2014 Year in Review

Every year I vow to make blogging more of a journal to look back on and keepsake for our family as we watch our kiddos grow up. Every year, I struggled to follow through. Here goes at least one way I can try. To post a year in review and try again.. New year, new chances! :-)

January: We rung in the new year at home, with kids tucked into bed and sparkling cider in fancy glasses. During a snowstorm, we went to the local toyota dealer and traded in our Mazda minivan for a new to us Honda Odyssey complete with heat and a/c in the back! Also, heated seats for mama!

February: Ethan turned 7 and we celebrated at Monkey Bizness by inviting all the boys from his first grade class and a couple lil sisters for Avery to play with. It was a LEGO themed party! My mom and step-dad also made the trek down to visit for a week over a short break due to conferences. We went to Legoland downtown and they stayed at a hotel down the road. We took the kids swimming there. They had a great visit with their grandparents. Avery and Nathan went to their first father/daughter dance at Indian Creek church. She had a blast! She also received her first rose from Prince Daddy for Valentine's Day!

March: Ethan joined Spring Soccer through the YMCA. He really enjoyed it! He was on a team of K and 1st graders so, he was towering over most the kids, but it was perfect entry level for him to start on. He also had his first sleepover at our old neighbors/ friends house. They moved to Louisburg and we still miss their presence on the cul-de-sac. We visited the zoo with friends

April: We added a new fur baby to our family by way of rescue. I had been asking Nathan for a tiny dog to snuggle and love on to cure my baby fever! We found our Greta on a petfinder site that our friend was actually hosting dogs from. She is no longer the tiny pup we thought she would be. But, we love her immensely! Avery joined Spring Gymnastics at McCracken's in Olathe. She loved it! Nate's folks came for a visit and enjoyed a warm weekend. We took a trip to Deanna Rose Farm. Dyed easter eggs and I painted my bedroom!:-) Our weekends were taken over by early morning soccer games for Ethan.

May: Ethan won a star student writer award at school for his story about Nahte the alien. We completed the color foam run 5K as a family and our friends joined us, The Edwinson's. Ethan had field day at school and Avery graduated from Pre-K at Lil Treasures to start Kinder in the fall at Mahaffie! We braved the first swim of the year at our gym's outdoor pool. Brrrrr. I took a long weekend trip up to MN to see my baby brother graduate high school before he joined the Marines. I rented a cabin with my sisters and got to see my aunts and boy cousins. It was a great trip. Wish it was longer. Maybe this summer?

June: The kids made their rounds at the local VBS's. Beautiful Savior (Where Ethan went for a year) and St.Marks methodist church (for our second year) They enjoyed both. We spent lots of time at the pool and bummin' around town enjoying summer break!

July: We spent the 4th at our old neighbors/ friend's land out in Louisburg, where fireworks are legal! :-) The previous year was spent viewing fireworks from a hospital room (Pancreatitis/ Gallbladder).. although cool to be eye level, glad we were out and about. More pool time and lounging around had by kids and mom.

August: Avery turned 5! we celebrated at the local pool with lots of friends, new and old. It was a frozen theme and was super fun. The kids went to Nathan's folks for a week after her birthday party. Then a few days later, the kiddos started school! Ethan in 2nd and Avery as a 1/2 day Kinder student!
Was also the first year that I didn't join MOPS for the fall.. after 6 years and with a Kinder student I figured it was time.

September: Ethan joined Fall Soccer through Rush, a community soccer club. He was on the Second grade team with some classmates. He really enjoys playing soccer! His favorite position is goalie or defense. Avery decided to take a break from activities and looked forward to joining the Girl Scouts. We took a tour of the shatto milk factory in MO on a weekend that there was no soccer. I had to schedule it in July. So, it worked out well actually.

October: I celebrated my 34th year with the fam. Nathan got me an ice cream cake and a vivofit. We had a date night and ate at Grinder's in Lenexa.. YUM! My cousin Craig, took our family photos at the "Lorax" park aka. Black hoof park. For Halloween Ethan was Luigi and Avery was Tinkerbell. We walked the neighborhood with Avery's friend Julianna and her family. It was a chilly night! Nathan also went to a concert with his buddy Jordan.

November: We traveled to Omaha for Thanksgiving with Nathan's Dad's side. Then drove and stayed in Red Oak for a couple nights at his folks. I signed up to lead a new daisy troop for our kindergarteners and we got our first girl scout meeting up and running!

December: Nathan turned 32. We ate Planet Sub, I made him a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake bar. Had a date night out at Bolings and did a little Christmas shopping for the kids. Christmas was very low-key this year. We all got sick over the course of three weeks so, we stayed home most of break to quarantine our germs. Nathan's folks came down to visit the weekend after Christmas.
This was the first year the kiddos wanted to stay up until midnight. Avery made it to 10:20 and Ethan until 11:00 (after the ball drop)

 Looking forward to better health and what the new year holds for our family! Happy New Year!!

Raychel's Dr. Appt

It's been a crazy long time since I posted on here. I did have a doctor check up last week and had been having some pain in my sides (both) since having my gallbladder out a year ago so I went there fasting so she could do some bloodwork. We discussed the side aches and she had some ideas, so she ran specific tests to check my enzymes in liver, pancreas and wanted to look at my blood sugar too. We have been discussing weight a lot and since I had gained again since last time, she was getting concerned and was pushing gastric sleeve surgery. I really felt like I had gained for no reason, I didn't get it. I have been walking more often, I got a vivofit for my bday and somewhat curbing my indulgences. Of course when an obese person says this to anyone, they look at you like, yeahhh i'm sure you just gained for no reason! But, seriously.. It was like that I was not eating larger amounts or anything different.

Anyways, Got the blood work back.. everything was fine! EXCEPT for my Insulin. It was elevated and I was fasting. It was almost to the highest number the nurse said.. Highest for what? I have no idea. But, They called me in a script and said " see ya in 3 months!" No explanation. Nothing. So, I took my Insulin number and googled it along with my medicine name. First thing pops up, Type 2 Diabetes! uhhhh, freak out a bit then remember my sugar is normal. So, keep searching.. Turns out I have Insulin Resistance. When I say that out loud it sounds like the Lego Movie.. :)

To break that down for ya, quickly. It means my body has decided it doesn't want the energy, fuel, sugar etc.. that I am feeding it. It will not absorb it for my muscles to use. Causing me to get tired. This causes my pancreas to work harder to try to get the cells to absorb the energy. They don't. so then my body just stores it. ALL. Hence the easy weight gain.

The medicine helps the pancreas by getting the cells to open and receive this energy so, it doesn't have to work so hard pumping out more and more insulin. If I hadn't found this out, since it is very hard on my pancreas  it can cause it to burn out. Once the insulin secreting cells burn out, you have Diabetes and that's a whole world I know nothing about and plan on keeping it that way.

Basically when you see on the Biggest Loser the Dr say, you are Pre-Diabetic.. this is one of those conditions. Insulin Resistance. Also occurs in PCOS, I don't have that either.

So I will take my meds, eat healthy and exercise. I am hopeful that is the help I need to get my muscles fed and get some more energy! I have been soooo exhausted and this is the answer. So I am relieved but, know I am on the crossroads of a very serious medical condition and Fear right now is helping me. Avery and I just had homemade chili for lunch and then a platter of veggies as our snack. I am trying. I just hope my mind stays right and doesn't sabotage me.

That is why I overeat, emotions, stress and emotions. lol... Fear can be motivating and it can be debilitating. I am praying that HOPE takes over and gets me healthy. Just posting this story because I believe prayers work and positive thinking helps. So, any positive vibes or prayers you can lift up for me while I make this huge life change would be awesome!!

Thank You!

Avery turned 5!

We celebrated Avery's fifth birthday this year at the local pool that we spent most the summer at. We met up at a little park right outside the pool and did presents and cupcakes. Then headed over to the pool. It was a beautiful day and had so many friends come celebrate our girl.

Julianna and Avery- friends from Pre-K

Barbie Jeep!

Ken!

Making a wish

Candles keep re-lighting

Charly and Avery

Ethan

Silly

The Party Venue

MN trip June 2014

I took a solo trip up to MN this June. My youngest brother graduated high school in Pequot Lakes. My sisters and I rented a cabin for a couple days in the middle of the woods *literally* and hung out. It was nice to see them. My aunts Peggi and Kate made it up as well as my cousin Jason who was home from Marines. Peg and Rusty stayed with us the last night and then Peg and I took the scenic route back to the cities. Stopping in Monticello to visit grams gravesite and then visited with my Pops. I spent the night with my cousin Eli and his wife Kelly before heading back to KC. It was a great trip just wish I had more time to visit everyone

Rusty, Peg, Jae, Shawna & Kate

                                                  

Cousin Jase and Bro Rusty

                                                       

Four Siblings, youngest to oldest

                                 

Silly Siblings

Sisters at Graduation

Rusty at graduation

 

Summer 2014!

I did not blog this summer but heres some highlights!  I will resume blogging this school year.

Summer Treat at OrangeLeaf

Daddy catching his girl at Blackbob Bay

Hanging with Miller's at Frontier

Zoo fun with Vallad's

Swimming Lessons

Walking in the stream at Franklin park

Peach pickin' at Geigingers

Summer Blogging

I'm going to attempt to blog this summer.  It will be fun to look back on when school starts!

Our first week of summer break 2014!

Kids played with water balloons and squirt guns. Got the pups soaked! 5/22

First day at the gym pool this summer! It was 

Ice cold!!

Mommy got a beauty break w/ master stylist Lindsay!

Tall enough to slide this year! Yay!memorial day chillax day!

Rock bottomus

Here's the deal. I have had both these tumors for 1.5 years. One is an actual 3mm adenoma on my pituitary gland that secretes prolactin and the other is not a real tumor per se but exhibits symptoms like one.  I've had multiple tests. Been poked,  scanned,  prodded and quizzed and finally come to the conclusion. I hate medicine. It makes me feel bad.I have side effects like crazy, I get lethargic and depressed, I feel worse on the meds than I did before I jumped on this merry go round.

I met my new endocrinologist..hes pretty quirky. I like him. He listens to me and he doesn't sugar coat things. He also doesn't think I NEED extra hormones either. I like him. He does  think I need to lose weight the old fashioned way..in his words..go amish!

So now to talk to my neurologist about what I really need. My vision has stayed the same since oct 2012. No worse. Yes my pressure was high but I am considered obese and this could be a factor. So my case will be.. take me off everything.get my energy and spark back and let me lose weight and see if that doesnt fix it!

I dont want a quick fix surgery. I need to learn to be healthy or it won't last.  I don't want to be the sick one. The one who needs help all the time. The one who is the victim of life. I want to live and I feel like I'm just not dying some days. How depressing. So I'm at the bottom and I'm ready to climb the duck out of here. God can light my path and I'm not looking down/back. This shh has gotten bananas. I don't know who this person is anymore but I don't really recognize her or like her much. Im out.