Family Day Pictures

OK, since yesterday's post was Father's Day, that makes today's Family Day. Yeah, still behind, but getting them up none-the-less. For Family Day, we went to Putt-Putt and out to eat. Anna had never played miniature golf before, so we decided it was time for her to learn. Let me tell you though that she thought we were going to be playing full-fledged golf until we got there. She heard golf, but nothing in front of that. Anyhow, here are a few pictures of our fun day.

Anna and Daddy:

Anna and Mommy:

Anna being cute:

Anna gets a hole in one!!

We had a good time and it really wasn't that expensive, so we might go again. There are more pictures on Jeremy's slide show over at Wyld and the Crazies. Now to start thinking about next year's Family Fun Day!! Have a good day and God Bless.

Father's Day Gifts

Ok! I've been trying to post this all week, but with my husband off for his vacation this week, I can never get on the computer. Anyhow, the pictures you have all been waiting for, Father's Day!!

Well, one picture anyhow. As you can see we ended up doing hand prints, but we framed them so that they are ready to hang on the wall. Grandparents got the same, but in red. It was fun for Anna and everyone loved them. Best part is....I only had to spring for the frames. We have paint on hand all the time and we always have paper. It was fun and now I will be thinking of next years. It needs to be good!! :-) Have a great day.

Happy Family Day!!

Well, today I WAS going to show you what we did for Father's Day, but instead you have to wait another day or so. Today is Family Day. Four years ago today, our little girl became a permanent part of our family. We celebrate it every year and try to do some different activities with it to celebrate! Today we are going to Putt-Putt (miniature golf.) Anna has never done it nor has she ever seen the place. My bet is that she will LOVE it. We are leaving in a short while, so pictures and actual detail will have to wait. Have a good day and God bless you all.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to my husband and to all Dad's out there. Not sure I have too many guy reader's though!! (LOL!)

Father's Day Dilemma

I have a huge dilemma. I have no CLUE what to get the three father's in our life that doesn't cost a ton of money. I want to make sure I acknowledge everyone, but in the same token, spending $100 for all three is not happening. I am so not sure what to do. We have looked and looked and looked today to no avail. We are heading to Tar*get shortly, do you think maybe I can find something there? UGH!! Wish me luck. I hate being stumped for ideas!!



UPDATE: Well, after shopping nearly all day and striking out everywhere, we finally made some decisions!! Sorry, I can't show them till after Father's Day, but I think they will like them!!

Too much Sims

Ok, you know you have been playing too much Sims when your daughter draws you with the Sim diamond over head. Here is a picture of Daddy as a Sim:

LOL!! Anna thought she would draw a picture of Daddy for Father's Day next week and when she brought it to me I died laughing and said to show daddy now. It was too cute!! OK daddy, that's your hint....your playing the Sims WAY too much!! LOL

School

Well, first grade is officially done for the most part. We have a few books left to work through this summer, but those are books started late in the year, January, March and May. The one in May is vital to her schooling next year, so we will be working on it through the summer. We need to learn the content and it will probably hold her back slightly in 2nd grade on that subject, but we will catch up. We will still be working on Math, at least one page a day so she doesn't lose all that we learned. Reading I'm not worried about. She reads really well and honestly I think she's more on a second or third grade level with reading anyhow.

I almost had a change of schooling thought to public school over the weekend, but decided that we are still doing what is best for our daughter. Our good homeschooling friends have decided to put their kids in public school next year, so they are less stressed and the kids are happier. But, as a result I was torn. We will need to make new friends that are homeschooling so we can have play days and such. I went looking yesterday for the local public school she would attend and looked online at the public school website. I also looked at the Christian school I wanted her to go to yet again. That one seemed more right to me that the public school, but we are doing really well homeschooling and I would be working to put my daughter through school if we went that route. I think I just got temporarily scared. Something very drastic would have to happen to have me put Anna in public school at this age. VERY drastic!! It hasn't happened yet, so we will continue to homeschool. If she ever does need to attend a school, it will be the Christian school I looked at and I will go back full-time to pay for it. That's that. I need to not worry so much about her schooling and just go with it. She is learning and she is thriving with the one-on-one time with me. I am sure we will know for sure when things change. Now, its time for some play time with homeschool friends. We will have to schedule some time with E and B so she can play and then we will have to get to know some other people to help her have more play time.

If you read that whole bit today, thank you!! It was a lot for me to go through and I needed to write it down. Have a good week. Take care.

Where do you like to read?

I am sure this questions is as unique as the individual you ask it to. I have caught Anna in some weird spots, but none quite as unique as this past Sunday when Daddy caught her reading under her easel. Yes, under her easel. Here is the picture:

I am just glad she likes to read and if that's where she chooses to do so, so be it. I am encouraging as many chapter books as possible, which is hard, since most are written with the ages of 10 and up topics. I have managed to find quite a few that are age appropriate though and that she likes to read. (Oh and she is usually reading 2-3 books at any given time and she can tell you what's going on with any of them.) Anyhow, I thought that picture was too cute not to share. Have a good day and I hope that puts a smile on someones face. God Bless you all!!

Watercolors

Anna has a fascination with painting. She spotted some new watercolors in the cabinet last week after school and asked it she could use them. I saw no harm in it, so I let her get it out. She ended up doing 4 pages. (Sorry, I only have pictures of one.) Here they are"

Hard at work:

Finished Product:

Goofy Face when done:

As you can see she had fun. She thoroughly enjoys painting and having fun. I am pretty sure we will have more of those types of days, especially since its so hot!! Have a good day. God Bless!!

Pansy Update

A few of you asked for a pansy update. So far, so good. They are mostly still alive. No actual flower buds yet, but I haven't completely killed the sprouts either. They are still growing, which to me is a good sign. I just do not have that green thumb, but I sure try. Here are pictures from yesterday of the sprouts:

So, as you can see, they aren't dead yet. I have decided to quit turning the pot every day. It was making them look funny. You can still tell where the window is anyhow. LOL! Hope that helps and maybe someday soon we'll see some flower buds. Remind me again and I will try and post an update. Thanks for asking.

Dr. Update

Well, here is the much awaited updated from my Friday Doctor's appointment. It is not Rheumatoid Arthritis. In fact, all my labs came back pretty much normal and clear. I had high counts in white and red cells, but not overly so. I DO have arthritis in my hands. Go figure. They usually bother me the most. It was visible on the x-ray. That was pretty much the good news. Since I do not have that, I asked if it wasn't that, then why is it I hurt so much and feel so darn tired all the time. He said its Fibromyalgia. The weird thing is I guess I annoyed him. Being the hormonal thing I am right now, I was upset at that thought and so he left. I had to ask the nurse for info on that diagnosis. Basically it will be with me for the rest of my life. The good thing is it doesn't get any worse, or so they say. The bad thing is that it has already been hard to deal with. I know next to nothing on Fibromyalgia, so here is a description from a website:


What Is Fibromyalgia?

There are some days when it almost "hurts too bad to move," or when you wake up from a full night's sleep "too tired to think straight."

For those who suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome, days like these happen on a regular basis. This throbbing, "aching all over" feeling often seems worse in the morning. And that makes it even more difficult to bear when you've just spent a seemingly endless night tossing and turning because restful sleep hasn't been seen in your bedroom for a long time. Fibromyalgia is also usually cyclical, with different symptoms from day to day, and changes in energy levels and pain. Sometimes everything may get worse for a while, and then there will be days where the patient feels nearly normal and symptom free. As the syndrome progresses, cycles of pain and fatigue may become longer and more severe.

Fibromyalgia ( FM ) is a chronic musculoskeletal condition causing widespread pain, fatigue and muscle stiffness throughout the body. One of the most difficult things about the disorder is that the symptoms mimic at least 46 other conditions. It is characterized by physical over sensitivity and pain responses to a wide range of triggers, sometimes seemingly without cause. With its wide variety of symptoms and its undeserved reputation as a "catch-all" diagnosis, fibromyalgia is a frustrating condition to manage.

One of the reasons is because those with fibromyalgia don't appear sick, even though they know something is very wrong. There's no swelling, no spots, no fever, nothing obvious, but.. They are in chronic pain. They don't sleep. They're tired. And quite often they are a little over weight because it simply hurts too much to move, or they find that exercise makes them tired. When they do finally seek medical advice, the typical blood tests come back normal. Because there is no blood test to detect FM, doctors often can't diagnose the problem until all similar disorders that CAN be detected by blood tests are first ruled out.

It can take up over 4 years for a diagnosis of fibromyalgia to be made, often while the patient gets worse and worse. Friends, family members, and even doctors may tell them that it's "all in your head," or that they just don't want to feel good. They may be accused of making it up, even though this condition has been documented in largely ignored medical literature for well over a century. The years that often pass until a proper diagnosis are often spent bouncing from doctor to doctor, trying to find someone familiar with fibromyalgia symptoms who won't ignore them.


Fibromyalgia affects as much as 4 percent of the U.S. adult population, making it the second most common rheumatological illness after osteoarthritis. It affects women more often than men by as much as a 10 to 1 ratio. The average age of a fibromyalgia sufferer is between 30 and 55.

It is a syndrome, not a disease, because it does not cause degeneration of body organs or tissues, nor does it deform. But the stress of living with a chronic, painful condition can be devastating ... to the patient, the family, work or social life.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms:

The most common signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia are: widespread muscle pain, morning stiffness, non restorative sleep and daytime fatigue. Cold, damp weather and and physical activity can severely aggravate conditions.

Other common symptoms often found in fibromyalgia patients include irritable bowel syndrome, myalgia ( muscle pain ), arthralgia ( joint pain ), generalized muscle weakness, stiffness, numbness, swelling, tingling, lightheadedness when standing, migraine and tension headaches.


Cognitive problems such as not being able to "think straight" or remember things are also frequently linked to FM. These 'forgetful' episodes of short term memory or concentration impairment are referred to as 'fibrofog.' It's a frustrating, often scary, situation when you find yourself unable to remember things you've known 'forever,' like your own phone number or even your children's names.

And it's certainly not hard to see why depression and anxiety are often common problems for those with fibromyalgia. Chronic pain and loss of sleep can cause even the most cheerful person to experience these feelings. And because it's often hard to diagnose, the frustration and feelings of isolation that follow remarks like 'this is all in your head' or 'would you like the name of a psychiatrist' often intensifies feelings of depression and anxiety. In fact, neurotransmitter deficiencies and imbalances are a common part of fibromyalgia. These may have something to do with the prevalence of mood disorders, but also sleep and digestive problems.

*
*
*
So, there you have it. Other good news is that it didn't take 4 years to diagnose. And the swelling in my hands is from the arthritis. I will be starting on a medication for this very soon that is supposed to help. I will let you all know how it makes me feel. I am sorry I can't give you any other info on this condition. All I know about it is what I have read (not much)and what medication he wants to put me on. Any websites and hints will be of much help to me. I start on the medication soon and follow up on September 11. Thanks again for all the prayers. I really appreciate them. God Bless!!

Swimming Sunday

On Sunday it was a little friend's of ours graduation party. OK, so she's not so little, she did graduate high school. Anyhow, they have a nice big swimming pool, and the kids love to go in. Anna is no exception. She went in and had a great time. Here are a few pictures of Anna from the fun event:

Splashing in the water:

Grinning at me:

(she had just gone under and come back up)

Supermodel pose:

As you can see, she had a great time. I took pictures and that was about all. Glad we could enjoy the night and have fun at such a successful celebration.

Play-Doh

About a week or so ago we got to playing with Anna's play-doh. We've never really had it until recently because we rent and there is ALWAYS carpet under the kitchen table. Bad idea, but oh well. Anyhow, I finally think that she is old enough for the most part to keep the play-doh off the floor and keep us from having ground in bits of color on the carpet, so we have been have play-doh time every week or so. She loves it. (I admit it, so do I.) Here is a day about a week or so ago that I happened to catch pictures of.

Anna working on a project:

Anna's basket of fruit:

Anna's "cookies:"

My pumpkin:

My favorite creation:

As you can see, we had fun and always do. I love the smell of play-doh and love to play with it. I am glad she gets this opportunity to grow up with and I really wish I had started it sooner. It really works her fine motor skills. We had a good time.