Living in Munchkinland

I've been trying to limit the kids' TV time lately. (It's probably a pretty stupid idea since I'm also currently having 'roid rage.) We've done science projects and baking and painting. And a lot of me begging them to go find a toy and play with it. I sent them outside after dinner tonight for a homemade Popsicle and some outside time since a storm is coming in and it's cooler right now. After their Popsicle they came inside and insisted I fetch their kites because the wind was really blowing. I was already feeling very DONE with today, but I sucked it up and got out the kites against my better judgement. I grabbed the camera and went outside. Their joy was contagious and for about 3.5 minutes we had pure bliss in the backyard. Then Sam let out all the string despite my yelled instructions to stop it and the kite got caught in a tree and fell in the pond. I rescued it and we tried again. This time I think we had about 45 seconds of bliss before Sa...

But here's the current status on my ick. Saw another doctor today. 99% sure it is not shingles now. Maybe psoriasis? Meanwhile it is spreading...and itching...and taking over my body until I am a disgusting red, rashy blistery, cantankerous, greased up MONSTER... And the steroids have me pressed under their God-sized heel and are smashing me down into the ground until I feel like I can't ever get up again. Unless the steroids are only to blame for the rage and the other is caused by the UNKNOWN rash. Had more blood work done today which will probably come back negative and leave more doctors scratching their heads. Will have more allergy testing done Friday if cheap-o insurance will pony up for it. Stupid immune system.

Michael managed to spread his birthday out over a week which I believe is the right and correct way to celebrate a birthday. We had an extended family pool party on Tuesday, a private family celebration on Wednesday and a small friend get-together pool party on Saturday. It was so fun. We've got great friends and family and Michael got some pretty awesome gifts this year. Next year is a landmark birthday for him so we need to start planning and saving money now. Happy Birthday to the most awesome husband a girl could have. Love you, babe.

So maybe it was not eczema after all. Or maybe it was, and the prednisone lowered my immune system and allowed my shingles to return. Who knows, but the day after I started taking the prednisone an evil, itchy painful band appeared on my side in the same place that shingles appeared last time. I ran to the Redi-clinic up the road yesterday and got it looked at. (my mom took me. I felt very cared for.) The doctor pronounced it definitly Shingles and sent me off to get the anti-viral. I think I caught in 48 hours. I hope I did. It's much bigger than last time. It's all the way from my back around my left side all the way to my belly button. And it's spread up and down my left torso and leg in splotches as well. I also have it in the center of my throat. I pushed it really hard last night for Michael's little birthday get-together and then again this morning and it continued to spread. I feel like a mack truck ran over me right now. Michael is packing up to...

The kids went back to school today. (thank goodness!) They took it very well. Neither is in a new school and so both felt very comfortable and happy to see all their friends. Davis is in Kindergarten now. The only difference that distinction makes in their little Montessori school is that he now gets to sit at a table instead of on a mat. Sam is still half day until January. I got a flurry of work done in the 2.5 hours of free time that school gave me. I'm working for my Dad's band these days doing their social networking. It's fun and I'm learning a lot. I am also learning how to do all this networking on my new Mac computer. I love my Mac and am getting pretty darn proficient on it, but every day is new lesson. Michael had a birthday yesterday. We gave him presents and made waffles for breakfast. The day before my mom hosted a big family birthday party for him at her house for a very rainy/thunderstormy "pool" party. It was still a blast though....

We're in Steamboat Springs, CO. We are staying at The Porches and it is awesome. We won a week stay here at a live auction for Theatre Action Project and the whole family came out here to have our annual meeting. The house is five bedroom and three stories and everything is top of the line. I am in love with our mattress. The kids are enjoying the bunk bed room. This house is wonderful. The weather has been really great as well. Nights are in the mid 40s and the days are mid 70s. We've had two days of rain, but I enjoyed those as well. The cool rain makes a gentle tapping on our metal roof and we've curled up by the fire with our Kindles and sent the kids to the "barn" to play games. We've made use of our sunny days as well. On Sunday we took a ride up the mountain in a gondola and took a hike. Then we sat on a patio on the top of the mountain and had a beer. The views up there were spectacular and the air was so cool and crisp and smelled like Chr...

I'm thinking that these are the reason the rat snake was climbing up the door the other day. (you may have to make the picture bigger to see)

Summer 2007 Summer 2008 Summer 2009 Summer 2010 They are getting so big! It goes so fast. Lately I look at them and I am mesmerized by their thin faces and sharp chins and long lean bodies. I am stunned at their ability to leap and climb and ride bikes and run backwards and draw and read and converse and argue and pretend. There is no stopping time and this is another reminder to myself to stay in moment because things are always changing.

I had the surgery. It sucked. I did fine, though. Of all the scenario's we talked about going in, the doctor found the best one. The cysts are gone. So that's good. I'm recovering well. La, la, la. I should be happy right? Except for one thing. The nausea is still here. The whole reason behind the surgery was to get rid of the nausea. And it didn't. I have no words for how disappointed I am. Blegh. I'd talk about it more, but I don't think anyone wants to hear anymore about it, especially me. Sigh. Back to sucking it up and carrying on. I've got a vacation to plan.