Category: life in general

sick of being sick

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I haven’t been to the doctor in years.

I went to Urgent Care one time shortly after we moved to Oregon.

I had a cough for more than 3 weeks.

I had bronchitis.

I’ve had colds, but they would get better.

This one feels like it is getting worse.

I had hoped I would come home from Colorado and feel better.

I thought it might be allergies.

It’s not.

My ears hurt, I’m coughing more.

I am really weak and tired.

I made an appointment to go to Urgent Care.

I hate to go because they will probably tell me it is just a cold and that I need to drink fluids and rest.

Easier said than done when you are a stay-at-home mom.

The rest part, that is.

I’ll let you know what the diagnosis is…stay tuned.

{By the way, I was supposed to run in the Race for the Roses today and I am totally bummed that I missed it!}

home is…being sick enough to go to the doctor.

spring fever

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Last night the rain pouring down on our skylights kept me up for a couple of hours from about 2am until 4am. I love the sound of rain falling on the roof, but this was like buckets pouring down on the roof!

We had a chance to play outside earlier this week.

There are some flowers blooming in our backyard.

Plenty of mud to play with.

Getting some practice mowing the grass with lawnmower races.

Dirty, soggy, forgotten toys.

Wormies!

home is…catching a bit of spring fever.

{all photos taken with my iPhone using instagr.am}

aura

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Migraines.

Do you get them?

I do.

About once a month.  Sometimes more. Sometimes less.

Today I got one.

Before 9 am.

Mine start with an aura or prodrome.

“A migraine with aura comes with additional symptoms, which often begin about 30 minutes or less before the headache. These early symptoms are called a prodrome.The prodrome or aura may last for five to 20 minutes, or it may continue even after the headache subsides. Symptoms of aura include:

  • blind spots or scotomas
  • blindness in half of your visual field in one or both eyes (hemianopsia)
  • seeing zigzag patterns (fortification)
  • seeing flashing lights (scintilla)
  • feeling prickling skin (paresthesia)
  • weakness
  • seeing things that aren’t really there (hallucinations)”

(from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/what-is-a-migraine-with-aura)

The positive side of aura is that I always know when I will be getting a headache in about 1/2 hour. The negative is that the aura is often worse (and scarier) than the actual headache.

It is interesting to me that only about 20% of migraine sufferers experience the prodrome (aura). I have always experienced it. I started getting migraines when I was a teenager.

I know that I am sensitive to light and that different light sources can cause a migraine. I used to get migraines after walking into our darken sorority house after walking home in the sun from campus at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

I have found in the past year of so I tend to get migraines after I exert myself (usually after a Stroller Strides class).  Although, in a lot of those classes we also move back and forth from indoor light to outdoor light and I have a feeling it may be a combination of exertion and light sensitivity that sets me off.

Of course, hormones are always part of the equation, too. I then to get a migraine a week before I get my period (sorry if that is too much information for the men who read this, but it is true).

It is also interesting to me that the article on WedMD notes that serotonin and dopamine are two chemicals that cause migraines with aura. I have a feeling that my body has trouble regulating those chemicals anyway (I have bouts of mild to moderate depression and have taken antidepressants in the past), so I am not surprised.

I always mention migraines on a health history when visiting the doctor, but I have not visited a doctor (other than an OB/GYN) in over 5 years. I am thinking it may be time to go (and maybe even see a neurologist).

I was lucky today because I was at home. My husband was working from home and able to keep an eye on the kids while I went in a dark quiet room and rested for a while. That hasn’t always been the case.  Many times I am away from home with the kids…driving with an aura is dangerous. I have waited the aura out. I have also driven with the kids in the car hoping that I will be able to see well enough to get home to ibuprofen, a Coke, and safety.

My mom used to get them (and I think she still does). My dads sister got them. I have cousins who get them. It runs in families. I hope my kids don’t get them.

home is…having an aura about me.

got snow?

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We are on snow watch here in the Pacific Northwest.

While the rest of the country has seen their fair share (and more) of snow this winter, we have been experiencing a mild one. Yes, we have had our fair share of rain, but we have had lots of cold days with sunny skies, too.

What we haven’t experienced is snow.

We’ve had a few close calls. Each time we got nothing. Maybe a few big wet flakes, but nothing that stuck.

We are eagerly awaiting snow today. The snow clothes that the kids got for Christmas are waiting to be played in. A school cancellation and snow day is expected for tomorrow. Now all we need is the white stuff!

My friends at higher elevations have texted me to inform me they have snow. We are still on snow watch.

home is…waiting for the snow to fly.

resorting to plan b

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Since last summer I have wanted to build a playhouse/treehouse in the backyard for the kids.  We spend a lot of time playing outside when the weather gets nice around here and I think something like this would be awesome…

We have five huge Douglas Fir trees in our backyard.  While I wouldn’t actually build the playhouse in the trees, I do want to build it between the trees.

Aren’t the treehouse’s above incredible? I found them at the TreeHouse Workshop located in Seattle. Wouldn’t it be fun to build and design treehouse’s for a living?!

I also bought a bunch of books about how to build a playhouse and had a vision in my mind. My dad made a quick sketch based on what I told him because I thought he might be able to help us build it during one of their visits out here.

Well, it didn’t get done last summer…or fall.  My parents were only here for 1-1/2 days last fall and on one of those days we had baby girls birthday party.  Needless to say, we did not get around to building a playhouse. While my husband is handy, it is hard to find the time to spend on such a big project.

So here we sit with spring and summer approaching, and I still want the playhouse for the kids. With the only visit planned from my dad being in July (and we are going to go to the Oregon Coast), I am having to resort to plan b.

Enter Costco.

I was at Costco last week and found this:

While it is not perfect, it is close enough to what I want and we can do some extra handy work to embellish it and make it critter resistant (we have squirrels, skunks, raccoons, etc. that visit our backyard at night).

What we will need to build is the platform in between the trees which will end up being a deck around the playhouse (and maybe a bit of storage underneath).

The Costco playhouse also has these added features that would have been more $ to add to any playhouse that we build ourselves:

I made a deal with my husband that I would make (find) the money to buy it. Last week, I sold our single BOB Revolution and made enough money to buy the playhouse!

The bummer is that my husband has been out of town since Saturday, and I have not been able to get over to Costco to purchase the playhouse. I am hoping and praying that they still have it in stock this weekend when I plan to go buy it!

This little playhouse is going to add a nice dimension and some color to our backyard. I can’t wait!

Wish me luck at Costco.

home is…being happy with plan b (and hoping I don’t have to figure out a plan c)!

30 minutes of morning sounds

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rooster cock-a-doodle-doo-ing

baby girl talking

train whistle blowing

cat meowing

water boiling

birds chirping

keyboard keys tapping

dog begging

furnace chugging

geese honking

small airplane flying

refrigerator humming

dog licking

baby girl crunching

footsteps thumping

water running

squirrels chatting

spoon stirring

little guy laughing

home is…listening to the sounds of a sleepy Saturday morning.

get moving…

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…it’s Monday!

Just thought I would share with you all how I get moving everyday, not just on Monday. Following is my exercise routine for the week. I guess you could call it a schedule, but I like the word routine. The word routine makes me feel like I am in charge and can be flexible, schedule seems rigid and inflexible. So, I call it a routine.

 

As I said, this routine is flexible.  For instance, last week I didn’t follow it exactly. Here is what I did instead:

On Tuesday morning I had errands to run and wanted to go to storytime at the library with baby girl while the little guy was at school.  I was also feeling a bit tired, so decided to postpone my run, and instead, tried out a new class at our health club. On Wednesday, I made up my run at our health club while the kids were able to play in the childcare. On Thursday I went to a Stroller Strides class with baby girl while the little guy was at school.  The rest of the week I stayed with the normal routine.

I usually try to get in 2 days of Stroller Strides, 3 days of running, and a couple of classes at our health club depending on how I am feeling. I know it is important to give yourself some rest time, so if I need a day off I take it.  Or, I take it easier by doing something different (yoga, pilates, etc.).

I am so thankful to Stroller Strides for giving me the ability to workout with my children and show them the importance of exercise. I am also so thankful for our new health club membership where I can get some time for myself to workout, relax, and even take a shower without kids interrupting. I am also looking forward to the spring and summer when I can mix in some additional trips to playgrounds and water parks, the zoo, hikes in the nature parks, time at the pool, and other outdoor activities with the kids.

home is…creating a flexible routine that keeps you moving!

get moving…

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It’s Monday!

It feels like a Monday, but I am reminding myself that I am going to be positive on Monday and get moving.  Monday, show me your stuff!!

So, this morning we will be headed to a Stroller Strides class, stopping by Target, coming home for some lunch, maybe heading over to Clubsport so I can sit in the steam room and take a shower….and then who knows what?!

I promise to give more to my posts this week.  Last week, it was hard to stick with “post a day 2011”, but I did it!  I don’t have a plan for my posts this week, but hope to have a little about the kids, a little about life, and maybe even a little about design.

Anything that you would like to know about me?  My family? Design?  Just leave a comment and let me know!

home is…being able to start fresh with a new week!