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.

an etsy favorite: january jones

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Sometime last year I found january jones on etsy.

I love their stuff.

I am in the process of finally hanging artwork (after 3 years of living in this house) and some of their prints will most likely make it up on the walls.
The one above would look great with some prints of Aspen in the 70’s that I have from my grandmother.
There are choices other than yellow for the prints, too.
home is…finally getting art up on the walls.

creative cottage

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I love our backyard.

For me, it was one of the big reasons I wanted our house.

I also have big plans for our backyard.

Yes, actual plans on paper from a licensed landscape architect, but my dream plans, too.

I love our house. I also have plans for an expansion because I really don’t want to move if and when we outgrow our current space, but I digress (I’ll save that for another post).

Back to the backyard…

You all know about the plans for the playhouse/treehouse.

I also want a playhouse of my own.

A creative cottage.

All I need to do is convince my husband that we don’t need the two large dog runs in the backyard that just sit empty the majority of the time.  That 12′ x 12′ space would be perfect for my creative cottage…

home is…still dreaming.

sometimes, i wish…

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I love what I do.

Seriously.

But, some days it is tough. I did not imagine how tough it would be to be a mom.

Physically.

Mentally.

Emotionally.

I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to stay at home with our young children. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am a dreamer.

I dream of what it will be like when the kids are in school, and I have hours to myself during the day. I dream of what I will do with my time. I dream of how much I will be able to do.

Personally.

Professionally.

Domestically.

It’s exciting, exhausting, and frustrating. I want to be able to do. it. all. now.

I read this article passed on to me by a local mom and multiple business owner.

Sometimes, I wish I had started a blog years ago. Sometimes, I wish I had started my own interior design business years ago. Sometimes, I wish…

But, I can’t get caught up in that.

I love what I do.

Seriously.

home is…loving what you do.

get moving…

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…it’s Monday!

And, a rainy Monday here in the Pacific Northwest. Which means we are back to normal winter weather around here. After 5 winters here I think I am finally getting used to the rain. I love to look out my window to our backyard and watch the rain falling through the huge Douglas Firs. I really, really love living in the Pacific Northwest. It is where I am meant to be…for now.

That being said, today feels like a Monday. I am trying to be positive and embrace my new feelings for Monday, but today is tough. I think I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Today I feel like a Southwest Airlines commercial…I want to get away.

I hoped to get to a morning workout today, but that didn’t happen. I switched up my exercise routine a bit and today was supposed to be a “run” day, but baby girl is drooly, snotty, coughing and can’t go to childcare. So, I decided to go to Stroller Strides…then I looked out at the weather and did not feel like loading the kids into the stroller in a downpour (this was after I got us all dressed and ready to go). So, I had to figure out what we could do at home.

I decided I would try to get the artwork hung in baby girls room. I got up there and decided that the furniture needed to be moved around for the artwork to work (remember I move furniture when I get frustrated). Then I got even more frustrated that I was moving the furniture and not hanging the artwork. Then I got frustrated that the kids were in the way and the room was a mess with toys, artwork and furniture everywhere. Not good.

Here is where we stand…

  • No artwork was hung
  • The furniture was moved back to where it was when I started this morning
  • I am frustrated with myself for getting so frustrated
  • Kids are sad
  • Poppa is confused (he was working from his home office this morning)

The fact of the matter is I should have just put the kids in the car and gone to Stroller Strides. I always feel better when I exercise in the morning. I am able to get through my day without my frustration level getting too high. We weren’t going to melt in the little bit of rain that we would have encountered on our way from the car to the class. I should know that by now.

Hindsight is 20/20.

Now, I haven’t exercised, I didn’t hang artwork, the kids aren’t happy, the husband isn’t happy, and I am beating myself up for all of it.

I should have remembered to get moving…it’s Monday!

home is…practicing what you preach.

{comfort food} homemade tomato basil soup

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Last Thursday was a snow day here in Portland, and I felt like eating tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch. We were out of good old Campbells tomato soup, so I decided to see if I had what I needed to make it from scratch…and I did!

Here is the recipe I used…

Fresh tomato and basil are the stars of this classic summertime tomato soup recipe. Low-fat milk and light cream cheese keep it healthy.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 bread slice)

Ingredients

  • 4  cups  chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 4 large)
  • 4  cups  low-sodium tomato juice
  • 1/3  cup  fresh basil leaves
  • 1  cup  1% low-fat milk
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  cracked black pepper
  • 1/2  cup  (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • Basil leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
  • 8  (1/2-inch-thick) slices diagonally cut French bread baguette

Preparation

Bring tomato and juice to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Place tomato mixture and basil in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan; stir in milk, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk, and cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes). Ladle soup into individual bowls; garnish with sliced basil, if desired. Serve with bread.

NOTE: Refrigerate remaining soup in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 133 (30% from fat), Fat: 4.4g (sat 2.4g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.4g), Protein: 5.4g, Carbohydrate: 18.7g, Fiber: 1.9g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Iron: 1.5mg, Sodium: 310mg, Calcium: 77mg
Cooking Light, JULY 2000
home is…comfort food on a snow day.

pieces of me: october 2003

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A couple of things happened in October 2003.

The first of which was I found out I was pregnant on October 10th. It was not planned or expected. I was terrified to tell Ryan. I had just spent 3 years going back to school for my Interior Design degree. I was looking forward to finding a job. And, financially, we really needed me to be back at work. This was not in our plan.

We met at a parking lot near our home (I can’t remember if we had an appointment at the bank, or if we just met there).  I started crying and told him. He was in shock, but hugged me tight and said it would be okay.

We decided to keep it to ourselves until we had a grasp on it and felt comfortable telling our family and friends.

We never told them.

Later that month I went up to my parents house to spend some time with them. It was a weekday and my dad was home working on some home projects. My mom had been to the doctors that morning for some tests. I could tell something was not right. I finally got them to tell me that my mom had a biopsy to check a lump in her breast. They didn’t want to worry us and were waiting to find out the results of the biopsy before they said anything to my sister or me.

A couple days later my mom called me to tell me she had breast cancer. Sadly, I don’t remember what type, or stage, or the details. All I remember is being in shock.

The realization that life could be created, and possibly taken away, so unexpectedly was a lot to handle.

home is…not being ready for the unexpected.

being a procrastinator (with all the excuses in the world)

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Last Friday I told you all that I was going to write about how I use color in my home this Friday.

Well, I should be careful what I promise you all.

I’m not writing about that today.

I need to give that topic a little more thought.  The thing is, I rarely think about HOW I use color in my home.  I just use it. Each home we have lived in has been a little different, and I have used color a little differently in each. I need to pull some old photos, take some new photos, find some inspiration photos and maybe break the post down by home. At any rate, to do the topic justice I need to put a bit more thought into it.

I haven’t had time to do that in the last week.

As you all know, my brother-in-law unexpectedly lost his brother last week. That’s thrown me a bit and my posts took a sort of melancholy tune for a few days. I am so sad for his loss. A lot of you have offered support to me, and I appreciate it. However, I am doing fine…I just am sad for my brother-in-law and his family. They will make it through this, and I am looking forward to seeing them all when I am able to visit in March.

Sadly, we experienced another loss in our extended family. My husbands grandmother passed away yesterday. Again, I am sad that we cannot be there for his family. The service is tomorrow and the timeframe and expense to travel across the country just makes it too difficult for us to be there. I hope that they know we are there in spirit and love them all.

That being said, my little family here in Oregon had a great weekend last weekend and we have had a busy week. Shopping, date night, swimming, hiking, going out for burgers, rollerskating, enjoying a snow day, a mom’s night out for me (we went bowling…so fun), and a fun playdate with friends this morning!

I am hoping to put some effort into my post about how I use color in our home so that I can bring it to you next week, but don’t hold me to it. I’ll admit it, sometimes I am a procrastinator…and I can be a bit flakey.

It’s Friday, the sun is shining (although it is brutally cold for the Pacific Northwest), and I am looking forward to the weekend.

What plans do you all have for the weekend?

home is…being a procrastinator (with all the excuses in the world).

snow day!

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Yes!  We got snow!

Not nearly as much as they had originally thought we might, but if we get an inch the schools close down here in Portland!

So, today is a snow day…

We built a snowman.

Threw snowballs.
Shoveled the driveway, sidewalk, and part of the street.
And, enjoyed it while it lasted.
By noon the snow had melted and now is only falling in short bursts to melt on impact.
home is…a snow day!
(I cannot get the formatting to cooperate with me on this post…what a bummer!)

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.