Where The Wild Things Live

Mulligan's has a Water Park!

2011-09-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

Mulligan Family Fun Center spent a good portion of the summer putting in a small water park. This in addition to Go-Karts, Batting Cages, Teacups, Mini Golf, an indoor Arcade, and probably other attractions I'm forgetting. Today, having purchased tickets at a GREAT price through Spreebird, we decided to check it out. Probably the last HOT weekend of the year, so why not?Well, the kids had a BLAST

111 Days

2009-09-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

And no rain in sight. I think I miss Washington a little!

I have decided my diet is killing me.

2009-08-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

I need more calories, plain and simple.I can't live without veggies anymore.I can't live without fruit anymore.I can't live without salt anymore.I can't live on protein bars anymore.I can't just survive on hard boiled eggs and cheese and yogurt.I can't.I need food with substanceI need food with texture.I need food with flavor.I need to STOP drinking water when I feel hungry, and EAT something

It's crazy, really.

2009-08-28T02:03:00.000-07:00

In looking at our school calendar, I realize how nutty it really is. We go from August 17 thru June 11. We could have a much shorter year, except that they give us...- EVERY Wednesday as a half day- November 21-29 for Thanksgiving / Mid-winter break- December 18 - January 3 for Christmas break - March 27 - April 11 for Spring BreakPlus

School News

2009-08-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I'm a little behind! School started this year on August 17th - boy does that seem early! Especially compared to our Washington compatriots who don't start till after Labor Day! But start it did, and I am now the parent of a third grader and a KINDERGARTENER! I was so ready for this LOL! We have put a full First Week behind us so far, and the kids are acclimating well for the most

ANYONE know how to get "ring around the toilet" out?

2009-08-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

Allison, I think you do, you're the only one who ever managed to get our toilet bowls sparkly white! I've tried everything but the dreaded pumice stone - CLR, Lime Away, Barkeeper's Friend, this Lysol stuff that's supposed to be a genius for removing the green marks; bleach solutions of various strengths, bleach tablets in the tank, blue tablets in the tank... nothing's working and it's making me

I finally figured out how to clean!

2009-08-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

Via Checklist!Wanna see? Sarah's Cleaning Checklists. What a concept, huh? :-P. I can't believe how much it really helps keep me on track though. I've invented my own baby Flylady concept personalized just for me, and it works. I, who have never kept a clean house, am now keeping a pretty darn clean house (though still a little cluttered - not anywhere as bad as it was, but not spotless either,

Mellaril, you are nearly defeated!

2009-08-15T02:07:00.001-07:00

Yes, Mellaril, in just 6.3lb, your weight will be GONE. All of it I aim to see you gone by the end of September (if not before!)! You're ON NOTICE, Mellaril Weight!

Realizations

2009-07-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

* It is hard to type with gloves on. Yes, I said gloves. Yes, it is July. In California. But it's also 3:30am and only 74 degrees in the house - it has to be, so that when it's 103 outside later today, the AC can keep up a little. And darn it, I was cold!!* If I lose a pound a day for the next 5 days, I will have lost TWENTY pounds in ONE month! I'm being realistic and knowing it probably won't

Great Anniversary!

2009-07-19T07:10:00.000-07:00

Andy and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary last night. True, our anniversary is in June, but hey, Brian Regan wasn't playing in June LOL! He *was* playing last night. So we hired a babysitter, had a really nice, quiet dinner (quiet!!), and saw him in concert last night. We had good seats - too bad the lady next to me was drunk :(. I kept wanting to kick her and say "It's NOT THAT FUNNY!!

Beautiful. Smart. Strong. Sweet. Helpful. Willing. Woman of God.

2009-06-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

These are all names that were given to me this past weekend at our REAL Women's Retreat. And not just by one person. So many people said exactly the same things to me, in so many different settings and circumstances that I have to believe at least some of it to be true! I can't imagine we have fifteen women out of forty who attended, who would all be lying to me about all the exact same things,

7 days!

2009-05-29T06:30:00.001-07:00

One Week till we leave for Washington! I'm so excited to go "home" and see all my peopleses. I can't believe my little sister, whom I watched being BORN, is GRADUATING High School! Wow times flies.Dear Eliz,so sorry I wasn't the greatest Big Sis, hopefully I'm doing better at it now. Hurryup and marry that Christensen kid you date so we can have a jumbled up hick redneck family tree, OK?Dear

The heck????

2009-05-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am absolutely flabbergasted to report that my bizarre dog is walking around, playing, eating, and generally acting normal, with only a slight haze in his eyes, and the inflammation of the whites of his eyes almost completely gone. He was a lot better, I'd say 60%, when we got home this morning; Andy gave him some wet dog food just to see what would happen and he only licked up the gravy but I

So Sad :(

2009-05-22T14:52:00.000-07:00

My doggie is sick. I didn't think I was all that attached to this dog who eats every piece of trash he can get his paws on, who eats toys, who eats CD cases, who eats all manner of the kids snacks -steals them right out of the kids' hands - who eats underwear, who eats toothbrushes and *empty prescription bottles and pens and pencil erasers and used kleenex (puke) and everything else he can find,

Wow!

2009-05-20T07:46:00.001-07:00

just... w o w !!

Medically Updateish Blergh

2009-05-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the answer is a big, fat shoulder-shrug. I do have a "diffuse enlargement of the thyroid" with a couple of [something benign], no nodules. This is mostly good news, except that there's no explaination for the enlargement. He does think that the size of the thyroid is what is causing the heart palpitations, but wants me to wear a Holter monitor for that just to be sure, and referred me to a

Giving Thanks

2009-05-18T10:25:00.000-07:00

So this post should have been yesterday, but yesterday was such a full, fun and grateful day that I plum forgot! So here we go...First I am so Grateful for a Church that we love. I'm amazed by Kenric Jaimeson, the pastor that filled in because our Senior Pastor is gone to the Fry-A-Thon. I like the change in style, he's much more buttoned up and Bible-thump-y than John, and every now and then

"THEY" say it takes 21 days to break a habit...

2009-05-11T06:07:00.001-07:00

does this make me a "really truly official non-smoker" now? I don't know... cravings are really kicking my butt the last couple of days, but that could be Eve's fault too. Hmm..

Not fair!

2009-05-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've lost 12 pounds and yet my waist expands. When I started watching my eating and exercising, a size 16 fit loosely - I had to wear a belt cinched up pretty tight, but 14s were too small. Now the 16s fit well without a belt and 14s are Still too small. Not fair, Not Fair, NOT FAIR!

Early Morning Musings

2009-05-06T05:47:00.000-07:00

Pharmacy troubles give me headaches.Strong, STRONG willed 5 year olds are sometimes a pain to deal with - but are also sweet enough to draw you a Mother's Day picture... and then make a paper airplane out of it!Andy's right, if you bring a good book with you to the gym, those 20 minutes on the eliptical that used to kill you, fly right by (although by 16 minutes I was starting to clock-watch a

It's a Party! TWO WEEKS!

2009-05-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

Two Whole Weeks since I had a cigarette! Well OK technically since it's after 3:00pm it's Fifteen Days. I SO ROCK!

a WEEK!

2009-04-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

A whole entire WEEK without smoking!"everyone" says that it gets easier after days 3-4, and it seems like they're mostly right. I wonder if it would be different if I weren't taking the Chantix though...and "they" are right about easy days/hard days... yesterday when I walked out of the gym I had the strongest urge to light up. Like, it is fortunate that there is not a leftover lighter in my

Let's try this again

2009-04-24T10:52:00.000-07:00

Quitting smoking, that is. This afternoon around 3:00 will mark Three Whole Days without a cigarette. Although I'll admit to sitting next to the smokers at Walmart and breathing deeply!It's easier than I thought it would be this time. Maybe because I joined a gym and have that as an outlet for boredom and restless energy. Plus it is embarrassing when the entire gym is looking at you because

Back from the Peds Neurologist...

2009-04-01T22:24:00.000-07:00

and he's positive that Matt's headaches aren't caused by any kind of tumor or abnormality. It's just that he happened to inherit the little funky gene in his Henderson DNA that gets migraines. In fact he said that his opinion is that ALL of Matthew's headaches are migraines, even the "little" ones - not two distinct sets of diagnoses, which is what the previous neurologist in WA had said. He also

We Painted!

2009-03-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

We painted our family and living rooms! What a huge pain in the butt. And it's still not 100% done, Andy has some finish work to do but for the moment we're satisfied.Take a look at the pictures:http://www.exiledincali.com/cheers!

Lighter Notes?

2009-03-15T06:26:00.001-07:00

I really despise painting - but the outcome is so nice :). I can't wait to show you guys some before, during and after pictures!The guys finally got the transmission off the motorhome and on Monday Jay will be taking it to "his" transmission guy and we find out how much we have to spend. What stinks is that we pretty much HAVE to pay it because NO ONE is going to buy a motorhome without a

Neeeeeeeeeeeed Coffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

2009-03-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

Been up since 3:30ish, sleeping off and on till 5:30 when I just got up. Fortunately the off-and-on sleep didn't give me a headache - "funny sleep headaches" are the worst!Wish me luck as I slog through the day - the nice thing is that Matt's lunch is already made, the dishwasher running and the washing machine ready to start! :PThe bad news of the day, though? Matthew has to get his first

Horray for Good Customer Service!

2009-03-09T14:30:00.000-07:00

So in January I bought a set of wireless headphones through Amazon.com - or more accurately, through an Amazon Store. I loved the headphones and they performed beautifully until two days ago, when they mysteriously pooped out. I use these headphones for several hours every day, so you can imagine my upset.I first contacted the store I had purchased them through. They said that the headphones were

We're Painting!

2009-03-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

won't say where, won't say what color, but pictures should be forthcoming within the next day or so...mystery cheers!

almost a whole pot of coffee

2009-03-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

Yes, all 12 cups! Guess that's what happens when you get up at 4:41am and can't sleep (actually I did lay down w/ Matt on the couch and between his kicking me and general twitching I got a few more fractured minutes of sleep)

oh HEY! Guess what!

2009-03-06T07:13:00.000-08:00

I had allergy skin prick testing the other day and they said I am allergic to ZERO FOODS!! (side note: I don't recommend skin prick testing, based on the "Holy Mother of God!!!!!" pain scale - yikes). So I've been incorporating the foods I'd previously been avoiding back into my diet, with success :D. My body tells me I am at least sensitive to some of them, like potatoes (which do a number on

"Spiderman Tongue"

2009-03-05T15:55:00.001-08:00

After polishing off his Spiderman ice cream bar (or juice... or more likely some mystery chemical - you know, whatever), Nathan raced into the bathroom to check out his tongue. Upon finding what you see below, he INSISTED that I take - and SHARE - a picture. And who am I to deny that request? ;) So, courtesy of Mystery Chemical and the magic of a neighborhood that has an Ice Cream Truck, I bring

I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'M SORRY!!!

2009-03-04T19:48:00.001-08:00

Boy, oh boy, have I neglected this poor blog. I'm sorry, and I'll try to do better.But not right now.;)Cheers!

Not a lot to say...

2009-01-25T17:19:00.000-08:00

And so I haven't said it. We're still alive and kickin' in the Christensen household. Things are insane, PMS + Quititng Cigarettes = rough rapids. But we're surviving.Now that we have insurance, I took Matthew to the doctor about his headaches, and we are now the proud holders of an appointment with a pediatric neurologist... on APRIL FIRST. That's SO FAR AWAY! But at least we're moving in the

Fasting - UGH

2009-01-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

In 21 minutes I have to eat my last till tomorrow morning after blood work! Yay bloodwork! Yay needles, waiting rooms, rumbly tummies, YAY YAY YAY!! Only 12 hrs 20 minutes to go! (ok let's be realistic, I won't get drawn till probably 8:20 ).YaY!On another meds note, I've decided to stop taking the Chantix at night. If I take it too late, I get insomnia. If I take it earlier, around dinner time,

11:40, 12:59, 3:26, 5:15, 6:37

2009-01-16T07:36:00.001-08:00

gotta remember to take that Chantix earlier >>yawn<<

Apparently he was hungry!

2009-01-15T14:32:00.001-08:00

This is what I found.Nathan, that is. I was outside calling doctor's offices; Andy was in his office working, and Nathan's tummy was in the living room, grumbling and growling like a true Wild Thing. So, of course the natural thing to do was make a sandwich! I think he did a pretty good job, not too much jam on the table and zero PB there either. Now if he had only put things away when he was

A new name for a new chapter

2009-01-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

This is indeed a home Where The Wild Things Live. It is no longer a place I talk about being Bipolar (much). That had its purpose, its day in the sun, but it's pretty much over and I'm starting a new chapter in a new book with a new name.My name is Sarah, I live in Temecula, California, and I have two Wild Things named Matthew and Nathan, and a harried, overworked husband. We attend Life Church

I HATE FOOD ALLERGIES.

2009-01-12T21:34:00.001-08:00

I hate reading labels in the grocery store, I hate ordering fruit bowls in restaurants, I hate that my recipe index has been slashed so drastically. I hate being a little hungry all the time, never really satisfied, always wanting, needing something more. I hate that I have to experiment with new grains for side dishes - unless I want to eat rice the rest of my life. I hate it all. I just

Speaking of Hair Cuts

2009-01-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

We Buzzed the boys last night! I figured that since there are so many pretty recent photos of them on the site right now, I didn't need to take Before pics. But here is the After :-)

At The Salon

2009-01-11T08:16:00.001-08:00

Well, here I am at the salon. An even shorter cut and some color today! I've been so afraid of frying my hair that I haven't done anything chemical to it since before Matthew was born; haven't done anything to it really at all... of course resulting in damaged hair! lol?Here's the obligatory Before shot ... And AFTER... What do you think? I'm still kind of in shock but I like it! I will like

The PERFECT "White Christmas"

2009-01-06T21:20:00.000-08:00

Twenty inches of snow, a giant snowman, forts, snowball fights... a great meal prepared by loving hands, and a full, full house - what better way to spend Christmas afternoon? It was just completely lovely. I'll link to pictures as soon as I have permission to post them :). View more pictures of silly snow cavorting here:www.exiledincali.com

Check out my NEW COUNTERS!

2009-01-06T12:14:00.001-08:00

------------------>That's right 5+ days w/o a cigarette. I'm mostly over the physical addiction, it's only supposed to take 3 days to detox that. It's the psychological associations that are killing me. It's one of the reasons I haven't been online as much... computer = outside on the patio = cigarettes. And even though I've been keeping the computer inside, it's still a strong connection. So,

Sick for Christmas

2008-12-23T15:19:00.000-08:00

That's me. I caught a cold, probably at Nathan's class play, it incubated while we drove up, and boom! The day after we get here I'm down for the count. Actually it feels like I might be mostly over the cold part, but I fear I have bronchitis now too. Stupid smoking.Oh yeah, the smoking. On that front, pretty much everybody except Andy thinks that quitting on Christmas Adam, Christmas Eve, or

Sing it with me!

2008-12-19T10:21:00.000-08:00

Oh! Driving, driving, driving long distance sucksIn the car unable to move we're well and truly stuckHungry, tired, bored beyond belieeeeeeefJust wanna hurry and get there to have some butt relief!

2008-12-18T12:54:00.000-08:00

Attention Washington! With trepidation and a little fear, we boldly have gone forth from our home and are headed your direction! We've been experiencing very cold weather (for here) with wind-driven downpouring rain, getting us ready, I suppose, for "home." I've been hearing stories about sleet and freezing rain in Northern Oregon, so I really just can't wait to cross the Siskiyous. I've also

Christmas Pictures - follow the link

2008-12-18T05:21:00.000-08:00

Our lovely friend from Church volunteered her photography servies to anyone at church who wanted Christmas photos in fromt of the tree there. So we took her up on it! Follow the link to view; I have a CD and can make prints for anyone who would like.http://www.exiledincali.comThanks Tiffany!

yawn

2008-12-17T14:56:00.001-08:00

Once again I was up for several hours in the middle of the night - 1:45 till 4:30ish. But I got a lot done! Doing two loads of laundry helped me cross quite a bit off "THE LIST" - the rest of the boys clothes located, folded and ready to go in the suitcase, for example. (except for their sweatshirts :grrrrr:). Oh, and I found the stockings!MY clothes are all ready to go in the suitcaseANDY's

I've been spoiled by the sun

2008-12-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

It's raining. Not warm weather rain, it's 40 degrees and a downpour. Kind of like Washington. Except I don't live in Washington, I live in California, the Land Of Sun. The other day when Nathan was playing in the sprinklers it was 80 degrees. Hard to believe that was just a few days ago. It is now wet and cold and windy and miserable, and I hate it. The dog doesn't want to go outside so we keep

Guttersurfing USA

2008-12-13T08:14:00.000-08:00

'Couple of days ago city maintainence was working on the fire hydrants and draining them down the street. Water! Water! Nathan couldn't resist playing in it. So I put him in his swim trunks and let him go to town. See?

Wow, it's been a while

2008-12-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

Sorry! Not much of note has been happening.Andy's gone on another business trip but will be home Saturday early afternoon;we're going to Yuma that very same day, spending one night and coming home with a borrowed camperwe leave for Washington in just 1 week.. ONE WEEK?!? AHHHHHHHH!!Christmas gifts are bought and partially wrappedStockings have nothing left to be stuffed in them, all is bought

The Undecided Garden

2008-12-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

My front garden really can't decide what it wants to do. I have a nearly leafless tree, patchy green-and-brown grass, green, green palms, and roses that can't decide. I've been told that they should be dormant by now. And indeed some are: I have one bush that looks completely dead, three that are partway there, and 17 that are still actively producing not only flowers but even brand new leaf

Thanksgiving Weekend in Yuma, Arizona

2008-12-02T13:13:00.000-08:00

was GREAT. Relaxing, fun, tasty. We had turkey on Thanksgiving Day, and Rack of Pork the day after - and leftovers after that. There was a LOT I couldn't eat but surprisingly a lot that I could: the meat, obviously; gravy (thickened with cornstarch, not flour); the veggies and a couple of Jello salads were all OK. We also made a great gluten-free cake (mfr: Sof'ella, purchased at Costco in

"Camping"

2008-11-25T15:26:00.000-08:00

c/pMonday we went on a day trip down to Silver Strand State Beach Campground. Our church had organized a campout there for the week, and about 8 families signed up. We would have gone too, but unfortunately at this campground you have to be in a completely self-contained camper and we don’t have one or access to one. So we just went down for the day. I didn’t realize how much I missed the

My poor friend! - UPDATE - HE'S HERE!

2008-11-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

She's now 37 weeks pregnant. At 34 weeks she was put on partial bedrest because she was having so many contractions and dilating... they wanted to keep the baby in till at least 37 weeks... well now the time has come and he's decided he wants to stay in there!! No more contractions, no more dilation. She's so ready, and he's decided to just be content where he is. Little bugger! LOL-UPDATE-My

Church, once again

2008-11-23T09:30:00.000-08:00

I am so blessed with this church family, so very thankful. I got a HUGE hug from Pascale, a big bear hug from Danny and the most squeezy, tight yet tender hug from our pastor John - a hug that conveyed love, care, compassion, understanding and empathy all at once. I am yet in shock that someone "of importance" cares so deeply about ME. It makes me realize God is the same way and that I hve a

An interesting experiment going well

2008-11-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

First of all, let me just say... "1 day, 1 hour, 47 minutes. I can do this." My mantra. "one more day, one more day. one more day. i can do one more day. one more day."I found out there's a Prize Patrol from my favorite station, Air1, coming to the mall here in Temecula tomorrow from 9-noon. We are SO there. Plus the kids can play at the kids' place when we're done. Doggone I wanna win something

I'm a wreck.

2008-11-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

I can't handle the kids, the dog, the neighbor who is a screaming ass. I scream, yell, and cuss. A lot. I cry. a LOT. I sleep like garbage, and then end up falling asleep when I'm supposed to be watching the kids. My husband is worried; so am I. I don't know who to call though, meds won't take effect fast enough, and how do I talk out "I just don't cope when my husband travels."? I don't know

I think I'm having a fight with my Mom

2008-11-17T16:37:00.001-08:00

Darn it. She hurt my feelings, I hurt hers, I blasted her in an email, running off at the fingers as usual without thinking much just venting. She sent a shocked "wow... nevermind" type email back; I emailed again, trying to explain and apologize (although now I realize I never used the word "apologize"), but... haven't heard from her since.I'm sorry mom :(Will this be affecting Christmas?

Chantix - I convinced my doc

2008-11-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of Chantix? If you watch TV at all, you can't possibly NOT have heard of it. But just in case you haven't, it's the newest Smoking Cessation aid. I've used it before with 4mo success, then I was just in a mood on day and bummed a cig off someone, thinking "I can have just one..." Yeahno, I was back up to a pack a day within a month.Chantix can cause suicidal thoughts in some people, so

Well.

2008-11-15T09:05:00.001-08:00

Nathan's back to 100%, I am slightly manic I think (since I NEVER keep up with housework when I'm not), and Andy leaves for 7 days tonight after church. Somebody hold me!I do have plans though - Sunday and Monday are not covered but Tuesday we have Life Group, Wednesday is Awana, Thursday I've arranged for our Life Group Host's two daughters to babysit; Friday is not covered and Saturday is

well, well, well!!!

2008-11-10T10:30:00.000-08:00

Guess who got his own self upstairs (crawled, he says), got his own self dressed, then helped me put away the laundry into the dresser, and got his own self back downstairs again!And a little while later, WALKED over to me to give me some stickers , probably 20 feet, and walked back in, over to ... the wheelchair .I think he's going back to school on Wednesday and we'll be returning the

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom!

2008-11-07T19:05:00.000-08:00

Our pastor procured a kids' wheelchair for Nathan yesterday and you should see the turnaround! He's almost completely off the couch . He races around the house in that thing, smiles, laughs. Rolls up to the table to eat, to color. Rolls over to the bathroom, though he still needs a little help there with getting on and off the toilet. He's feeling a LOT better too, eating an appreciable amount

Nathan Update

2008-11-06T11:09:00.000-08:00

Well we took him to the doctor that I dislike on Tuesday, we just couldn't wait any longer - Mommy Instinct had kicked in BIG TIME and I just KNEW there was something wrong that couldn't wait till the appt with New Doctor on Friday. She looked and poked and prodded and then said: ER, go now. So we did. After many hours, blood work, urine sample and new xrays they diagnosed Cellulitis in his foot

My poor baby

2008-11-03T12:49:00.000-08:00

Nathan has managed to mysteriously injure his right foot. Nobody knows how or when or where, but there's definitely a problem - he won't walk, he screaches if it gets touched or lifted or moved at all. He can't even make it to the restroom on his own, he has to be carried. If I even jiggle it a little as I pick him up he cries out. He's spending his days listlessly watching TV on the couch or,

Wow, it's been a few days... updates

2008-10-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

My Mom was here last weekend, yay! We had fun, went to Sea World, the pool, generally hung out. The boys wouldn't stop talking . Nathan was upset, though, that he had to miss his school harvest festival, because there was going to be a bouncy house and he really really wanted to go in it. He cried about it off and on all weekend, poor guy Friday we went to the Mall to look for another game for

Slept like a rock last night

2008-10-21T13:54:00.001-07:00

2 traz, 3 klon plus the regulars = dead sleep starting around 9:30 lasting till 5:17am . If I am to continue this though I'll have to call my doc for a new rx though.

Try 38DDD

2008-10-20T17:07:00.001-07:00

which is just a polite way of saying "F"

Daba comes today!

2008-10-16T07:39:00.001-07:00

Gotta say I'm a little teensy tiny bit nervous - it's Gramma Mary Syndrome. Mom's house is kept so much better than mine, that I am nervous about how she'll view ours. Which is why we hired someone to clean yesterday! I think we'll pass inspection :D On another note, I'll be leaving in half an hour or so to go get new bras - again. I just keep shrinking and shrinking - according to one method of

I forgot how bad cramps can be

2008-10-13T18:54:00.000-07:00

Bleh . I spent most of the day curled into fetal position on the couch with a heating pad, while Nathan had run of the house (never a good idea but damn even vicodin didn't take the edge off, I could barely move). Fortunately he was content to sit by my side a good deal of the day and watch TV while I agonized. Of course today was Andys' San Diego Day, which sucked even more for me LOL I wanted

Going to have to cancel the appointment in Escondido

2008-10-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

I won't be able to have all the information in time. Turns out I apparently don't exist at the clinic where I had my last gynecological exam (which was only a month ago)! I had gotten a copy a couple of weeks after the appointment, and they almost couldn't find my chart then, either. Well since then it's been eaten by a monster or shredded or used to prop up a crooked table or something, and they

CORNBREAD!!

2008-10-12T13:17:00.000-07:00

Pretty darn decent cornbread, no wheat, dairy or egg! And with real maple syrup (therefore no artificial sugars), Oh.Mah.Dawg, so very good.Mom, what would happen if, in a regular cornbread recipe, you used an extra egg? Andy wants to use another egg replacer mixed into the batter but I'm not sure what an extra "egg" in it. I'm not so sure how it would work???cheers,im

Up for the day at...

2008-10-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

3am.

oh great.

2008-10-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

a common side effect of levaquin is "difficulty sleeping." Well, I guess our experiment is off for a while.

Today I don't need a nap!

2008-10-09T16:02:00.001-07:00

I think the title says it all. Yay Abilify... now we'll just see how I sleep tonight. Because even though I had more energy I still didn't do a whole heck of a lot - more than usual but still really lightweight stuff, so I won't be "tired" in the way they hoped.cheersim

Mighty, Mighty God

2008-10-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

As I've talked about before, the radio station I listen to is completely, 100% listener supported - no ads, no government grants, no nothing. It's a Christian station, Air1. Well, they have pledge drives twice a year to raise money to continue to be listener supported and not have to play ads, and the fall pledge drive is on now. So, I made a one-time gift to them of all I could afford at that

Levaquin update!!!!

2008-10-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

The nurse from the UC center called me this morning - the pharmacy had faxed them last night and said "she can't afford Levaquin, is there something less expensive you can prescribe?" So the anyway, the nurse called me and said "we have samples of Levaquin, enough for your 10 day supply, and we'll give them to you. Come pick them up when you're ready!"I about died from shock Praise the Lord,

OK, took the meds at 6:30

2008-10-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

We'll see if the vision changes come on again. I would think that it would have started by now, but so far no trouble. I'm praying it doesn't happen again!cheersim

The good, the bad, the in between

2008-10-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

After experiencing some wicked chest tightness and difficulty breathing earlier today, I decided it was best to go to the Urgent Care clinic near our home. Well I went in between times to pick up Matthew and Nathan, and there wasn't enough time to be seen then so I got all the forms to fill out and went back later. The diagnosis: bronchitis again/still (probably still) rx: Levaquin (look it up,

The new sleep regimin

2008-10-08T06:36:00.000-07:00

Well I was up only once, at 3:33 (what is it with my body and those types of numbers??? getting up at 2:22, 12:12...). I was up for the day, though, at 5:17am. I rested on the couch for about 30 minutes but didn't fall asleep so I just got up and started the day.*I had taken for sleep:200mg Seroquel2mg Klonopin100mg Trazodone4 tabs Calms Forteadditionally my other "regular" meds.It definitely

Having returned from pdoc's, she says...

2008-10-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

In a kind of paradoxical effort to get me sleeping better, she *increased* my dose of Abilify - an atypical AP known to be "activating." The hope with this move is that I will have more energy during the day, DO STUFF, and then be more tired at night.To make sure we counteract any residual energy from it though, she also added 100mg Trazodone, told me to dump the Melatonin, and go ahead and keep

Fiskars ROCKS!!

2008-10-07T05:29:00.000-07:00

A while back, maybe 10 days, my Fiskars hand held pruner broke. The handle just snapped right off. So I called them - turns out they have a Lifetime Warranty, that I got to take advantage of. FF a week, I get my new pruners (they didn't even ask me to send back the broken ones) Well the box was HUGE and I was confused, until I opened it and saw my new... garden SAW?? This morning I called

Know why I'm so "very very tired?"

2008-10-06T10:10:00.001-07:00

10:12am I'm so very, very sick!! I hab a code, a bad bad code. Naughty hubby gabe it to be. I cab't wait till the kibs ged id.I was up 5 times last night because my mouth was so dry I just couldn't breathe, not fun times. Andy saw me this AM when I stumbled downstairs and said "the couch up there is free, go lay down for a while longer." Then he took over the breakfasting and dressing and lunch

So very, very tired, and dinner.

2008-10-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Dinner was a success - if you count "A and I and N liked it, M whined and complained as per normal! The biscuits were pretty heavy, but what can you expect from flour with no gluten? The sausage and the gravy were totally yummy.I am so tired I might pass out right here on the computtttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Tried to take a nap,

AAAAAAAAAARHG!!

2008-10-05T11:21:00.000-07:00

I swear if they don't stop bickering, pestering, and fighting, I am going to wring the necks of my children. I SWEAR IT.

yawn today's another day

2008-10-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

6:49AM:Started the day really at about 5:00, but I've been lounging on the couch alternately snoozing and moaning from the headache. Fortunately I have a new rx for pain meds at the pharmacy, I just have to go get it!I tried yet another experiment with sleep meds last night - basically the same as last night, instead I added 2 more Calms Forte for a total of 6. Still woke up twice, sill the

Air1 Pledge Drive is on NOW!

2008-10-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Air1 is a nationwide "Positive Alternative" radio station. It is much like any other Christian ststion, but for one thing: it is *completely* Listener Supported. What does THAT mean? No commercials. More music. And it also means that if its listeners don't pledge their financial and prayer support, it can't pay the bills or the payroll, or stay on the air at all. Twice a year they have a pledge

No Better, No Worse - an Experiment, and an Update!

2008-10-04T09:12:00.000-07:00

9:15AM:First, the update:There is a Medicare Approved GYN in SUN CITY!!! That's only about 25 minutes away, it's less than the time it take to go from B'ham to Mt Vernon. WOW! So as long as she hasn't gone out of business, and is taking new Medicare patients (a worry for sure) - I can call on Monday and find out all the info I need: *is IUD services covered, *how much will it cost to get one out

Not what I wanted to hear.

2008-10-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

Not what I wanted to hear"oh dear there's an interaction with one of your other meds, I can't prescribe YAZ or Yasmin, or any other birth control pill with norethindrone (a progestin)." Yahoo! The ones with norethindrone are the ones that are supposed to help most with PMS. Ya know, that's another thing. I went to the doctor because of my horrible, awful, terrible, terrifying PMS - and somehow

To Air1

2008-10-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

I wrote this note to Air1 during their pledge drive yesterday. Though this happened many months ago, I sent it to them anyway - not only was it read on the air (wow) but it made me cry even again. I just hope and pray that it can touch someone, ANYONE, who is or has been in a similar situation...I made a monetary pledge first thing this morning, but throughout the day God has been convicting me

Psalm 34:18

2008-10-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. "Psalm 34:18, NLTImagine my jaw hitting the floor when this showed up in my email on the 29th of September! I listen to Air1 radio - at home I listen online, in the car on 90.1, KLRD. I signed up to receive the "Verse of the Day" a while back, and have ended up usually just junking them without even reading. God

Rough Times Lately

2008-10-02T16:09:00.002-07:00

These few weeks have been pretty rough, with 2 hellacious periods pretty much back to back... and my PMS is so terrible - it's like I want to kill, maim, destroy, scream, throw things, and so on. Not pretty, and especially not pretty back-to-back - i literally had a 10 day break between the end of one and the beginning of another.Then, I ran out of Klonopin, aka "Calm me down pills." On the

Most Current Meds List

2008-10-02T16:09:00.001-07:00

This is my *current* meds mix, but I predict it will change at my next pdoc appointment!Prescription meds:Lithium Carbonate, 900mg AM, 900mg PMLamictal (generic now, yay!) 150mg AM, 300mg PMAbilify 15mg AMSeroquel 200mg PMKlonopin 1mg daytime 2mg PM (this is lovingly referred to as the "calm me down" pill!)Supplements:Melatonin 9mgCalms Forte (a homeopathic preparation including Passion Flower,

Internet and Bipolar Abbreviations

2008-10-02T16:08:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be using a lot of Internet Abbreviations in my posts, because my fingers get tired of typing out whole words (aka, I'm Lazy). So here's a quick reference guide; I'll try to link back to the appropriate abbreviation when or if I can on this blog system.DH, DW, DS, DD, DM, FIL, MIL, BIL, SIL, DIL, ILs, etc.: dear husband, dear wife, dear son, dear daughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law