SPS- Shameless Project Showoff

Great to be 8 cake for the primary fireside tomorrow.  Can hardly believe we will have an 8 year old in a few months.

The bravest of them all

I made the cardinal mistake of telling the truth to the girls when they asked me if they were going to have to be tested for allergies too.  Only it was worse in their mind  then my test because they were going to get a needle. Bad, bad mothering moment.

It has been a few days full of emotions and fear of what was going to happen.  We have talked a lot about thinking of a happy place, closing your eyes, relaxing and not stiffening up.  Being calm and it won't hurt and will go fast.  Prayers were said over and over that they would be brave, and last nights prayer included "and please bless me to not be allergic to cats like mom because I really, really like cats and don't want to be allergic to them because I want to have one when I grow up and am a mom." (can you guess who said that prayer. :)

Well the day comes, I pick them up from school and put the numbing lotion on their arms that the Dr prescribed then wrapped it in seran wrap.  This just about puts Princess E over the edge.  Princess M is excited.  She knows what happy place she is going to think about and we both try to calm Princess E down.  I guess she had talked to a few friends at school who told her their horror stories so she was a bundle of nerves.  We say a prayer that we can be calm and think of happy things and head in.

We walk into the office and as we enter there is a woman sitting there and she says to me, "It's a good thing you weren't here 5 minutes ago."  as her little girl rounds the corner with huge red puffy eyes and dinosaur tears.  Princess E immediately tenses up and Princess M says " I bet she forgot to think about her happy place and to relax mom." (this girl seriously cracks me up!)

One at a time they took turns sitting on my lap.  I am happy to report they both did AWESOME!!  There were no tears, both were relaxed and found their happy place. 1 tiny pinch, 5 vials of blood and 5 stickers later they were done.  I think they even impressed themselves.

Now just the waiting game to find out what they are allergic to.

Results of my Allergy Testing...I think I need a bubble

I decided to go the the ENT last week because in 2010 I had 8 sinus infections and 1 already in 2011. I was wondering if something more was going on in there. He wanted to do some allergy testing to see if environmental factors were triggering my sinus' to act up. We both figured something was since moving here from Utah 2 years ago has only made it worse.

Well they tested me for about 40 things. All environmental, or air born stuff. I was high-severe on all but about 10 of them. The nurses kept coming in and their eyes would get big when they saw how big the bumps on my arms were getting and saying WOW! The Dr told me I was probably one of the worst cases he had seen as far as being so high in SO many of them. The only things I didn't react to at all were all the molds, dust mites and dogs. But all the trees, grasses, cats, and and and.

I think the South, and our home smack dab in the middle of a forest of trees is the perfect place for me.

So he said it is the #1 factor to me getting so many infections and now being borderline asthmatic. It is also hereditary so I am having my kids tested too.
For treatment, because I am so severe, I get to go in every single week for 3 YEARS and get a shot. The other option is drops every day under my tongue that cost $140 for a 6 week supply.

They sent me to the pharmacy to get an 2 epi pens and keep them on me for 24 hours since they pumped my system so full of so many things that I reacted so badly too.

I don't know how I am breathing at all. lol I think I will go find my bubble now.

The Great Snow of 2011

 January 10, 2011 started just like any other Sunday.  It was in the 40's here in GA and we went to Church.  At church though I felt like there was some pending doom as the bishop and others were advising us to call all of or visiting and home teaching families before the storm hit and to be prepared for what was coming that night.  We had gone to the store on Saturday and picked up some ice melt and some more milk, but felt ready since it had been in for forecast for a while.  We brought in some wood for the fireplace, made sure we knew where the candles were and planned on school being canceled on Monday and possibly the power going out. 

Monday morning, when we woke up to this much snow we were really surprised.  But excited to go out and play.  We were shocked though at how freakin cold it was (in the single digits, it doesn't do that in the South).

 Since we gave away all of our sleds when we moved here (who knew we would need them) the rubber maid tote lids would have to do.  Unfortunately until the snow was packed down and ice on day 3 and 4 that they really took off.

 They were SO excited to go out and play in it.  It had only been a few weeks since Christmas when it snowed up at Grandma's house. (I'm sure it snowed here too, but we weren't home to enjoy it.)

 We have the BEST sledding hill right on our own driveway.  Here the girls are with our neighbor across the street.  They would have been out there all day long every day if it hadn't been so frigid cold and if they had the proper snow clothes.

 I was so proud of them when they got brave enough to go down by themselves, and later on their stomach's and pushing with their arms to go faster.

In the end we all (King J included) were iced in, the fluffy stuff turned to ice on day 1 after the freezing rain came on top of the snow giving us several inches of solid ice, for 3.5 days.  School was canceled all week with a holiday the following Monday.  By the time Tuesday came the girls were begging to go to school.  It sure was a memorable week and we were SO grateful to have power the entire time, and a working fireplace.

Wake Up Blog Readers!

The last blog post Queen M posted got a good number of comments...but lately our blog readers have really been lazy with your comments. (or is it lazy clicker/typers?...well whatever, the truth hurts, I know) What...do you think we are just here to feed you information and share our lives with you for nothing?! If you haven't been commenting...please do! We love to hear your impressions of what you read and see.

Worried you have nothing substantial or clever to say? Forget about it! (imagine I am doing a sweet New York accent) Anything will do. Here are some ideas...for those of you with writer's block...":)", "haha", "I totally agree", "yawn", "you did what?!", "oh I am so sorry that happened...here, I am sending you $1,000,000" and finally, "I know, I hate it when the doors fall off of my canoe"...that last one may raise a few eyebrows, but you get the picture.

I will be watching, and whoever (or if you are part of a Country club and have hired servants..."whomever") posts the most or best comments...I will award them with a solid GOLD star...and you will be featured during a future blog post which will introduce you to our readers who are literally more than 3 people...more than 3! :)

Note that I didn't specify whether most or best comments were more important...and the GOLD star could come in the form of an actual picture of a Gold star or something else I find valuable...like a picture of a video game, or a picture of a basketball star's signature...which is, of course of no real value, but I think is cool...mostly, you will gain my admiration and respect. I might even high-five my screen on your behalf...(carefully of course)...all terms of this agreement are subject to the energy level and interest of the issuer and are subject to potential shortages of things of value.

Either way, we love you all...well...some of you we love more than others...and some of you have some work to do to gain more of my love...so...get to it.

Ok I have interrupted enough...we will now resume our regularly scheduled (albeit sporadic) program...of sweet/funny family/girly stuff posts. Enjoy! (and COMMENT!)

King J

A little love goes a long way

So anyone who knows me knows that I have been using coupons for a while now.  When you are a couponer you learn what type of cashiers to use.  Which ones will give you a hard time and who you steer clear of at each store.

Today I had several errands to run and one of them included going to my usual grocery store.  Since it is MLK day the girls were with me.  As we left the house princess M holds up a tiny sea shell and says "I am going to take this with me and make someone happy today."  I said "OK, just get in the car!"

So we make it to the store and I have a cart full of items. I had a coupon to go with each item, so a big stack.  The only 2 lanes open were the 10 item or less and another one.  I knew I couldn't go to the 10 items, but the other lane had my least favorite cashier.  She always gives me a hard time.  She is an older lady and I have learned to go to another line even if hers is shorter.  But I didn't have another option.  So I braced myself for the fight that was to ensue.  I could see the look in her eyes as I handed her my stack of coupons and she started ringing everything through.

Princess M, standing in front of me and looking up through the machines says "Um, excuse me, this is for you."  She was holding up her tiny sea shell.  The cashier looked down at her and looks at me with a funny look on her face and says "Thank you?"  I quickly respond, "she wanted to give someone her special sea shell to make them happy today."

A huge smile came across her face and she held it to her chest and said "Oh thank you, I will take good care of it and take it home with me."  Princess M smiled and walked off to look at the candy.

The cashier finished ringing up all of my items and all of my coupons, a few of which I had unintentionally cut off half of the expiration's, (something that would have set her off before)  Then she handed me my receipt and said " It was a pleasure to help you with all of your coupons today and you saved so much money by using them." (she hasn't been so nice about my savings in the past, basically telling me I was ripping the store off)

It was such a simple lesson Princess M taught me today. A little love for someone goes a long way.  (I'll just have to remember my sea shells each time. : )

SPS- Shameless Project Showoff

Just a few blankets I made this year.  The first one was one I made for King J's parents.  I had each of the siblings send me a yard each of fabric that reminded them of both their mom and their dad.  It was fun to watch it all come together and the stories behind each fabric.

The second one was for my sister in law for Christmas.  I love how it turned out.

The third one is for my own bed.  My mom said it was the largest blanket she has quilted.  It filled the whole machine.  The blue striped fabric around the edge was the inspiration.  We picked that fabric up when we visited Korea a few years ago.

I think all 3 of them turned out great.  But this year I think I will make a few smaller ones.  I don't get burned out as fast. :)