I haven't posted in a few weeks regarding all the changes in our lives, here's the latest.
Jerrika's knee hurts quite a bit. Unfortunately we can't quantify the pain and can't quite figure out what brings it on and what doesn't make it hurt - sometimes it will hurt while she is laying around, othertimes it will hurt while she is playing but then again, it may not.
So she has been out of cheer for almost a month. She still cries quite a bit about missing her friends and missing what she loves. She watches cheer videos on youtube.com all the time and talks about routines and even practices them. She requested that I order her a bow and new competition bloomers. She told us that she wants to go to all the competitions, dressed out. She even wants to sit at choreography to watch what is being planned (btw, it looks awesome!) However, she says she may or may not go back in February - WTH? I don't understand a 10 year old's mind some days - flip, flop, WOW.. I guess we'll wait and see what the future holds.
Her next dr appt is on Sept. 14th. She will have an xray and see the dr that day. Hopefully we'll see some healing.
Jerrika has a lot of fear of another surgery. She is also quite pessimistic regarding her knee's healing. She doesn't feel it will heal. I keep assuring her that God has a plan and He will make it heal, if that's what His plan is. We can do what we can to help it heal, but there's no way to know if it will or won't heal. We just keep praying, have her take supplements, stretch her legs a lot and have her do nothing impact.
Ya no impact, that's another topic. She and Jonathan went to a modeling shoot a couple of weeks back. It was at a beautiful home in Paradise Valley. The homeowners have an inground trampoline and a wooden play structure - all very attractive for kids. I kept having to talk to Jerrika about not bouncing on the trampoline and not to hang from the monkey bars - so she wouldn't jump down and hurt herself. This was very stressful for me - I really don't want her to jump and get hurt and she couldn't remember not to. It isn't important to her, until it starts hurting and then she understands why it is so important not to jump.
When she started school, we had to talk to the teachers, the PE coach and really had to sit her down and explain - NO JUMPING, NO RUNNING. This is hard, but hopefully it really starts to sink in soon.
Because she can't do any impact sports, her doctor told her she can be in swimming or cycling. We found a nice swim team to join. Her coach is Chris Aikman (no relation to Troy), he is an Ironman and swims a lot. So far, Jerrika's enjoying the swim team, but sure is very different -not social in the least. This is the hardest thing for her. Cheerleading is very social - talking to your friends while you warm up, talking during the routine and cheering each other on and encouraging. Swimming is alone and totally individualized.
We'll keep praying and being patient..
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Jerrika's knee
Wow I haven't written in awhile. Been quite busy lately. Here's the latest..
Jerrika started having a baker's cyst on the back of her knee back in October, while we were in Disneyland with Sheila and her family.
When we got home, it bothered her a bit, but nothing major until about January or so. We went in and saw an orthopedist who drained it 2 times. Finally, the Thursday after cheerleading nationals, we went in and she had it removed at Thunderbird surgi-center. This was the day before Good Friday.
She was on crutches for about 2 or 3 weeks then back full strength after that. Finally back in the gym after a month. Tumbling came right back - she went out on the floor and started throwing fulls with Rachel. It was great to see her with no pain and ready to get back to what she loves - she was begging to go back to the gym the entire time she was out!
So less than 3 months later, the cyst is back and her knee is hurting very badly all the time. We gave her tylenol/ibuprofen and homeopathic remedies for a few weeks. I made an appt with a new ortho, Dr Greg White, - a month out. They have nothing sooner, but I call every day to get on a cancellation list and nothing.
Finally on Thursday July 24th I called and said, "I don't care who you get us in to, I am tired of my daughter being in pain. The person said she had appt the next day, in Mesa at 9AM.
So we got up at 6AM on Friday and left a bit after 7 to drive to Mesa. Got down there about 820, got Starbucks and then went to the dr.
The drs office took a bunch of x-rays and the dr saw some strange shading on a bone in her left knee, so they scheduled an MRI. Originally they wanted us to leave and schedule it by where we live, then come in a few weeks later and see the dr for a folllow up. I said - come on please. She is in pain and we drove over an hour to get here. I really don't want to drive back an hour for a dr appt, so they got us in that day.
Short story - we got there at 8AM and left finally and got home after 3pm. We found out about 130 in the afternoon that Jerrika has osteochondritis-dissecans in her left knee. It means she has a soft spot in the bone of her left knee and it is not getting blood supply right now and if we aren’t careful that part of the bone can break off and cause major damage.
So the care is - no tumbling, running, stunting, jumping etc (no jarring to knee joint) for 6 months. The dr will do another set of x-rays in 6 weeks, then another mri in 6 weeks after that. If the bone is healing and getting blood supply, then all is great and she can get back to tumbling in 6 months. If no healing after 3 months, then she has to have another knee surgery to re-establish blood flow to her knee.
When they told us they can't cheer, it is like taking air away from someone. It is what Jerrika does. It is who she is. She doesn't walk, she tumbles. She practices flying all the time. She dances and does the routines from different team routines all the time. She just loves to dance, tumble and fly/stunt.
So on the way home from the dr office, we cried and cried.
I think the hardest call I made was to her coach. Deborah was very upset since Jerrika is probably the best flyer on Jr 4 this year - last year she was voted best flyer for Jr5. Also, Jerrika is very pretty tumbling and is a real leader on the team.
When I finally reached Deborah, she cried too. It is hard for her to lose a girl that she has worked with for 3 years. She is really hoping that Jerrika can come back in February. She even said that if Jerrika wants to come to the competitions and watch her friends, she can be in her uniform. She also said she would make room for her on the team if she comes back in February.
So the doctor says the only exercise that Jerrika can do for the next 6 months is swimming and cycling. It is 115 outside, I don't think we will be riding bikes any time soon.
Not sure how a swim team will go, but we'll try it. Last time she swam at a public pool, there was too much chlorine and she freaked out. Hopefully it is less.
Next post will be about our feelings and the emotions of giving up something that is like the air we breathe - it is what she does, it is what she enjoys and what she is good at..
Jerrika started having a baker's cyst on the back of her knee back in October, while we were in Disneyland with Sheila and her family.
When we got home, it bothered her a bit, but nothing major until about January or so. We went in and saw an orthopedist who drained it 2 times. Finally, the Thursday after cheerleading nationals, we went in and she had it removed at Thunderbird surgi-center. This was the day before Good Friday.
She was on crutches for about 2 or 3 weeks then back full strength after that. Finally back in the gym after a month. Tumbling came right back - she went out on the floor and started throwing fulls with Rachel. It was great to see her with no pain and ready to get back to what she loves - she was begging to go back to the gym the entire time she was out!
So less than 3 months later, the cyst is back and her knee is hurting very badly all the time. We gave her tylenol/ibuprofen and homeopathic remedies for a few weeks. I made an appt with a new ortho, Dr Greg White, - a month out. They have nothing sooner, but I call every day to get on a cancellation list and nothing.
Finally on Thursday July 24th I called and said, "I don't care who you get us in to, I am tired of my daughter being in pain. The person said she had appt the next day, in Mesa at 9AM.
So we got up at 6AM on Friday and left a bit after 7 to drive to Mesa. Got down there about 820, got Starbucks and then went to the dr.
The drs office took a bunch of x-rays and the dr saw some strange shading on a bone in her left knee, so they scheduled an MRI. Originally they wanted us to leave and schedule it by where we live, then come in a few weeks later and see the dr for a folllow up. I said - come on please. She is in pain and we drove over an hour to get here. I really don't want to drive back an hour for a dr appt, so they got us in that day.
Short story - we got there at 8AM and left finally and got home after 3pm. We found out about 130 in the afternoon that Jerrika has osteochondritis-dissecans in her left knee. It means she has a soft spot in the bone of her left knee and it is not getting blood supply right now and if we aren’t careful that part of the bone can break off and cause major damage.
So the care is - no tumbling, running, stunting, jumping etc (no jarring to knee joint) for 6 months. The dr will do another set of x-rays in 6 weeks, then another mri in 6 weeks after that. If the bone is healing and getting blood supply, then all is great and she can get back to tumbling in 6 months. If no healing after 3 months, then she has to have another knee surgery to re-establish blood flow to her knee.
When they told us they can't cheer, it is like taking air away from someone. It is what Jerrika does. It is who she is. She doesn't walk, she tumbles. She practices flying all the time. She dances and does the routines from different team routines all the time. She just loves to dance, tumble and fly/stunt.
So on the way home from the dr office, we cried and cried.
I think the hardest call I made was to her coach. Deborah was very upset since Jerrika is probably the best flyer on Jr 4 this year - last year she was voted best flyer for Jr5. Also, Jerrika is very pretty tumbling and is a real leader on the team.
When I finally reached Deborah, she cried too. It is hard for her to lose a girl that she has worked with for 3 years. She is really hoping that Jerrika can come back in February. She even said that if Jerrika wants to come to the competitions and watch her friends, she can be in her uniform. She also said she would make room for her on the team if she comes back in February.
So the doctor says the only exercise that Jerrika can do for the next 6 months is swimming and cycling. It is 115 outside, I don't think we will be riding bikes any time soon.
Not sure how a swim team will go, but we'll try it. Last time she swam at a public pool, there was too much chlorine and she freaked out. Hopefully it is less.
Next post will be about our feelings and the emotions of giving up something that is like the air we breathe - it is what she does, it is what she enjoys and what she is good at..
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Diet
So I have said for a long time, I am going to lose all this weight I have gained.
When I got married, I was at an ok weight and then I had Jerrika and lost it all. We moved to AZ and I had 3 miscarriages in 9 months, then finally got pregnant with Jonathan and my sister died suddenly. Derek lost his job 1 month before I had Jonathan and had to start working at America West, so his commute was an hour each way.
Needless to say, between having Jerrika and getting pregnant with Jonathan, 3 yrs later, I gained about 10 pounds. Then between 2003 and 2006, I successfully ate my way another 20 pound gain. I had Jilly and lost the pregnancy weight, but in the past year I haven't lost anything (neither have I gained, which is good).
I have recognized my depression and stress and am now not giving lip service to weight loss but finally doing something. I have tried just cutting back, but then we have a glass of wine or go out to eat or have just a little dessert, which leads to more. I try to exercise, but then this and that happens. So no more lip service, let's get serious. I have 40 pounds to lose and I want it gone before my 40th birthday in February.
Vicki and I have starte Medifast this week. Jen is dieting too, but doing her own approach because the Medifast has soy in it, which doesn't work with Jen's thyroid issues.
The premise behind Medifast is to eat 5 of their packaged meals/drinks and then 1 "lean and green" meal a day. I can do this, I know I can!
So day 1 - I eat the meals. They are all freeze dried and you add water. Some, like soup and oatmeal, you cook in the microwave and eat. The peach oatmeal isn't bad. Not as peachy as I prefer, but I will live. The lemon bar is really not great. The banana shake is delicious and so is the fruit punch, if it is cold. The chicken noodle soup is a bit strange to eat when it is 109, but it tastes fine. I make it through day 1. For those who are wondering, yes I am still nursing, so I add extra calories to supplement so I don't lose my milk supply.
Day 2 - I do the apple and cinnamon oatmeal, which is fairly tasty, another fruit punch drink, chicken and wild rice soup and a chocolate mint bar. The bar is really delicious!! I am a little hungry today, but nothing major.
Vicki told me, that in 4 days, she has lost over 3 pounds. I am so proud of her!
She, Jen and I have a contest going on. The first one to lose 35 pounds is treated to a spa day by the other 2. Since we are all so uber-competitive, this should be interesting! I am going to start exercising on Monday so I can burn more calories and feel better.
GAME ON!
When I got married, I was at an ok weight and then I had Jerrika and lost it all. We moved to AZ and I had 3 miscarriages in 9 months, then finally got pregnant with Jonathan and my sister died suddenly. Derek lost his job 1 month before I had Jonathan and had to start working at America West, so his commute was an hour each way.
Needless to say, between having Jerrika and getting pregnant with Jonathan, 3 yrs later, I gained about 10 pounds. Then between 2003 and 2006, I successfully ate my way another 20 pound gain. I had Jilly and lost the pregnancy weight, but in the past year I haven't lost anything (neither have I gained, which is good).
I have recognized my depression and stress and am now not giving lip service to weight loss but finally doing something. I have tried just cutting back, but then we have a glass of wine or go out to eat or have just a little dessert, which leads to more. I try to exercise, but then this and that happens. So no more lip service, let's get serious. I have 40 pounds to lose and I want it gone before my 40th birthday in February.
Vicki and I have starte Medifast this week. Jen is dieting too, but doing her own approach because the Medifast has soy in it, which doesn't work with Jen's thyroid issues.
The premise behind Medifast is to eat 5 of their packaged meals/drinks and then 1 "lean and green" meal a day. I can do this, I know I can!
So day 1 - I eat the meals. They are all freeze dried and you add water. Some, like soup and oatmeal, you cook in the microwave and eat. The peach oatmeal isn't bad. Not as peachy as I prefer, but I will live. The lemon bar is really not great. The banana shake is delicious and so is the fruit punch, if it is cold. The chicken noodle soup is a bit strange to eat when it is 109, but it tastes fine. I make it through day 1. For those who are wondering, yes I am still nursing, so I add extra calories to supplement so I don't lose my milk supply.
Day 2 - I do the apple and cinnamon oatmeal, which is fairly tasty, another fruit punch drink, chicken and wild rice soup and a chocolate mint bar. The bar is really delicious!! I am a little hungry today, but nothing major.
Vicki told me, that in 4 days, she has lost over 3 pounds. I am so proud of her!
She, Jen and I have a contest going on. The first one to lose 35 pounds is treated to a spa day by the other 2. Since we are all so uber-competitive, this should be interesting! I am going to start exercising on Monday so I can burn more calories and feel better.
GAME ON!
My crazy friends
So Sheila has been reading my blog and made a comment that I haven't talked about any of my friends yet. So here it goes.
I have 3 super close friends - Vicki, Jen and Sheila. They are all so different and bring out different qualities in me. We all have such different relationships too, so it is really fun.
I have known Vicki since a few days before kindergarten started for Jerrika and her son, Brenden. We talk about 10 times a day about everything and anything. From what the kids are doing to what husbands have or haven't done (more the haven't for her and more the have for me). How work is going for her and what I am doing at home. We just chat to chat.
One of the best parts of our relationship is how well our kids do together. We have Jerrika, Jonathan, Brenden and Danielle. So 2 girls, 2 boys; 2 bigs, 2 littles. They all play really well together and swap in and out. Sometimes the girls will play together, while the boys play together. Sometimes it is the bigs and the littles. It is most often all 4 playing make believe together and just having fun. It really makes life easy.
Vicki and I can talk about anything or just nothing. We can hang out here or go out and have a laugh.
We both like to eat, have some wine and we love to walk. She doesn't like to cook and I love to, so in some ways we are opposite, which makes life nice too!
Our families go on vacation together almost every year and it is always cool. This year we didn't and next year we won't either. For some reason, she thinks it is important to go to England to see her sister get married, I so don't get that.. J/K..
Jen and I have known each other since I moved to AZ in 2001. Her son, Tristan, is 6 months younger than Jerrika and her daughter, Ariel, is 6 months older than Jonathan. She was smarter than me and stopped at 2. So poor Jillianne is a pig tail with no one to hang out with.
We have called each other "the other half of my brain" for years. When she starts a sentence, I will finish it. If I start to say something, she will finish it. If I forget what I am going to do, I will call her and ask. Weird thing is, she will know exactly what to say or do!
We have been through a lot together. Husband's losing jobs, her changing from working for someone to having her own practice. Surgeries, babies, moving etc. We share a lot, which is so neat.
She and I are so similar but different. I really value that in our friendship. She is one of the few people that I know I can call for anything and she will be there in a heart beat (she has too!) And she has told me that I am one of the few she can do the same with.
Now Sheila is a different story. She and I met online in a baby chat room in 1998 before either of us were trying to have a baby. We became friends in our baby group since we were both from the Pacific NW - me from Washington and her from a little town outside Victoria BC.
When Jerrika was about 6 months old and Grace was almost a year, I flew up to Seattle to visit my parents. Sheila came down and we met face to face for the first time. Not only did we have a great online relationship, but we had a great time chatting in real life (sometimes that relationship just doesn't translate well).
She, Nathan, Angus and Grace came to visit us in March 2004. They stayed in my parents condo in Scottsdale and we met up daily. We both thought it would be better not to be together 100% of the time for the first visit - what if it didn't go well? Well it went so well that we went up a few months later to visit them! In fact, in 2004, we went up to Sooke 2 different times for a week at a time.
During their first visit here, we took them to Montezuma's castle and well, Sedona and the guys went to a Hockey game. In March we were swimming in the pool at the condo too, which was almost too strange for them!
Sheila and I are so comfortable with each other, we can just sit and be or sit and chat. We alternate roles of who is in charge of the kids and just have a great time. One of our favorite things to do is to read cookbooks while having a glass of wine. Nothing much better than that!
So she has come to visit us in 2005 and 2006 as we were packing to move to Memphis.
When she came in 2006, we were living in our "new" house in Anthem (the Spirit) and we had our "old" house (the Rialto) on the market. Our Spirit didn't have a pool, so we had to go to the Rialto to swim. She became the great white scorpion hunter - she killed 4 or 5 over there the week that she visited! One was walking on her shoulder and she flicked it off, like she would an ant, then looked and saw it was a scorpion. I have never seen someone to violently killing one - she wanted o make certain it was seriously DEAD! She killed all the other scorpions without batting an eye!
One day, we were swimming at the Rialto and called Derek and said we were on our way home (to the Spirit). He said, don't bother as we have a showing in 45 minutes. I said, nope, we'll be right there to help you clean it up. So I took the downstairs, Derek took the upstairs and Sheila did picking up. In 30 minutes, we cleaned a 5000 sq ft house, top to bottom; had everything from all the kids picked up, 4 kids and 2 adults dressed and all 7 of us out the door for the showing (sadly the house didn't sell to that peron, but it was sure funny to watch us!)
We didn't get to see Sheila and family in 2007 - we had moved back to Phoenix and had Jillianne, but finances weren't right for her to come down. So in June 2008, she and the kids came down for a week. The boys played so well together and so did the girls. We got to sit and play on our computers or drink wine and watch them in the pool. We did a lot of shopping while they were here. Prices are much better in the states, so she loads up on shoes and sunscreen. Our sunscreen (pump Coppertone) is about $7 a bottle. In Canada, the same bottle would be about $14, if they can find it that big!
Sheila brings me all sorts of great gifts - mainly food, which consists of ketchup chips and smarties. 2 things my kids love and we can't get in the states! People think ketchup chips sound weird - well we have bbq sauce and bbq chips, ranch sauce and ranch chips, so why not ketchup chips? They are tart and tangy and just delicious! Oh now my mouth is watering for them...
Next summer, our plan is to drive from here to SD, then up the west coast and spend a week or so with them in Sooke. She is already planning on coming down for spring break. We'll see them again in October in Disneyland and the kids are all looking forward to it!
So there you go - my crazy friends are now accounted for!
I have 3 super close friends - Vicki, Jen and Sheila. They are all so different and bring out different qualities in me. We all have such different relationships too, so it is really fun.
I have known Vicki since a few days before kindergarten started for Jerrika and her son, Brenden. We talk about 10 times a day about everything and anything. From what the kids are doing to what husbands have or haven't done (more the haven't for her and more the have for me). How work is going for her and what I am doing at home. We just chat to chat.
One of the best parts of our relationship is how well our kids do together. We have Jerrika, Jonathan, Brenden and Danielle. So 2 girls, 2 boys; 2 bigs, 2 littles. They all play really well together and swap in and out. Sometimes the girls will play together, while the boys play together. Sometimes it is the bigs and the littles. It is most often all 4 playing make believe together and just having fun. It really makes life easy.
Vicki and I can talk about anything or just nothing. We can hang out here or go out and have a laugh.
We both like to eat, have some wine and we love to walk. She doesn't like to cook and I love to, so in some ways we are opposite, which makes life nice too!
Our families go on vacation together almost every year and it is always cool. This year we didn't and next year we won't either. For some reason, she thinks it is important to go to England to see her sister get married, I so don't get that.. J/K..
Jen and I have known each other since I moved to AZ in 2001. Her son, Tristan, is 6 months younger than Jerrika and her daughter, Ariel, is 6 months older than Jonathan. She was smarter than me and stopped at 2. So poor Jillianne is a pig tail with no one to hang out with.
We have called each other "the other half of my brain" for years. When she starts a sentence, I will finish it. If I start to say something, she will finish it. If I forget what I am going to do, I will call her and ask. Weird thing is, she will know exactly what to say or do!
We have been through a lot together. Husband's losing jobs, her changing from working for someone to having her own practice. Surgeries, babies, moving etc. We share a lot, which is so neat.
She and I are so similar but different. I really value that in our friendship. She is one of the few people that I know I can call for anything and she will be there in a heart beat (she has too!) And she has told me that I am one of the few she can do the same with.
Now Sheila is a different story. She and I met online in a baby chat room in 1998 before either of us were trying to have a baby. We became friends in our baby group since we were both from the Pacific NW - me from Washington and her from a little town outside Victoria BC.
When Jerrika was about 6 months old and Grace was almost a year, I flew up to Seattle to visit my parents. Sheila came down and we met face to face for the first time. Not only did we have a great online relationship, but we had a great time chatting in real life (sometimes that relationship just doesn't translate well).
She, Nathan, Angus and Grace came to visit us in March 2004. They stayed in my parents condo in Scottsdale and we met up daily. We both thought it would be better not to be together 100% of the time for the first visit - what if it didn't go well? Well it went so well that we went up a few months later to visit them! In fact, in 2004, we went up to Sooke 2 different times for a week at a time.
During their first visit here, we took them to Montezuma's castle and well, Sedona and the guys went to a Hockey game. In March we were swimming in the pool at the condo too, which was almost too strange for them!
Sheila and I are so comfortable with each other, we can just sit and be or sit and chat. We alternate roles of who is in charge of the kids and just have a great time. One of our favorite things to do is to read cookbooks while having a glass of wine. Nothing much better than that!
So she has come to visit us in 2005 and 2006 as we were packing to move to Memphis.
When she came in 2006, we were living in our "new" house in Anthem (the Spirit) and we had our "old" house (the Rialto) on the market. Our Spirit didn't have a pool, so we had to go to the Rialto to swim. She became the great white scorpion hunter - she killed 4 or 5 over there the week that she visited! One was walking on her shoulder and she flicked it off, like she would an ant, then looked and saw it was a scorpion. I have never seen someone to violently killing one - she wanted o make certain it was seriously DEAD! She killed all the other scorpions without batting an eye!
One day, we were swimming at the Rialto and called Derek and said we were on our way home (to the Spirit). He said, don't bother as we have a showing in 45 minutes. I said, nope, we'll be right there to help you clean it up. So I took the downstairs, Derek took the upstairs and Sheila did picking up. In 30 minutes, we cleaned a 5000 sq ft house, top to bottom; had everything from all the kids picked up, 4 kids and 2 adults dressed and all 7 of us out the door for the showing (sadly the house didn't sell to that peron, but it was sure funny to watch us!)
We didn't get to see Sheila and family in 2007 - we had moved back to Phoenix and had Jillianne, but finances weren't right for her to come down. So in June 2008, she and the kids came down for a week. The boys played so well together and so did the girls. We got to sit and play on our computers or drink wine and watch them in the pool. We did a lot of shopping while they were here. Prices are much better in the states, so she loads up on shoes and sunscreen. Our sunscreen (pump Coppertone) is about $7 a bottle. In Canada, the same bottle would be about $14, if they can find it that big!
Sheila brings me all sorts of great gifts - mainly food, which consists of ketchup chips and smarties. 2 things my kids love and we can't get in the states! People think ketchup chips sound weird - well we have bbq sauce and bbq chips, ranch sauce and ranch chips, so why not ketchup chips? They are tart and tangy and just delicious! Oh now my mouth is watering for them...
Next summer, our plan is to drive from here to SD, then up the west coast and spend a week or so with them in Sooke. She is already planning on coming down for spring break. We'll see them again in October in Disneyland and the kids are all looking forward to it!
So there you go - my crazy friends are now accounted for!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tuesday
So Tuesday is much easier than Monday. No after school activities and we are well in to the week.
Well it started out rough today. Jilly decided she needed to nurse at 1230 this AM, so that woke me up, then I got back to sleep 30 minutes later. At 5 Derek's alarm went off, then Jilly woke up at 530. I successfully ignored her until about 550 and then got her up.
She is into these marathon nursing sessions again. I don't know what this is about, but it is about to drive me nuts today. So we finally got done nursing at 625 and then headed to get Jerrika and Jonathan up and then to tag team showering.
After breakfast, Derek and the kids left for school and work, Jilly wanted to nurse AGAIN, so we sat down and nursed. We then played for awhile and she had a bath and then to nap and nurse AGAIN - so 3 times before 9AM!
So while Jilly took her nap I got to work out and study for my defensive driving test.
When Sheila was down in June, I took her and the girls over to Scottsdale to go to Libby Lu to have the girls do a make over. I successfully got a speeding ticket with the photo radar.
So I did the defensive driving class online, instead of sitting in a classroom for 4 1/2 hours. It was interesting to do it online - I watched the class on my computer while watching the Olympics on TV - ya it was that boring! So I went down to 16th Ave and Indian School and took the test today. I aced it, but it was stressful! Probably stressful because I haven't taken a test in a long time and I had to pass it. If you fail, then you have to take the class in person - I don't have time to do that this week. Luckily I passed and now I am off the hook.
So on the Fly Lady topic - I got the kids sheets washed and changed, but I didn't vacuum today - I was nursing Jilly too much! Tomorrow I will do more vaccuming I guess..
I guess it was the total nursing day today. 3 times before nap, after nap, after lunch, before 2nd nap, after 2nd nap and then before bed.. Boy am I TIRED! This is like a newborn... oh well I know it doesn't last long and boy is she cute!
Today was left over day, so we had a mish mash for dinner, but boy does the fridge look much better!!!
Well it started out rough today. Jilly decided she needed to nurse at 1230 this AM, so that woke me up, then I got back to sleep 30 minutes later. At 5 Derek's alarm went off, then Jilly woke up at 530. I successfully ignored her until about 550 and then got her up.
She is into these marathon nursing sessions again. I don't know what this is about, but it is about to drive me nuts today. So we finally got done nursing at 625 and then headed to get Jerrika and Jonathan up and then to tag team showering.
After breakfast, Derek and the kids left for school and work, Jilly wanted to nurse AGAIN, so we sat down and nursed. We then played for awhile and she had a bath and then to nap and nurse AGAIN - so 3 times before 9AM!
So while Jilly took her nap I got to work out and study for my defensive driving test.
When Sheila was down in June, I took her and the girls over to Scottsdale to go to Libby Lu to have the girls do a make over. I successfully got a speeding ticket with the photo radar.
So I did the defensive driving class online, instead of sitting in a classroom for 4 1/2 hours. It was interesting to do it online - I watched the class on my computer while watching the Olympics on TV - ya it was that boring! So I went down to 16th Ave and Indian School and took the test today. I aced it, but it was stressful! Probably stressful because I haven't taken a test in a long time and I had to pass it. If you fail, then you have to take the class in person - I don't have time to do that this week. Luckily I passed and now I am off the hook.
So on the Fly Lady topic - I got the kids sheets washed and changed, but I didn't vacuum today - I was nursing Jilly too much! Tomorrow I will do more vaccuming I guess..
I guess it was the total nursing day today. 3 times before nap, after nap, after lunch, before 2nd nap, after 2nd nap and then before bed.. Boy am I TIRED! This is like a newborn... oh well I know it doesn't last long and boy is she cute!
Today was left over day, so we had a mish mash for dinner, but boy does the fridge look much better!!!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday...
So it is Monday again, the 2nd week of school. Have I lost my mind yet - the quiet is so overwhelming. Nope - just checked in and I haven't lost my mind yet. I am still getting use to and enjoying the calm and quiet.
Jilly is so much fun to have alone. She just toddles after me while I am doing things. Sometimes the joy is just too much for me. Today I was trying to fold clothes. She can unfold them faster than I can fold them! Ok - so take her off the bed while I am folding and let her cruise around the floor. So she takes things off my shelf (t-shirts, pajamas) faster than I can run over to her.. Ok another disaster, but nothing like the bathroom every morning.
Derek and I have to tag team shower these days. Normally we shower together - saves water and we can talk. Now, since Jilly gets up when we do, we have to tag team so someone can keep an eye on distructo-girl. One morning, though, I had to shower alone - Derek was gone. That was a horrible disaster! See Derek hasn't put the baby locks on the lower cabinets in the bathroom. I didn't realize how fast a 1 year old could empty a cabinet or a drawer (motherly forgetfulness - I should remember since I have had 2 before!).. So by the time I got out of the very fast shower, my under sink cabinet was half emptied and the cat drawer was pretty well empty too. Note to self - don't shower while baby is in the room!
So today is week 2 of trying the Fly Lady's approach to house cleaning. For those who don't know what this is, she recommends separating your home in to different areas or quadrants. Clean an area a day and by the end of the week, the whole house is clean.
This type of cleaning goes against my better nature - your house is never 100% clean at any one time, which is weird to me. However, it goes with my nature of simplyfing and not spending my entire Saturday cleaning the house.
Last week I tried doing this type of cleaning and got off track so I ended up doing a couple of days of cleaning on one day. This defeated the purpose. So back to week 2.
Successfully in a 30 minute span I stripped our bed, cleaned the toilet, scrubbed the bottom of the shower, cleaned the sinks, counters and mirrors, then vacuumed the master bath, bedroom, landing and 2nd landing. WOW this is easy. I even put the sheets in the washer and started dinner in the crock pot.. Wow if I keep this up, someone might really take me for domestic or something crazy like that!
It did feel good to get a lot of the work done in a short period. Let's see how tomorrow AM goes...
Monday is by far not my favorite day of the week. Not only is it the first day of school each week, but the afternoons are INSANE! I pick up the kids at 3, get home by 305 and send Jerrika up to do her reading. In the 30 minutes of reading that she does, I have to read to Jonathan for 20 minutes, wrestle Jillianne and make Jerrika's dinner. Oh and keep Jilly out of trouble.
At 350 (ya right about now) I need to have her dressed and ready to leave for cheer. She has her private tumbling lesson from 430 to 5. Today she wasn't fully ready to leave when it was time, but we finally got out of the door.
We got to the gym and she did her private - she is having a mental block again, so it was tumbling, cry, tumble, freeze.. It is a very frustrating bit for me - we had a mental block 2 yrs ago in Memphis, then again last fall and again this spring. I totally don't understand the mental blocks - why they happen and what makes them go away. Deborah is AWESOME and helps her get through it though.
Jonathan gets very bored at the gym because he can't go on the floor. Next week we're going to have to figure out a different approach for him. I bring toys but he needs to get energy out.
Jillianne is very busy all the time, so it is hard to have her at the gym, but we get through it. Everyone loves her and she goes around for loves from different parents.
Finally after Jerrika's private and talking to her while she eats, we leave and come home. Jilly is pretty well done by then. Luckily I had dinner in the crock pot today. Derek heated up some left over rice and dinner was ready! This was a new recipe - brisket marinated in beer. It was a bit different tasting, but very good. I do love my crock pot!!!
Jilly is so much fun to have alone. She just toddles after me while I am doing things. Sometimes the joy is just too much for me. Today I was trying to fold clothes. She can unfold them faster than I can fold them! Ok - so take her off the bed while I am folding and let her cruise around the floor. So she takes things off my shelf (t-shirts, pajamas) faster than I can run over to her.. Ok another disaster, but nothing like the bathroom every morning.
Derek and I have to tag team shower these days. Normally we shower together - saves water and we can talk. Now, since Jilly gets up when we do, we have to tag team so someone can keep an eye on distructo-girl. One morning, though, I had to shower alone - Derek was gone. That was a horrible disaster! See Derek hasn't put the baby locks on the lower cabinets in the bathroom. I didn't realize how fast a 1 year old could empty a cabinet or a drawer (motherly forgetfulness - I should remember since I have had 2 before!).. So by the time I got out of the very fast shower, my under sink cabinet was half emptied and the cat drawer was pretty well empty too. Note to self - don't shower while baby is in the room!
So today is week 2 of trying the Fly Lady's approach to house cleaning. For those who don't know what this is, she recommends separating your home in to different areas or quadrants. Clean an area a day and by the end of the week, the whole house is clean.
This type of cleaning goes against my better nature - your house is never 100% clean at any one time, which is weird to me. However, it goes with my nature of simplyfing and not spending my entire Saturday cleaning the house.
Last week I tried doing this type of cleaning and got off track so I ended up doing a couple of days of cleaning on one day. This defeated the purpose. So back to week 2.
Successfully in a 30 minute span I stripped our bed, cleaned the toilet, scrubbed the bottom of the shower, cleaned the sinks, counters and mirrors, then vacuumed the master bath, bedroom, landing and 2nd landing. WOW this is easy. I even put the sheets in the washer and started dinner in the crock pot.. Wow if I keep this up, someone might really take me for domestic or something crazy like that!
It did feel good to get a lot of the work done in a short period. Let's see how tomorrow AM goes...
Monday is by far not my favorite day of the week. Not only is it the first day of school each week, but the afternoons are INSANE! I pick up the kids at 3, get home by 305 and send Jerrika up to do her reading. In the 30 minutes of reading that she does, I have to read to Jonathan for 20 minutes, wrestle Jillianne and make Jerrika's dinner. Oh and keep Jilly out of trouble.
At 350 (ya right about now) I need to have her dressed and ready to leave for cheer. She has her private tumbling lesson from 430 to 5. Today she wasn't fully ready to leave when it was time, but we finally got out of the door.
We got to the gym and she did her private - she is having a mental block again, so it was tumbling, cry, tumble, freeze.. It is a very frustrating bit for me - we had a mental block 2 yrs ago in Memphis, then again last fall and again this spring. I totally don't understand the mental blocks - why they happen and what makes them go away. Deborah is AWESOME and helps her get through it though.
Jonathan gets very bored at the gym because he can't go on the floor. Next week we're going to have to figure out a different approach for him. I bring toys but he needs to get energy out.
Jillianne is very busy all the time, so it is hard to have her at the gym, but we get through it. Everyone loves her and she goes around for loves from different parents.
Finally after Jerrika's private and talking to her while she eats, we leave and come home. Jilly is pretty well done by then. Luckily I had dinner in the crock pot today. Derek heated up some left over rice and dinner was ready! This was a new recipe - brisket marinated in beer. It was a bit different tasting, but very good. I do love my crock pot!!!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
My Passion
When you are getting to know someone, you will often ask - what are your interests or passions.
For me it is cooking. I LOVE to cook. No I don't want to be a real chef and work in a restaurant, but I would love to take some classes at a culinary school at some point.
The picture to the left is me meeting Richard Blais and Betty Fraser. They were both on Top Chef. Richard made it to the final 4 in season 4. Betty was in season 3 and was eliminated about half way through the season.
So I digress. I LOVE cooking. I love watching cooking, I love talking cooking and I love cooking!
Right now I am working on finishing up my cookbook. I am hoping to have it published within 2 months, if all goes well. I have been working on it, off and on, for 3 years. More off than on - with being pregnant and sick, then moving home and having Jilly and then busy with her and the other 2 monkeys!
So the theme of my cook book is once a month cooking. For those who don't know what this means - it means to select a certain amount of recipes and make a grocery list. Shop for the recipes one day and assemble them the next day and freeze. I typically do 14 entrees each month and each entree serves 6-8 people, so with our family, we end up with about 25 meals for the month.
Every few days I defrost a meal and then cook it at night and add the sides. Makes very little mess in my kitchen and we have different meals each month as I try not to choose the same recipes month over month!
I have had a lot of collaboration on my book. I could never have gotten this far without all my friends who come and "play with me" each month and give me their and their families feedback after eating our monthly creations.
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