Wednesday, January 22, 2014

What we're up too

We now have skiers ~ There was a break in the Arctic Blast temps for a day so I took Avrianna and my nephew Tyler skiing.  It was the first time for both of them.  They LOVED it!!  They were on the hills for 8 hrs......both were pretty soar the next day, but I think if I asked if they wanted to go skiing again they would have went.  I took them to Nordic Mountain, it's about 50 minutes away from us, the temp was a balmy 30 degrees, so it was perfect skiing weather.  I hung out in the lodge for the day and watched them.  
They both were pretty nervous in the beginning
 I got them both 3 hrs lessons right away in the morning ~
Av and her instructor
 Tyler and his instructor
 Learning ~ I found it strange that they don't teach them to use poles anymore
 Break Time ~
Both kids LOVED their instructors :)  Half way through they got Hot chocolate for the kids
 By 1 in the afternoon they were "Pro's" and on their own.  They did GREAT!


Last week Danny threw another curve ball at me.  He started peeing blood.  He's NEVER done this before so you can bet I was lil alarmed.  I ran this over to the local hospital so they could test it and start a culture.  The culture grew out Enteroccoci bacteria.....even though he had an infection he's white blood count was fine.  Once again Danny is an enigma that has all of his Dr's and myself scratching our heads.  
 He started yet again another antibiotic (boy I hope the C Diff stays away, as you normally get C diff my being on multiple antibiotics).  It was so WONDERFUL to see his smiley face once again, I knew he was starting to feel better.  YAY!!

 The weather continues to be unbearably cold.  We did have a couple days of above zero temps, but we are back in the Ice Age once again.....where's this global warming they are always talking about?  Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ~ the kids enjoyed being off of school for 2 days do to the extreme cold weather.
 You know it's cold out when everything in the INSIDE starts freezing over.  YIKES!!

Avrianna had her dive meet this last weekend.  I am SO PROUD of her!  She is doing amazing.  Despite her having a bad fall/smack at practice on the 3M (high dive) she got back up on the 3M board finished her event and placed 2nd.  WAY TO GO!!
Click HERE to go to her video I made of her meet :)

Yesterday I got myself a new car.  I can't wait to pick it up Tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by to see what we are up too.  I hope this finds you well.  

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Ringing in the New Year

WOW ~ 2014 is here!  I can't say I'm disappointed to see 2013 leave, as it had it's fair share of challenges for us.  I can only hope the 2014 year has good things in store of us.  Heading out of 2013 and coming 2014, it is already a rocky start, so to say I'm cautiously optimistic is an understatement.

Danny is now 10!!  Double digits people!! 10 can you believe it!!
On his Birthday (Dec. 23rd) We opened all his cards that he received from his Birthday Card Shower!
 Thanks to everyone that sent him a card.  He just LOVED looking at all the cards and listening to us read each and every one.

Christmas 2013 was pretty low key for us.  Danny got a GI bleed and was feeling under the weather and I am still trying to adjust to living on steroids right now.  My immune system is tanked, I'm so gittery that I think my skin is going to crawl off, and I haven't seen any improvement on my symptoms as of yet.
We went over to my Grandparents house on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day we hung out in our jammies, ate a bunch of snacky food, and enjoyed us being together.
Love these Christmas Elves SO VERY MUCH!
 Nanny (my mom) with all her Grandbabies :)
 I swear I can't take him anywhere....LOL!  Danny why do you let your dad wear your hat?
Christmas Morning !!
 Hmmmm - Santa and I need to clarify being on the "Naughty" or "Nice"  list, LOL
 Danny, are you in there?
Of course there is the "some assembly" required to do.  Dan and Avrianna putting together the gas grill

The weather has been just bitter cold here.  It's bad when Alaska is warmer then it is here.  On Monday it's forcasted to be -10 w/o the windchill and with it is to be right around -32.  Where's our global warming?  There wasn't alot of outdoor playing during winter break with the weather being so damn Cold, but we did get out here n there.
It's so cold everything outside is "fuzzy" with ice.  It is very pretty to look at, from indoors, by a fire, with a hot drink, wrapped up in a blanket LOL

Snow Angels????????  Or not!
 I even got outside to help them with their snowman :)  which ended in a snowball fight provoked by..... ME!

The house was DeChristmasized before the New Year.  What a good feeling it is to have all that done and put away.  It's always so beautiful to have all the lights up and gifts around the tree, but it's also uplifting to not have to worry about it anymore.  Until next year!

New Years Eve we had our friend over for dinner and a movie.  My nephew also slept over so Avrianna was occupied for most of the nite.  We had a wonderful dinner with steak, crab, and twice baked potatoes.....YUMMY.  Did I tell you what a great cook Dan is?  The new grill worked like a charm.  We watched an oldy but goody movie, "Varsity Blues" and we hit they hay before midnight.  I managed to stay up with the kids to watch the New York ball drop but was in bed right after.  The kids stayed up till midnight.  I found them both passed out on the living room couch with the tv still on, when I got up in the morning for Danny's 5am meds.  Too cute!!
My New Years project was to put together a 1000 puzzle.  With some help here n there I was able to get it finished in 1 day :)

We have some serious health new years resolutions to be made in this household for 2014.  Danny's GI bleed turned out to be much more.  He stopped having normal BM's, retaining urine, and was in alot of discomfort.
So there was Alot of this face when he was awake.  Breaks my heart
He slept alot, which I believe is his pain management.  Guess I'd rather see him comfy asleep instead of awake and miserable.
 I emailed his Dr's with my concern and even with them all being out of town.  They got back to me via email and put in orders for labs.  I ran in a specimen for them to check out and low and behold he tested positive for C Diff, which is a nasty bacteria that he has in his gut.  Poor bug!!  Since we started the antibiotic he is starting to come around and we'll even see a smile/grin once in awhile.

Danny continues to have private physical therapy here in the home.  PT Peter came on Tuesday and brought Danny's new AFO's (shoes he wears in the stander).   Here is a picture of them back in the fall of '09 and then the picture of them together on Tuesday.  WOW has he grown!!  I think PT Peter gets more of a "workout" now, LOL  My baby isn't a baby anymore....what a Lil Man


 As I stated before I have yet to see any improvements with my MS symptoms since starting this round of steroids.  I was I could see/feel some benefit ....anything!  It's disappointing.  I can only hope that my MS will be in remission soon, but until then I just need to learn to live with it.  I have looked into some of the new meds that are out there and I have to say my options are not impressive.  I'll continue to fight, don't fret about that, I just have to find the means to do it.
Today Avrianna is back to school from winter break.  I'm relaxing on the couch updating the blog and putzing around on the computer in front of the fireplace.  Dan is in the workshop cleaning out his tool boxes.  And Danny is chilling out being the cool kid that he is.
Here's to a NEW YEAR with new possibilities.  Wishing you and yours a great 2014!