the next procedure will have zero complications; but for now, 1 week before Christmas, our greatest gift is Opa.
...Now let's see if he can get discharged and go home for Christmas Eve! (crosses fingers)
M.LEWIS
It's been a long journey full of highs and lows, but I am happy to say that Opa is our Christmas miracle.
He is now awake all day, breathing on his own, eating on his own, walking the halls (with a walker), and of complete lucidity. He reads the paper, and his books; he discusses his medications, and makes Christmas lists for people. He is back!
Just days ago we were still uncertain of his recovery; (he has been battling ICU psychosis) now he has blown everyone away with his progress.
Even one of his doctors admitted to him that they didn't feel he would make it...and he only tells him this now because he is certain he will now make a full recovery.
We are overjoyed and humbled.
He will still have to have another surgery in the weeks to come, and we all pray still that the next procedure will have zero complications; but for now, 1 week before Christmas, our greatest gift is Opa.
...Now let's see if he can get discharged and go home for Christmas Eve! (crosses fingers)
M.LEWIS
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Prayers for Opa [cont'd]
I saw my Opa today. He is looking so much better than the last time I saw him...though he is still very weak, sore, and tired, he is sitting up, he is breathing on his own, and he is talking - even sounding more like himself.
I won't bore you with all the medical terminology, but we hope he will be out of ICU soon, and into his rehab center. He will need extra attention and special treatment to get his strength up before he can go home.
We keep praying for his recovery, and we have been amazed at his strength and determination.
Oh, his birthday was yesterday too. 79 years and still fighting!
Keep up the prayers for Opa! 0:)
M.LEWIS
I won't bore you with all the medical terminology, but we hope he will be out of ICU soon, and into his rehab center. He will need extra attention and special treatment to get his strength up before he can go home.
We keep praying for his recovery, and we have been amazed at his strength and determination.
Oh, his birthday was yesterday too. 79 years and still fighting!
Keep up the prayers for Opa! 0:)
M.LEWIS
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Prayers for Opa
If you follow me on facebook, you know I have been speaking a lot about prayers, family, health, and hope lately. I want to take a minute and explain a bit more. I haven't said too much online because a) it was quite complicated and long-winded; and b) I was afraid of the outcome, and didn't want to face it completely.
My grandfather is in the hospital. He went in the first time a week or so before Thanksgiving. He was having a lot of pain in his abdomen and he was diagnosed with pancreatitis caused by gallstones. Due to his previous medical conditions, his organs are not in the normal place or position, some are even missing. Due to this, his gallbladder was very difficult to get to. The surgeons and other doctors decided to remove his gallstones but wait on removing his gallbladder.
He was released a few days later and was still in pain days after that. He saw a doctor again and was assured everything was "normal" due to his body healthing (though no tests run), and they would wait until after the new year to remove his gallbladder.
Early Sunday (11/30) morning my grandfather (whom we all call Opa) was in terrible pain, worse than ever before. My grandmother (Oma) rushed him to the ER and they quickly decided he needed emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder.
Now since his organs are not that of an average person, the surgery was invasive and difficult. During the surgery he has massive aspiration of fluid into his lungs. They knew this might happen due to his altered anatomy, but it was far worse than what they prepared for.
He was put on a ventilator, and numerous IV's for fluid, antibiotics, sedatives, pain medication, etc. He was running a fever still on strong pain killers; he had stubborn infections due to his gallbladder that was forming gangrene; and then got double pneumonia due to all the fluid on his lungs. He was so sedated he would only flutter his eyes open for a few minutes to some-what acknowledge who was in the room...only to forget minutes later. He has his hand restrained to the bed so he would not continue to try to pull out his breathing tube. They tried to get him to breathe on his own by turning off the ventilator, but he couldn't. At one point they couldn't wake him up, he wouldn't respond to any commands.
I visited him Monday and felt in my gut I would never see him as the Opa I grew up with. I was certain this time, he couldn't beat it. I felt a heavy heart, fearing we would lose him right before Christmas. I prayed, and cried, and prayed more. I prayed for his health, his strength, his comfort. I prayed for my Oma who was by his side all the way, along with my mother (Opa is her father). I prayed for our family as a whole. (In the past few weeks I have had 2 different aunts lose one of their parents...one of which was the morning of Opa's emergency surgery.) In a time of joy and festivities, my family was struggling to crawl out of this hole of sadness, grief, and exhaustion.
Just in the past 2 days, I have heard some wonderful, surprising news. My Opa has not run a fever in 24hrs, he has stayed awake for not minutes, but hours, he even had his breathing tube removed today.
I prayed for a miracle, and I truly believe we have one.
I am not saying he is out of the woods yet, but he is miles closer than he was just a couple of days ago. I continue to pray. If you are the praying type, I urge you to pray for him as well. This man, my Opa, is the strongest, most stubborn man when it comes to illness, cancer, and complications. He fights and he fights hard. I pray for him to be stronger, healthier, and more comfortable by Friday (his birthday) and hopefully home by Christmas. All I want this year is my family, my whole family, together at Christmas.
I know his day will come, like all of ours, but somehow through the dark terminal fog I felt he was in, God has shown him the light to fight through it. My heart is, for the first time in almost a week, hopeful.
This song was on the radio, and I will never hear it the same way again. Sure, the original meaning is completely different, but this lyric stuck out to me, and no matter what else happens, it will mean something special to me from now on.
"The greatest gift they’ll get this year is life."
Prayers still, please. Prayers for Opa!
M.LEWIS
My grandfather is in the hospital. He went in the first time a week or so before Thanksgiving. He was having a lot of pain in his abdomen and he was diagnosed with pancreatitis caused by gallstones. Due to his previous medical conditions, his organs are not in the normal place or position, some are even missing. Due to this, his gallbladder was very difficult to get to. The surgeons and other doctors decided to remove his gallstones but wait on removing his gallbladder.
He was released a few days later and was still in pain days after that. He saw a doctor again and was assured everything was "normal" due to his body healthing (though no tests run), and they would wait until after the new year to remove his gallbladder.
Early Sunday (11/30) morning my grandfather (whom we all call Opa) was in terrible pain, worse than ever before. My grandmother (Oma) rushed him to the ER and they quickly decided he needed emergency surgery to remove his gallbladder.
Now since his organs are not that of an average person, the surgery was invasive and difficult. During the surgery he has massive aspiration of fluid into his lungs. They knew this might happen due to his altered anatomy, but it was far worse than what they prepared for.
He was put on a ventilator, and numerous IV's for fluid, antibiotics, sedatives, pain medication, etc. He was running a fever still on strong pain killers; he had stubborn infections due to his gallbladder that was forming gangrene; and then got double pneumonia due to all the fluid on his lungs. He was so sedated he would only flutter his eyes open for a few minutes to some-what acknowledge who was in the room...only to forget minutes later. He has his hand restrained to the bed so he would not continue to try to pull out his breathing tube. They tried to get him to breathe on his own by turning off the ventilator, but he couldn't. At one point they couldn't wake him up, he wouldn't respond to any commands.
I visited him Monday and felt in my gut I would never see him as the Opa I grew up with. I was certain this time, he couldn't beat it. I felt a heavy heart, fearing we would lose him right before Christmas. I prayed, and cried, and prayed more. I prayed for his health, his strength, his comfort. I prayed for my Oma who was by his side all the way, along with my mother (Opa is her father). I prayed for our family as a whole. (In the past few weeks I have had 2 different aunts lose one of their parents...one of which was the morning of Opa's emergency surgery.) In a time of joy and festivities, my family was struggling to crawl out of this hole of sadness, grief, and exhaustion.
Just in the past 2 days, I have heard some wonderful, surprising news. My Opa has not run a fever in 24hrs, he has stayed awake for not minutes, but hours, he even had his breathing tube removed today.
I prayed for a miracle, and I truly believe we have one.
I am not saying he is out of the woods yet, but he is miles closer than he was just a couple of days ago. I continue to pray. If you are the praying type, I urge you to pray for him as well. This man, my Opa, is the strongest, most stubborn man when it comes to illness, cancer, and complications. He fights and he fights hard. I pray for him to be stronger, healthier, and more comfortable by Friday (his birthday) and hopefully home by Christmas. All I want this year is my family, my whole family, together at Christmas.
I know his day will come, like all of ours, but somehow through the dark terminal fog I felt he was in, God has shown him the light to fight through it. My heart is, for the first time in almost a week, hopeful.
This song was on the radio, and I will never hear it the same way again. Sure, the original meaning is completely different, but this lyric stuck out to me, and no matter what else happens, it will mean something special to me from now on.
"The greatest gift they’ll get this year is life."
Prayers still, please. Prayers for Opa!
M.LEWIS
Friday, December 5, 2014
Introducing Nora
Meet Nora.
She is, as Lorelai keeps calling her, "our new pup." She is half Siberian Husky and half Yellow Labrador Retriever.
She belonged to my friend, but she was unable to keep her due to breed restrictions in her apartment complex. I volunteered to take her after hearing she had only a few days to find her a home of her choosing. My friend picked our family, and then I made our lives turn upside down. ;)
We are actually finding a decent rhythm between Nora, Phoebe, Lorelai, and Adalaide. Night time seems to be the trickiest, though we have only done one of those with Nora. Basically, I feel rather confident we will find a good pattern and she will be a great addition to our family.
In the mean time, we just have to keep toys, paci's, cords, wires, and anything else we don't want chewed, off the floor; and we need to get this house-training down rather fast. ;)
First puppy appt for her: next week for shots and to schedule her spay. I will also schedule Phoebe's teeth cleaning as well. Get that terrible dog breath under control!
M.LEWIS
She is, as Lorelai keeps calling her, "our new pup." She is half Siberian Husky and half Yellow Labrador Retriever.
She belonged to my friend, but she was unable to keep her due to breed restrictions in her apartment complex. I volunteered to take her after hearing she had only a few days to find her a home of her choosing. My friend picked our family, and then I made our lives turn upside down. ;)
We are actually finding a decent rhythm between Nora, Phoebe, Lorelai, and Adalaide. Night time seems to be the trickiest, though we have only done one of those with Nora. Basically, I feel rather confident we will find a good pattern and she will be a great addition to our family.
First puppy appt for her: next week for shots and to schedule her spay. I will also schedule Phoebe's teeth cleaning as well. Get that terrible dog breath under control!
M.LEWIS
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Ornament 2014
Lorelai and Adalaide made ornaments this year. Yes, I combined their prints onto one ornament. They are too fidgety and messy to double the work by making doubles. (ignore the superman ornament)
Lorelai's feet and Adalaide fingers. I added the star, the light strings, and the trunk. Finishes it off more I think.
Hooray for the Christmas season has officially begun!
M.LEWIS
Hooray for the Christmas season has officially begun!
M.LEWIS
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Give Thanks for Christmas
A lot of people seem to be putting in a lot of energy hating on the early signs of Christmas. There are commercials, music, shopping ads, and decorations. Is it early? Yes, probably so; but why spend so much thought on it? Especially negative thought.
While I am not personally erecting my tree and lighting up my house to be seen from across the neighborhood, I am not exercising my anger on people and places that do.
Honestly, I get excited when I see the Hershey kisses ring in "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" on tv. I get excited when I see the neighborhood entrance ways decorated with lights and wreaths. I get excited when I see candy canes and Santa Claus in the stores. It's Christmas! Sure, Thanksgiving is great, but the kid in me falls in love with the magic of Christmas...every year.
I am thankful for that excitement. I am thankful I am not angry and bitter when I see glimpses of Christmas slowly creeping in. Christmas fills my heart with love and my soul with joy. Christmas lights up the faces of my children, and floods their home with wonder and imagination. How can one, in a season of thankfulness, be so displeased with this?
Today my mind is preoccupied, but I will remind myself of every little thing I am thankful for.
Healthy, active, present kids *they come up more than once
A hard-working, loving, loyal husband
A dog whom we consider a big part of our family
A sturdy, safe home
Plenty of food
The funds to pay every bill
A hot cup of coffee every morning
New slippers for my chilly feet
A warm shower
The ability to provide new clothes, shoes, and coats for my kids
My family whom lives nearby
The fact that I got to see the mountains this year
2 fully-functioning cars
Patience, even if it's in short supply some days
Friends who make me smile and listen to me ramble
Straws. I love straws.
Lotion, to help my hands that are always washing sippy cups
A cell phone to keep me connected to every thing you can image
Changing seasons, mainly changing from summer
Photographs, so I can relive so many moments of my fast-growing children's lives
Laughter, it makes the day better
Chocolate, it also makes the day better
Arts and crafts, big or small, I can use my brain in new and different ways
A new fence that makes me feel secure
The fact that my trash gets picked up every week, all I do is haul it out to the curb
Hairbands, my hair is always in my way
My childhood lovey, "Baby-baby", it's a miracle she's still around
Lorelai, in all her quirky glory
Adalaide, in all her unique messiness
A washing machine and dryer, enough said
Electricity, in every way
Kind words, society has a problem with this lately
My health, though am I not (in a lot of ways) in perfect shape, I most thankful I am around to appreciate all these things...and more
This Thanksgiving season I am even thankful for the early holly and jingle bells, why the heck not? Go with it. ;)
M.LEWIS
While I am not personally erecting my tree and lighting up my house to be seen from across the neighborhood, I am not exercising my anger on people and places that do.
Honestly, I get excited when I see the Hershey kisses ring in "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" on tv. I get excited when I see the neighborhood entrance ways decorated with lights and wreaths. I get excited when I see candy canes and Santa Claus in the stores. It's Christmas! Sure, Thanksgiving is great, but the kid in me falls in love with the magic of Christmas...every year.
I am thankful for that excitement. I am thankful I am not angry and bitter when I see glimpses of Christmas slowly creeping in. Christmas fills my heart with love and my soul with joy. Christmas lights up the faces of my children, and floods their home with wonder and imagination. How can one, in a season of thankfulness, be so displeased with this?
Today my mind is preoccupied, but I will remind myself of every little thing I am thankful for.
Healthy, active, present kids *they come up more than once
A hard-working, loving, loyal husband
A dog whom we consider a big part of our family
A sturdy, safe home
Plenty of food
The funds to pay every bill
A hot cup of coffee every morning
New slippers for my chilly feet
A warm shower
The ability to provide new clothes, shoes, and coats for my kids
My family whom lives nearby
The fact that I got to see the mountains this year
2 fully-functioning cars
Patience, even if it's in short supply some days
Friends who make me smile and listen to me ramble
Straws. I love straws.
Lotion, to help my hands that are always washing sippy cups
A cell phone to keep me connected to every thing you can image
Changing seasons, mainly changing from summer
Photographs, so I can relive so many moments of my fast-growing children's lives
Laughter, it makes the day better
Chocolate, it also makes the day better
Arts and crafts, big or small, I can use my brain in new and different ways
A new fence that makes me feel secure
The fact that my trash gets picked up every week, all I do is haul it out to the curb
Hairbands, my hair is always in my way
My childhood lovey, "Baby-baby", it's a miracle she's still around
Lorelai, in all her quirky glory
Adalaide, in all her unique messiness
A washing machine and dryer, enough said
Electricity, in every way
Kind words, society has a problem with this lately
My health, though am I not (in a lot of ways) in perfect shape, I most thankful I am around to appreciate all these things...and more
This Thanksgiving season I am even thankful for the early holly and jingle bells, why the heck not? Go with it. ;)
M.LEWIS
Monday, November 10, 2014
Take 2...Sort of
Last night I wrote a pretty long post.
Nothing too terribly special, but I went over our vacation, Halloween, and Phoebe's recent health issues. Then, somehow, the browser shut down and nothing was saved.
So that was frustrating.
Today, I will skip all that stuff and just say: vacation was great, we all miss Estes Park; Halloween was rushed, but went pretty good; and Phoebe gave us all a scare, but she is doing just fine now.
I intended to write more, I want to write more, but my head feels like it's going to pop. 80° today and 50° tomorrow means a large, powerful cold front that is pumping my sinuses full of pressure, and therefore, pain. So, sorry dear friends, I will return later with no headache and a fully functioning browser. Thanks ;)
M.LEWIS
Nothing too terribly special, but I went over our vacation, Halloween, and Phoebe's recent health issues. Then, somehow, the browser shut down and nothing was saved.
So that was frustrating.
Today, I will skip all that stuff and just say: vacation was great, we all miss Estes Park; Halloween was rushed, but went pretty good; and Phoebe gave us all a scare, but she is doing just fine now.
I intended to write more, I want to write more, but my head feels like it's going to pop. 80° today and 50° tomorrow means a large, powerful cold front that is pumping my sinuses full of pressure, and therefore, pain. So, sorry dear friends, I will return later with no headache and a fully functioning browser. Thanks ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, October 31, 2014
Final Fundraiser Friday
Fundraiser Friday!
This will be my final Fundraiser Friday post. Thanks to friends and family, Team Duke has reached their goal of $500 for the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk. The funds we raised will go toward helping a sick child undergo treatments that could very well save their life. Funds also go toward airfare, housing, and food costs for the families of patients at St. Jude. Thank you for donating, and I hope you keep St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in your thoughts when you choose to donate again. A great way to make this happen on a semi-regular basis is through amazon.smile.com . There, you can do all of your holiday shopping, like you would from amazon.com, but with every purchase order, amazon will donate a percentage to a charity of your choice. I hope you choose St. Jude, or another charity that is close to your heart. The fundraiser goal has been met, but the need for donations will always be there; remember, St. Jude spends $2 million a day to help sick children, and they run solely on donations from people like you and me.
Still want to help donate to a great cause? We will continue to raise money until the day of the walk, Nov. 22. You can DONATE HERE.
This holiday season, I give thanks for the healthy children in my life, and I hope you do as well! Thank you all.
*Our facebook page will continue to post any new developments along with pictures from the walk day, check back soon!
M.LEWIS
This will be my final Fundraiser Friday post. Thanks to friends and family, Team Duke has reached their goal of $500 for the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk. The funds we raised will go toward helping a sick child undergo treatments that could very well save their life. Funds also go toward airfare, housing, and food costs for the families of patients at St. Jude. Thank you for donating, and I hope you keep St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in your thoughts when you choose to donate again. A great way to make this happen on a semi-regular basis is through amazon.smile.com . There, you can do all of your holiday shopping, like you would from amazon.com, but with every purchase order, amazon will donate a percentage to a charity of your choice. I hope you choose St. Jude, or another charity that is close to your heart. The fundraiser goal has been met, but the need for donations will always be there; remember, St. Jude spends $2 million a day to help sick children, and they run solely on donations from people like you and me.
Still want to help donate to a great cause? We will continue to raise money until the day of the walk, Nov. 22. You can DONATE HERE.
This holiday season, I give thanks for the healthy children in my life, and I hope you do as well! Thank you all.
*Our facebook page will continue to post any new developments along with pictures from the walk day, check back soon!
M.LEWIS
Friday, October 17, 2014
Fundraiser Friday #6
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet: Yamila
Meet: Yamila
8 years old
Diagnosis:
Yamila has been fighting leukemia since age 3.
Yamila's story:
Yamila has been fighting cancer ever since she was 3 years old. At first, it seemed as though she might have tropical dengue fever, but after several tests, Yamila was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She underwent treatment at a local hospital in Puerto Rico, but the cancer, unfortunately, came back.
This time, her doctors recommended a bone marrow transplant and referred Yamila’s family to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude invents more clinical trials than any other children’s hospital, which is why the world looks to St. Jude for new and better ways to treat childhood cancer. At St. Jude, Yamila underwent a bone marrow transplant, with her brother serving as her donor.
In addition to providing cutting-edge medicine free of charge, St. Jude works hard to create a healing environment that allows kids to be kids. Although Yamila had never left her home island before coming to St. Jude, she felt very comfortable at the hospital.
“My daughter began riding her bike shortly after leaving the transplant unit,” marvels her mom. “The physical therapist would come to teach her some exercises, and all she would think about was her bike.”
Yamila even took English as a Second Language lessons at the fully-accredited St. Jude school, bringing along her favorite toy dog named Lucy.
Yamila’s family never received a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Yamila has returned to her home in Puerto Rico. She comes back to St. Jude regularly for checkups. Yamila loves to play guitar, make arts and crafts and cook.
“St. Jude is a hospital where miracles happen,” says Yamila’s mother. “Here, children are happy while they’re getting treatment.”
Give thanks today and share our cause! DONATE HERE and thank you!
M.LEWIS
Friday, October 10, 2014
Fundraiser Friday #5
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet: Slade
Meet: Slade
7 years old
Diagnosis:
Slade was found to have leukemia in November 2012.
Slade's story:
Seven-year-old Slade is something of an expert on reptiles. Boas, pythons, rattlesnakes and lizards: this junior zoologist can almost identify them all. And if he doesn’t know a reptile’s official name, he’ll give it a creative and catchy nickname just for fun.
In November 2012, Slade and his family were traveling over the Thanksgiving holiday when he developed an earache and a fever. His family took him to an after-hours clinic. There, they were shocked to learn Slade was seriously ill. The doctor who examined Slade arranged for him to travel immediately by ambulance to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The very next day, Slade was found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood.
“I always knew about St. Jude, but never thought I would have a need for it,” says Slade’s mom. “And what a true blessing. It's the most amazing place in the world!”
Treatments invented at St. Jude have revolutionized leukemia therapy worldwide and increased the survival rate from 4% when St. Jude opened in 1962 to 94% today. And families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Slade has another year of chemotherapy to go, but his cancer is already in remission. He has been able to resume much of his normal routine back home, taking oral chemotherapy and making regular visits to his care team at St. Jude.
Slade’s St. Jude routine has become an important part of his life, too. During every visit, Slade insists on stopping at the hospital gift shop for a new toy and eating a hamburger with provolone at the popular hospital cafeteria, the Kay Kafé.
“I am so proud of the way he has handled himself through all of this,” says Slade’s mom. “How can a child go into a procedure with all those nurses and doctors around him and not be scared? But he never is. I will always be indebted to St. Jude. They are saving my child's life.”
Help children like Slade, and donate today! 42 days and $115 left! DONATE HERE.
M.LEWIS
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
October
October is shaping up to be an eventful month.
Chris was out of town for 3 days, we got our fence replaced, and Halloween costumes have been created already. It might seem a bit early, but we are going on a real vacation soon, so I have other things to fret over, and not much time to be creative when we return.
Lorelai has informed us (for months now) that she wants to be a fairy princess. She has a dress that will work, and fairy wings, and a wand...but she needed a little more pizzazz, you know? So, we bought glitter tulle and elastic and I made her a skirt to slip on over her dress to kick it up a notch. Total cost of Lorelai's costume: $18
Adalaide was a bit harder. She doesn't talk or understand the holiday, so that leaves it up to me pretty much. Addy doesn't like big outfits. Too many ruffles, buttons, ribbons, etc and her tiny frame gets overwhelmed and she becomes "hulk baby." So I decided to make her a ballerina. She has a little tutu that was Lorelai's and a pink onesie. She has a teeny little crown from Disney World earlier this year and pink shoes. All she needed was ribbons up her legs, but nothing she could fuss with. So I took a pair of sock she already had and bought a spool of slender pink ribbon. I tacked on the ribbon in all the right places, and tada...hopefully she will cooperate. Adalaide's costume: $3
Now I have to buy candy, that is the most expensive part of Halloween it seems. There is a cartwheel coupon right now, so if you all use that, get it, and use it while you can!
We also picked out our pumpkins to carve. We go to this cute little pumpkin patch at The Storybook Ranch in Mckinney. You get a free mini pumpkin, a wagon ride, a pony ride, you can go to their petting zoo, their bounce houses, and their corn maze. Pretty cute stuff. Just go early and on a cool day.
Soon we will have all cool days, seeing as we will be in Colorado, and I get to wear coats and boots like one should be able to do in mid October. Even then, it will only be for a short while, but I'll take what I can get!
Another little bit to add to October? 2 more babies! One will be another adorable niece for Chris and myself (and another cousin for our girls!), and the other will be a precious baby girl for my friend, Erin (and another playmate!). I do look forward to hearing of their joyous arrivals!
Hopefully next post will have pictures. That helps with the fun factor on these blogs...I am just too tired to mess with it right now. ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, October 3, 2014
Fundraiser Friday #4
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet: Reese
Meet: Reese
2 years old
Diagnosis:
Reese was found to have a brain tumor in May 2013.
Reese's story:
Today, Reese is an active little girl who loves to dance. But for much of her first two years, she was sickly. While hospitalized for dehydration, Reese had a seizure. It was a blessing in disguise.
The seizure prompted an MRI, which revealed Reese suffered from a brain tumor called ependymoma. The tumor was removed at the local children’s hospital, but Reese needed additional treatment to enhance her chances of survival.
Reese’s parents were provided with a list of cancer centers that offered proton beam therapy, a form of radiation that can pinpoint dangerous tissue while preserving healthy tissue. Reese’s parents were in the process of arranging treatment at one of these centers when they were told there was an issue with their insurance.
"That’s when I realized I wasn’t going to let my insurance determine the fate of my child,” says Reese’s mom.
She reached out to an online support group for parents of children with ependymoma and asked for advice. Soon, she was talking to the coordinator of the brain tumor program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude has the largest pediatric brain tumor research program in the country and the world’s best survival rates.
Reese’s mom says, “When the coordinator explained the program here at St. Jude, and how that would help us, and we wouldn’t have to worry about any of the financial side of things, I didn’t even want to proceed with the other cancer center anymore. St. Jude had a program that would meet Reese’s needs, and they could help her. For me, that was my focus.”
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Reese and her mom left the rest of their large family back home to arrive at St. Jude last Father’s Day. It was hard to be far from home, but the staff and the amenities at St. Jude helped immensely. Now, following intravenous chemotherapy and proton beam therapy, Reese has been reunited with her family. She is finishing her treatment with oral chemotherapy administered at home.
“Reese loves to be the center of attention,” says her mom. “I think we’re going to have our hands full with her!”
Give thanks and donate what you can HERE. Thank you!
M.LEWIS
Friday, September 26, 2014
Fundraiser Friday #3
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet Logan
Meet Logan
8 years old
Diagnosis:
Logan was found to have a brain tumor when he was 6 years old.
Logan's story:
“Logan is a kid who gets everyone’s attention, and he doesn’t even have to try,” says his mom. He just has a certain something that draws people to him.
When Logan was 6 years old, he started having headaches. At first, he would have one every few weeks, but soon he was having headaches several times a day. After repeated trips to the emergency room, doctors ordered an MRI. The scan revealed a tumor in Logan’s brain.
Logan was transported by air to a children’s hospital for surgery, where Logan’s worried family was warned of the possible outcomes. “What they told me made me sick to my stomach,” says his mother. “They said he could be paralyzed on the right side or that he could go blind.”
Fortunately, Logan came out of surgery without any lasting damage. But even so, the crisis wasn’t over. The tumor was malignant, a type known as ependymoma.
Logan needed intensive post-surgery treatment to improve his chances of survival. The best place for him to get this life-saving treatment was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude has the largest pediatric brain tumor research program in the country and the world’s best survival rates.
At St. Jude, Logan received 33 radiation therapy treatments over the course of six weeks. His mom remains proud of how brave her little boy was. “I was the one crying,” she remembers.
The wide-ranging support of his treatment team at St. Jude helped Logan cope. “The Child Life Specialists worked with him every time he got an IV,” his mom says. “He loved his physical therapy. They let him play basketball every time they got done with a session.”
The St. Jude school helped Logan keep up with his peers during cancer treatment. And Logan picked up a new hobby: puzzles. “He started with the puzzles that were 30 or 40 pieces,” says his mom, “and by the end of his treatment, he was doing the ones that had 100 pieces. His motor skills were excellent.”
“I didn’t worry at all when I was at St. Jude,” she continues. “I knew he was going to get better, and I didn’t have to worry about having to take care of everything because St. Jude helped.”
In fact, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Today, Logan is in the second grade but doing math at a third-grade level. He is signed up for baseball this year and loves his pet Chihuahua, Jo Jo. His mom says, “He’s all you could ever want for a son.”
What can you give today? Please, DONATE HERE, and thank you!
M.LEWIS
Friday, September 19, 2014
Fundraiser Friday #2
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet: Kayla
Meet: Kayla
At 8 years old
Diagnosis:
Kayla was found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia in September 2012.
Kayla's story:
Nine-year-old Kayla has a million-watt smile. When it spreads across her face, which is often, it shows the light inside her that not even childhood cancer can dim.
A day in 2012 that had been such a fun, with a trip to the park and then to the movies, ended with Kayla at an urgent care clinic, crying in immense pain. An abdominal X-ray showed her liver and spleen to be enlarged. When they took blood her mother really panicked.
“She wouldn’t stop bleeding,” Kayla’s mom remembers. “I thought, oh, that’s not normal. Something else is going on, something deeper.” It was cancer.
That night, Kayla was brought to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude is where doctors send their toughest cases because St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers. When she arrived, Kayla was found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer.
Kayla began receiving chemotherapy at St. Jude, where the groundbreaking development of combination therapy for children with ALL has revolutionized leukemia therapy worldwide and increased the survival rate from 4 percent when St. Jude opened in 1962 to 94 percent today.
Chemotherapy for ALL usually lasts more than two years, which can seem like forever to a child. But Kayla has stayed positive and upbeat, even during the hardest times. Kayla’s smiling face is well-known to both hospital staff and patients. She’s often seen to be something of a “big sister” to newer and younger patients, helping them learn to feel at ease.
“Kayla has a great personality,” her mother says. “She enjoys life, and she is an entertainer at heart.” When Kayla grows up, she wants to have her own television show.
Two years of treatment could add up to a lot of bills for a family facing childhood cancer. But families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
“Thank goodness on top of all of this, I’m not getting a bill for Kayla’s treatment,” says her mom. “It allows us to really concentrate on our children, on loving our children, and we don’t have to worry about the money aspect. I can focus on Kayla and being supportive of her.”
What can you give today? Please, share and give thanks. DONATE HERE.
What can you give today? Please, share and give thanks. DONATE HERE.
M.LEWIS
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
The 4 Step Weekend
Home improvements. There is always something to do, to clean, to spruce up. Last weekend was full of this, mainly because I have been sick for the past 2 weekends.
4 main things needed to happen last weekend.
1- Lawn needed mowing
2- Installing garage hardware
3- Insulating the inside of the garage
4- Coloring and sealing the kitchen tile
I went into the weekend with the plan of of the first 3 things, the tile was a last minute add-on. I don't have any pictures of the lawn, it just needed to be done. Badly. Chris accomplished this Sunday, but on Saturday I installed the hardware to boost the curb appeal of our house. We have a front drive house, so that lovely garage door is most of what you see. The house needed this.
4 main things needed to happen last weekend.
1- Lawn needed mowing
2- Installing garage hardware
3- Insulating the inside of the garage
4- Coloring and sealing the kitchen tile
I went into the weekend with the plan of of the first 3 things, the tile was a last minute add-on. I don't have any pictures of the lawn, it just needed to be done. Badly. Chris accomplished this Sunday, but on Saturday I installed the hardware to boost the curb appeal of our house. We have a front drive house, so that lovely garage door is most of what you see. The house needed this.
It was surprisingly easy, and I do recommend the process for anyone who is trying to make their house a wee bit prettier without spending a lot of cash. The set I used can be found here.
Next was start of the tile grout. Oh my, I knew at the beginning it was going to be tedious and time-consuming, and I was right. Though, quite worth it, I might add. I cleaned the grout about 6 months ago with cleaner and a grout brush. On my hands and knees for a couple hours each nap time for a few days. Inching my way through the kitchen, scrubbing and scrubbing, barely making a difference. I figured the grout was probably worn out of its original sealant and has most likely, never been resealed. So, for less than $20 at Lowe's, I got grout colorant/sealant to slowly paint on over the existing grout lines. I got a color called 'bone' but a similar color can be found here. In about 1.5-2hr increments over 2 days, I spent a grand total of 7-8hrs painting on sealant.
I firmly believe it was worth it. The pictures are good, but it looks even better in person. Plus, I shouldn't have to reseal it again for a couple years, and hopefully we will be in the process of resale by then. ;) Basically, if you floors are gross and cleaning them isn't much improvement, buy this, put in the time, you won't be sorry.
Now for the next project, starting on Sunday. Insulating the garage door.
For sound reasons, and temperature control, we decided to insulate our garage door. You can buy kits, like the one I choose here. A bit pricey, but I do think it was the right decision. I already can tell the difference with the sound...the temperature has been pretty mild as of late, so that is harder to tell. We have a 2 door garage, so I ordered 2 kits. Beware, there are no extra panels. If you screw up a measurement, if you cut it crooked, if you break it, you are out of luck. I can proudly say (after forcing myself to take my time and double checking everything) I only screwed up one panel, and even then I think I recovered well.
Our door had some extra cross bars and such on it from previous owners, so the cuts were a bit tricky in places, but over all it wasn't too bad. Don't be fooled by their instructions though, the panels don't "pop" into place with ease the way they make it sound. You will sweat, maybe even bleed a little (yes, I bled) trying to snap these things into place. It was a work out, but it adds comfort and resale value, so I am pleased.
Next on the list? Well, we have a fence company coming out for a replacement estimate tomorrow, so more on that later. ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, September 12, 2014
Fundraiser Friday
Fundraiser Friday!
Meet Andrew:
8 years old
Diagnosis:
Andrew was found to have Ewing sarcoma in April 2012.
Andrew's story:
In February 2012, 7-year-old Andrew and his family were headed out of town for a day of fun when he began clutching his right leg in pain. The pain went away as suddenly as it had started, but this was not its first time to strike. The strange pain and cramping had been affecting Andrew’s leg, off and on, for several months.
Initially, Andrew’s parents thought it was growing pains. Then they thought he must have a joint problem or a broken bone in his leg, but nothing showed up in an X-ray or an MRI. Sometimes, Andrew limped so badly he could barely walk.
Finally, in April, an MRI of Andrew’s lower torso revealed that the source of his pain wasn’t in his leg at all — a tumor the size of an orange was growing in his pelvic area, next to his spine.
Andrew suffered from Ewing sarcoma, a type of cancer that can affect bone or soft tissue. His parents were devastated. “No one ever thinks their child has cancer,” says his mom.
Andrew was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by ambulance the very next day. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened 50 years ago.
Andrew’s tumor is inoperable due to its location. At St. Jude, Andrew received chemotherapy, radiation therapy and a bone marrow transplant to drive the cancer from his body. After chemotherapy, the tumor had shrunk enough that Andrew was able to move around without the aid of a walker.
“He couldn’t really walk when he got to St. Jude,” remembers his mom, “but now he can.”
While fighting for Andrew’s life, St. Jude was also protecting his quality of life. “We love St. Jude,” says his mom. “Andrew loves it here. It’s our home away from home. There are lots of things to do for the children. The staff is wonderful. Andrew likes his doctors. His favorite doctor is so friendly and upbeat, so positive.”
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
“It meant so much when we learned that we’d never get a bill,” Andrew’s mother remembers. “We already had debt — from our house, from other medical bills. It was a gift not only from Danny Thomas but also from God.”
Now a creative and imaginative 8-year-old, Andrew is happy to be active again. He has finished treatment and now returns to St. Jude every few months for checkups. Back home, he likes to go canoeing and floating on the river.
What can you give today? Donate here.
M.LEWIS
Introducing Fundraiser Friday
I would like to take a quick minute to introduce a new series of posts to you all. "Fundraiser Friday."
As you all know by now, I am raising money and awareness for an important event on November 22, the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk.
We have a fundraiser page, you can find that here. St. Jude has all the information you could want on their main page, but I would like to start bringing more information to you on a direct basis. I understand you may find this series an unwelcome addition to your blog feed, but this event, this organization is something that inspires me; it is something I value...children. Each Friday I will try to post a profile of a child that either has been or is currently a patient at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Their stories put a face, a name, a family behind why we are raising money. I hope this encourages and inspires you like it does me.
Thank you!
M.LEWIS
As you all know by now, I am raising money and awareness for an important event on November 22, the St. Jude Give Thanks Walk.
Thank you!
M.LEWIS
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Coming Soon!
Man, this summer has been rough. Lots of traveling, Adalaide teething, Lorelai potty-training, house expenses, and illness.
I do hope to get back into the swing of blogging soon. I have the urge to write, but nothing is particularly motivating or interesting in my life to share.
I do have some house projects I want to complete over the fall, maybe a few of those will be worth a blog post or two. I am also flooding your fb feed with requests for donations for an upcoming new adventure for my sister and myself. I am motivated about that...more to come.
Until then, we are beating down the last of the cold-like virus and waiting for that famous cold front to arrive later this week!
Goodbye summer!
M.LEWIS
I do hope to get back into the swing of blogging soon. I have the urge to write, but nothing is particularly motivating or interesting in my life to share.
I do have some house projects I want to complete over the fall, maybe a few of those will be worth a blog post or two. I am also flooding your fb feed with requests for donations for an upcoming new adventure for my sister and myself. I am motivated about that...more to come.
Until then, we are beating down the last of the cold-like virus and waiting for that famous cold front to arrive later this week!
Goodbye summer!
M.LEWIS
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
The "Bad Mom" List
Thanks to the internet, there is a lot of "mom-comparing" going on. There is also a lot of "mom-boasting" in my opinion. It's a pointless, fruitless cycle of who-does-what-and-which-is-better. I get a little irked when someone posts something that serves no other purpose other than patting themselves on their own back. I also don't care for the posts about how their lifestyle choices are better, simply because it's what they do. It's a good way to alienate your friends and family. It's also a good way to make other people defensive. Here I have complied a list of things I do...and you know what? I am not any better, and more importantly, not any worse than any other mom out there. You do what is best for you and your kids, a situation only your family can understand and validate.
M.LEWIS
- I let my kids watch tv
- I buy pre-packed foods for my kids to snack on
- I bribe my 3.5 year old with treats...she usually doesn't fall for it
- I have been trying to potty-train my 3.5 yr old for a year now
- I don't give my kids baths everyday
- I give my children medication when they are sick or in pain
- I don't believe that spanking is the best behavior tool
- I buy my kids clothes new, on sale, but new
- I let my 3.5 have soda once and a while
- I let my kids cry out places sometimes, because I can't be a hermit
- I plan to homeschool my children
- I don't think a toy has to be pink or purple for my girls to enjoy it
- I allow my 3.5 to tell people "no thank you" when they ask for hugs and kisses
- I will never have a maid or a nanny
- I probably over-plan my kids' birthdays, it's my way of making sure they feel special and loved
- I rarely go anywhere without my kids, this past weekend was the first time I spent a night away from them, and I could hardly wait to be with them again
- I do not let just anyone watch my kids, when they are young (especially in diapers), family only
- I don't buy organic food, for the most part
- I don't take my children to church yet, the screaming would not be helpful for anyone
- I make my girls let me do their hair everyday, otherwise, their messy hair will set my OCD off
- I do a sticker behavior chart...I don't think it helps much
- I drink coffee in the morning and in the evening
- I believe road trips are preferred over plane rides - hands down - the journey is half the point
- I will buy my kids random toys/books/activities if it serves an educational purpose
- I let my dog in the house, on the couch, and on the beds; she is apart of the family in every way
- I don't like to be outside (or in the pool) during the summer, so my kids stay inside a lot from June-August
- I spoil my kids enough to get an extra hug or smile, but I know when to say no more
- I take my kids to fast food places, even McDonalds on occasion; they have even had a happy meal
M.LEWIS
Monday, July 28, 2014
The Air Vent
The air vent. It's a simple task. Basic design, easy steps, but something about this house transforms all the easy things and turns them into a large, frustrating irritant.
As you can see, it's not attractive. It's pretty standard, but come on, we can do better.
Lowe's sells aluminum sheet metal and a metal cutter. Of course there is also paint, glue, wood filler, and you will need the original screws.
I also went to Hobby Lobby to get the framing material. There was not a pre-made frame, but they sell framing pieces in the canvas/art area. There I was able to pick out the particular sizes I needed, and I assembled the frame myself.
I glued the frame together, filled the seams with wood filler, sanded it, glued the metal in, painted the whole unit, and drilled in holes for the screws.
I could go into the failure that was my first model, but it's dull. I used the wrong material, measured the wrong holes, the drywall is a mess, etc. Trust me, my second attempt is the winner.
As you can see, it's not attractive. It's pretty standard, but come on, we can do better.
Lowe's sells aluminum sheet metal and a metal cutter. Of course there is also paint, glue, wood filler, and you will need the original screws.
I also went to Hobby Lobby to get the framing material. There was not a pre-made frame, but they sell framing pieces in the canvas/art area. There I was able to pick out the particular sizes I needed, and I assembled the frame myself.
I glued the frame together, filled the seams with wood filler, sanded it, glued the metal in, painted the whole unit, and drilled in holes for the screws.
I could go into the failure that was my first model, but it's dull. I used the wrong material, measured the wrong holes, the drywall is a mess, etc. Trust me, my second attempt is the winner.
It's a small improvement, but an improvement all the same. It's all in the details now. ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, July 18, 2014
Stressed and Confused
My, my, some time has gone by. A lot is going on around here since my last post. I won't write about all, mainly because it would take too much time. Time, or really, free time is a rarity around here lately. I am not surprised by this. After all, I have a 3.5 yr old and a 16 month old, but man, I really am in need of a break.
I know, I know..."Didn't you say last time you were going to Disney World?"
Yes. We did that, and that does not count as a break or a vacation in any sense. Please don't think of me as ungrateful, I do very much respect the money that went into that trip, and I am honored by all the planning and organizing that went into it, but it just wasn't the nice, relaxing vacation I wanted...or what my kids needed. It was hot, humid, crowded, too scheduled, and we didn't even get to see Chris for half the stay in Orlando. Not to mention we spent more days on the road to and from than were actually spent at Disney World.
I returned home more exhausted than when we left, and I still felt that intense urge for a family road trip to a fun, cooler place to "kick back" for several days. I sat on the idea for about a week until my supportive and understanding husband told me to go and book a stay in Colorado for later this year. Sure, I'll have to wait for fall, but it will AMAZING. I am so looking forward to it.
So that's the future, back to my current life.
I will pause here a moment and warn any non-parent on what you are about to read. You don't need to read the rest of this post, no really, I am saving you here, take this opportunity and run. Sure, if you are going to be a parent, read on, it's important you know what lies in your future, but beware...it gets real. Fast.
Lorelai's new thing is to refuse to poop.
That's right. Apparently you can do that, and you can do that for days on end. And shockingly, she's not alone. The internet has been very reassuring with this odd issue. A LOT of kids do this, and they do this for months at a time?! Sure, you have to actually administer medication in a certain location after 5-6 days to get that stuff out, but the kids keep up that craziness for a long time. I guess my kid is now apart of that. *sigh* Potty training her has been awful. She is great with #1, but terrible with #2. We are going on about a year soon. In the past 3 weeks, Lorelai has taken it to a new level.
We backed off on the whole "you have to use the potty for poop too" talks and just decided to let her do her thing on her own time. (The trip to FL also was a factor.) But then, instead of her inching closer to using the toilet, she started this "hold it until mommy forces medication on you" bit. At first I thought she was just constipated, but it is clear now she is doing this voluntarily. I don't get it. I have read many articles, and yet, I still don't get it. Regardless of her motives, she is still refusing to poop.
Has anyone else had this issue? I very much hate that I have to wait almost a week then give her a suppository so nothing becomes impacted. She cries, I feel horrible. I don't know what changed, I don't know what I can do to make her stop. I just know that this kid has blown my mind in ways I never could have imagined...and this one is not good.
I can't describe the odd stress this is bringing to my life, but I can feel it. It's a pit in my stomach, an anxiousness in my chest, I even pray about it before I go to sleep then find myself dreaming about it.I just want my precious girl to be healthy and happy. I wish I could eliminate this, what feels like a ridiculous, problem from our lives.
It has been 3 weeks of this, and I am so ready for it to be over. Monday I will make a call to her pediatrician and hope they have something to offer me that will help. For now, we wait.
Sorry for the TMI.
M.LEWIS
I know, I know..."Didn't you say last time you were going to Disney World?"
Yes. We did that, and that does not count as a break or a vacation in any sense. Please don't think of me as ungrateful, I do very much respect the money that went into that trip, and I am honored by all the planning and organizing that went into it, but it just wasn't the nice, relaxing vacation I wanted...or what my kids needed. It was hot, humid, crowded, too scheduled, and we didn't even get to see Chris for half the stay in Orlando. Not to mention we spent more days on the road to and from than were actually spent at Disney World.
I returned home more exhausted than when we left, and I still felt that intense urge for a family road trip to a fun, cooler place to "kick back" for several days. I sat on the idea for about a week until my supportive and understanding husband told me to go and book a stay in Colorado for later this year. Sure, I'll have to wait for fall, but it will AMAZING. I am so looking forward to it.
So that's the future, back to my current life.
I will pause here a moment and warn any non-parent on what you are about to read. You don't need to read the rest of this post, no really, I am saving you here, take this opportunity and run. Sure, if you are going to be a parent, read on, it's important you know what lies in your future, but beware...it gets real. Fast.
Lorelai's new thing is to refuse to poop.
That's right. Apparently you can do that, and you can do that for days on end. And shockingly, she's not alone. The internet has been very reassuring with this odd issue. A LOT of kids do this, and they do this for months at a time?! Sure, you have to actually administer medication in a certain location after 5-6 days to get that stuff out, but the kids keep up that craziness for a long time. I guess my kid is now apart of that. *sigh* Potty training her has been awful. She is great with #1, but terrible with #2. We are going on about a year soon. In the past 3 weeks, Lorelai has taken it to a new level.
We backed off on the whole "you have to use the potty for poop too" talks and just decided to let her do her thing on her own time. (The trip to FL also was a factor.) But then, instead of her inching closer to using the toilet, she started this "hold it until mommy forces medication on you" bit. At first I thought she was just constipated, but it is clear now she is doing this voluntarily. I don't get it. I have read many articles, and yet, I still don't get it. Regardless of her motives, she is still refusing to poop.
Has anyone else had this issue? I very much hate that I have to wait almost a week then give her a suppository so nothing becomes impacted. She cries, I feel horrible. I don't know what changed, I don't know what I can do to make her stop. I just know that this kid has blown my mind in ways I never could have imagined...and this one is not good.
I can't describe the odd stress this is bringing to my life, but I can feel it. It's a pit in my stomach, an anxiousness in my chest, I even pray about it before I go to sleep then find myself dreaming about it.I just want my precious girl to be healthy and happy. I wish I could eliminate this, what feels like a ridiculous, problem from our lives.
It has been 3 weeks of this, and I am so ready for it to be over. Monday I will make a call to her pediatrician and hope they have something to offer me that will help. For now, we wait.
Sorry for the TMI.
M.LEWIS
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
The Hot, The Humid, And The Broken AC
In less than 24 hours we will be on the road to Orlando.
"Ooooooh, vacation!" you say.
"Yes." I say. "...but not with enthusiasm."
It is kind of a bummer that I am not more pumped up by the whole idea of a all-expenses paid trip to Disney World, and honestly, I feel kind of guilty for not being more excited. But man, life has been rough the past few weeks. I won't go into every problem, every drama, every stresser, but basically I am going into this trip exhausted, tense, and hesitant.
We'll jump to the biggest issue. How about a broken AC?
Yep, Saturday evening we returned home from dinner around 7:15 and I immediately spotted a large puddle in the laundry room by the garage door. My first thought was Phoebe had been up to no good while we were gone, but I quickly realized this mess was not because of her. The water (yes, it was just water) was coming from the foot of the door jam. This was very puzzling to me. There was also wetness in the garage by the door, and on the other side of the wall in the house...making my carpet nice and squishy. Of course, I panicked. Was it a leaky washing machine? A broken pipe in the wall? The AC unit? The water heater? Please, Lord, don't let it be something leaking in the slab foundation...
With some investigation, we knew it was not the water heater for it was completely dry around the unit. We also figured it was not the AC because it was still running fine. We were out of ideas, and were soaking towels trying to find a source, so we called an emergency plumber to the house and waited. Around 10pm the plumber showed up, did very little, and told us it was the AC unit afterall, and he could not do a thing for that. We wrote him a hefty check for doing basically nothing, and began placing bowls to capture the leak and setting up fans to dry everything out.
In the morning things we remarkably drier (yay!) and we then called a AC repair man. Keep in mind, this is Sunday. Not just any Sunday, Father's Day. I knew it was going to be hard to get some one out, and it was going to cost a fortune, but if you remember, at this point I had only 3 days until we left for Florida, I needed this thing diagnosed and fixed fast. To my surprise, the company I called answered at 8:20am and had someone at my house by 9:15am. I was told there would be a large service call fee, which I expected, but the repairman waved it, which I did not expect. He poked around and said it needed a new cooling coil, and a recharge of freon. But that was only a quick, temporary fix. The unit is 14 years old, and it was failing...it probably did not have much life left and we discussed installing a whole new system. Chris and I agreed to go ahead and do it, but we informed him of our timing issue. The man shuffled around his other clients and told us he could get it done Tuesday...one day before we leave.
The unit was still cooling at this point, so I wasn't too worried about the 2 day away scheduling. Then several hours past.
"Hey...it's hot in here." I thought.
Sure enough, the temperature was rising and the AC was officially dead. We called the repairman again and we did some troubleshooting over the phone. We were told that was most likely unfixable, and we would have to wait until Tuesday morning. *whines* Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning? No AC? *cries* It wasn't his fault, and he had done so much for us, it was just really sucky.
The repairman called about 3 more times apologizing that he couldn't do more, and he offered to buy us a Father's Day meal out, and to deliver a window unit for at least one room.
We did take him up on his dinner offer, and we decided to buy our own window unit just in case we needed it later for whatever reason.
Monday the repairman dropped by and tried to see if he could fix the unit at all until they could replace it, but no.
It's hot and humid, kids are cranky, I'm cranky too. Addy's molars are coming in, so that doesn't help anything at all. Lorelai hates the heat as much as I do, so we were not a fun bunch to be around. I got them and the dog over to my mom's house for part of the day, we did go out to lunch, but there were still a lot of tears, and still so much to get done before our departure.
It is now Tuesday morning. They are here, already working, and I am anxious. I am hoping it is simple, straight-forward, and not too time-consuming. I know it will take most of the day if not all, but when that sweet cold air fills my house again I will be so grateful, so thrilled.
Then, I have to get my butt going on packing the car for early tomorrow morning. I am having house guests while we are gone, so I will make sure they pay special attention to AC, making sure everything is operating smoothly.
I will be happy to get this taken care of. Oh, and I predicted this would happen this summer...just sayin'. At least it didn't happen while we were gone.
Like I said, there have been other issues, other dramas, but I won't discuss them here. I am just emotionally, physically, and mentally drained and this trip isn't going to be relaxing. Trapping my teething, car-hating 1 year old in carseats, hotels, and strollers will not make her happy in any way. Lorelai should be better, but Addy will probably overshadow her with screams and tantrums. Please God, prove me wrong. I will be so happy to be wrong. Even if I am wrong, I am still in Florida. Lord, give me patience...and cooler weather.
P.S. I am so grateful for our understanding, kind repairman Mr. Don Trotter. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty and we are so very thankful for him and his company. If you are having any issues with your AC, call him! Drop my name, he knows us well by now! ;)
P.P.S. Departure in T-minus 22 hours and counting...
M.LEWIS
"Ooooooh, vacation!" you say.
"Yes." I say. "...but not with enthusiasm."
It is kind of a bummer that I am not more pumped up by the whole idea of a all-expenses paid trip to Disney World, and honestly, I feel kind of guilty for not being more excited. But man, life has been rough the past few weeks. I won't go into every problem, every drama, every stresser, but basically I am going into this trip exhausted, tense, and hesitant.
We'll jump to the biggest issue. How about a broken AC?
Yep, Saturday evening we returned home from dinner around 7:15 and I immediately spotted a large puddle in the laundry room by the garage door. My first thought was Phoebe had been up to no good while we were gone, but I quickly realized this mess was not because of her. The water (yes, it was just water) was coming from the foot of the door jam. This was very puzzling to me. There was also wetness in the garage by the door, and on the other side of the wall in the house...making my carpet nice and squishy. Of course, I panicked. Was it a leaky washing machine? A broken pipe in the wall? The AC unit? The water heater? Please, Lord, don't let it be something leaking in the slab foundation...
With some investigation, we knew it was not the water heater for it was completely dry around the unit. We also figured it was not the AC because it was still running fine. We were out of ideas, and were soaking towels trying to find a source, so we called an emergency plumber to the house and waited. Around 10pm the plumber showed up, did very little, and told us it was the AC unit afterall, and he could not do a thing for that. We wrote him a hefty check for doing basically nothing, and began placing bowls to capture the leak and setting up fans to dry everything out.
In the morning things we remarkably drier (yay!) and we then called a AC repair man. Keep in mind, this is Sunday. Not just any Sunday, Father's Day. I knew it was going to be hard to get some one out, and it was going to cost a fortune, but if you remember, at this point I had only 3 days until we left for Florida, I needed this thing diagnosed and fixed fast. To my surprise, the company I called answered at 8:20am and had someone at my house by 9:15am. I was told there would be a large service call fee, which I expected, but the repairman waved it, which I did not expect. He poked around and said it needed a new cooling coil, and a recharge of freon. But that was only a quick, temporary fix. The unit is 14 years old, and it was failing...it probably did not have much life left and we discussed installing a whole new system. Chris and I agreed to go ahead and do it, but we informed him of our timing issue. The man shuffled around his other clients and told us he could get it done Tuesday...one day before we leave.
The unit was still cooling at this point, so I wasn't too worried about the 2 day away scheduling. Then several hours past.
"Hey...it's hot in here." I thought.
Sure enough, the temperature was rising and the AC was officially dead. We called the repairman again and we did some troubleshooting over the phone. We were told that was most likely unfixable, and we would have to wait until Tuesday morning. *whines* Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning? No AC? *cries* It wasn't his fault, and he had done so much for us, it was just really sucky.
The repairman called about 3 more times apologizing that he couldn't do more, and he offered to buy us a Father's Day meal out, and to deliver a window unit for at least one room.
We did take him up on his dinner offer, and we decided to buy our own window unit just in case we needed it later for whatever reason.
Monday the repairman dropped by and tried to see if he could fix the unit at all until they could replace it, but no.
It's hot and humid, kids are cranky, I'm cranky too. Addy's molars are coming in, so that doesn't help anything at all. Lorelai hates the heat as much as I do, so we were not a fun bunch to be around. I got them and the dog over to my mom's house for part of the day, we did go out to lunch, but there were still a lot of tears, and still so much to get done before our departure.
It is now Tuesday morning. They are here, already working, and I am anxious. I am hoping it is simple, straight-forward, and not too time-consuming. I know it will take most of the day if not all, but when that sweet cold air fills my house again I will be so grateful, so thrilled.
Then, I have to get my butt going on packing the car for early tomorrow morning. I am having house guests while we are gone, so I will make sure they pay special attention to AC, making sure everything is operating smoothly.
I will be happy to get this taken care of. Oh, and I predicted this would happen this summer...just sayin'. At least it didn't happen while we were gone.
Like I said, there have been other issues, other dramas, but I won't discuss them here. I am just emotionally, physically, and mentally drained and this trip isn't going to be relaxing. Trapping my teething, car-hating 1 year old in carseats, hotels, and strollers will not make her happy in any way. Lorelai should be better, but Addy will probably overshadow her with screams and tantrums. Please God, prove me wrong. I will be so happy to be wrong. Even if I am wrong, I am still in Florida. Lord, give me patience...and cooler weather.
P.S. I am so grateful for our understanding, kind repairman Mr. Don Trotter. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty and we are so very thankful for him and his company. If you are having any issues with your AC, call him! Drop my name, he knows us well by now! ;)
P.P.S. Departure in T-minus 22 hours and counting...
M.LEWIS
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Playground Bed
Outdoor projects are my new love...probably because I have no more indoor projects, but still, it's fun making things look nice. However, it is getting hot, so we are running out of time to do a lot of the heavy work.
I already tackled the deck earlier this year, so we are on to adding some landscaping touches.
Yesterday, we tackled the big project; creating, framing, and filling the playground bed. It took 3 trips to Lowe's and was under $130 including tax.
We do not have a lot of space to play with, but we definitely have some potential in sprucing up the plain area. Lining the playground adds an aesthetic element to the yard, and makes mowing and edging easier. Later, for future owners, it can also work as a garden or a picnic area.
We loaded up the backyard with our supplies: Landscaping fabric, and fabric anchors; dozens of stone pavers; bags and bags of kid-friendly mulch; stepping stones; levels, shovels, trowels, string, markings for sprinkler heads, a hoe; and lots of water, suncreen, and persistence.
We started around 10am and including a break for lunch, we were finished around 3:30pm.
It was totally worth it. I think it looks so much better. We are going to be using the same stone to re-line the flower bed on the other side of the yard as well. I want to add a crepe myrtle in the back corner of the playground bed. (There is room, though the picture doesn't show it.) I also want to plant one in the flower bed for more privacy from our neighbor's yard.
I am glad to have this big project accomplished, it will make all the other tasks seem small. ;)
M.LEWIS
I already tackled the deck earlier this year, so we are on to adding some landscaping touches.
- Create playground bed, line with stone, add mulch
- Insert stepping stones from the deck to the playground
- Re-line the flowerbed by the fence with stone
- Fill in bare spots in grass with either seed or sod
- Plant a couple crepe myrtles in the backyard
Yesterday, we tackled the big project; creating, framing, and filling the playground bed. It took 3 trips to Lowe's and was under $130 including tax.
We do not have a lot of space to play with, but we definitely have some potential in sprucing up the plain area. Lining the playground adds an aesthetic element to the yard, and makes mowing and edging easier. Later, for future owners, it can also work as a garden or a picnic area.
We loaded up the backyard with our supplies: Landscaping fabric, and fabric anchors; dozens of stone pavers; bags and bags of kid-friendly mulch; stepping stones; levels, shovels, trowels, string, markings for sprinkler heads, a hoe; and lots of water, suncreen, and persistence.
We started around 10am and including a break for lunch, we were finished around 3:30pm.
It was totally worth it. I think it looks so much better. We are going to be using the same stone to re-line the flower bed on the other side of the yard as well. I want to add a crepe myrtle in the back corner of the playground bed. (There is room, though the picture doesn't show it.) I also want to plant one in the flower bed for more privacy from our neighbor's yard.
I am glad to have this big project accomplished, it will make all the other tasks seem small. ;)
M.LEWIS
Friday, May 23, 2014
Tips and Tricks
People always seem genuinely surprised by my home improvement projects. While flattering, what I do can be done by anyone. In the past few years I have attempted and accomplished tasks I never really thought about until home-ownership.
If you are in the position of updating your home, but don't know where to start, I am going to give you 5 tips and tricks to get your ball rolling.
- Contact paper is not just for shelves. While it lines and protects your shelves great, this product can do so much more. Put it on walls, countertops, mirrors, glass, furniture. It comes in all patterns and finishes...and it's so inexpensive, there is no reason not to consider contact paper for some fun updates.
Here are some of my uses:
(If there is a blog about it, the picture is the link...)
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| Wall decal |
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| New countertops |
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| Pantry backsplash |
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| Laundry room stripe |
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| Chalkboard table |
2. Spray Paint fixes a lot. It makes things look new, clean, shiny, and cheap! It can be used on almost everything. Though, you will probably have to practice on getting a certain "professional" application skill...but the finish project always comes out great.
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| Foyer light |
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| Lorelai's nightstand |
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| Front porch |
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| Lorelai's dresser |
3. Don't be afraid to sand and stain/paint. This is loads cheaper than ripping out the old and buying and installing the new. If you can salvage it, do it. It's work, but sanding and staining is not that hard, just time-consuming!
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| I restained every bathroom cabinet |
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| Repainted the kitchen cabinets |
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| Refinished and restained the deck |
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| Restaining the master bathroom |
4. Vinyl tiles are not the enemy. Though they have a bad rep, vinyl tiles are not bad at all, in fact, I love them. They are easy to install, nice to the wallet, easy to replace, and they are surprisingly versatile. Plus, they are not as hard and cold as ceramic. You might mess up a few tiles, but you get the hang of it pretty quick.
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| Kitchen backsplash |
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| Kitchen sink backsplash |
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| Master bathroom tile |
5. Think outside the box, be creative. If you think of something you want, try making it. It will be custom, far cheaper, and specifically what you want. Don't be afraid to dig flower beds, knock a hole in the wall, fix a pipe...know your limits, but give it a whirl. You'll be surprised, hopefully in a good way. ;)
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| DIY headboard |
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| New flowerbed |
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| Mudroom-like station |
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| Starburst mirror |
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| Installing the dishwasher |
Hope this helps anyone stuck on what to do. Also, I have done far more than I thought, haha. ;)
M.LEWIS
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