Just stuff!

Well it has started! Baseball season is here so my free time, not that there was much of it to begin with, is over. OVER! I have four kids playing this year. I couldn't say no to any of them! We said no to football this past fall and baseball is their favorite sport, so what the heck! I love to watch them play and see how they get better as they get older. Jon made the Shepherd baseball team (Yeah!) but is not expected to play much (Boo!) so I will not go to very many of his away games. Tomorrow is at Carson. Waaayy to far when I have extra kids whose parents will have to pick them up from a school. Kaitlyn is playing minors Softball and is excited. She is worried because she doesn't feel like she is very good. She does fine, but got a much later start than the boys did. It's only her second year and she should not compare herself to them. Connor is also in minors, but in baseball. He seems to be a bit above average for his age and I am excited to see how he has grown this year. Jenna is going to be on a tee-ball team with several friends from our ward/school. Her coach is her friend's dad and Bryan and Uncle Todd are both assistant coaches! Should be fun to watch! We are hoping that the kids can figure out the game, it's so sad when you see a kid hit the ball and run to third!!

Alex is not going to play, too young, but good news with him: He is potty trained!!! Hallelujah!!!! Finally!! He was so stubborn!! My last baby and no more diapers!! Do I feel a twinge of sadness for this last remnant of baby? NO WAY!!! My wallet is also happy! Now, if he will be this consistent at other people's houses. Time will tell!

I am going to my neurologist again today as a follow up with my migraines. Whatever they are doing to treat them is sooo not working. I have a headache almost every day. If I don't have one, then I notice it. So sad! I have been taking Imitrex nearly every day as well as a preventative medication. The imitrex works but the migraines keep coming back the next day. My brother, Todd, who is also a migraine sufferer, did some research and found a doctor that is saying that Imitrex causes a rebound headache and it lowers your trigger level for a migraine. That is saying that the more you take it, the easier for your body to react to the things that trigger a migraine and the less the Imitrex will work for you. Supposedly Excedrin Migraine and medicines like that do the same thing. So, I am starting to believe this and am certainly going to ask my doctor about it. Todd spent the last week suffering through migraines and such without any medication to "detox" from them. He is now migraine free. If I have to go through a week of this to get rid of them and raise my trigger level, than so be it! I am sick of being in pain EVERY day! I will let you know what the doc says cause I know a lot of people who are in a similar boat.

Anyway, that is a lot of mumbo jumbo, so if you are still reading this than you must be a loyal friend...or really bored!! Have a great day!

Park Day

We went to the park on President's Day with my nephews, my kids friends and Laurie and Jolie. We had a great time! Such a beautiful day, sunny and just warm enough. Days like this make me glad I live in Arizona! I am sure I will reevaluate that statement in a couple of months!

Jenna is actually quite high on the swing.

Jenna's friend Kaylee MursetConnor and his friend Scott Murset, they had so much fun on these baby swings!

Kaitlyn and Jolie

My nephew, Tyler, is really good on the monkey bars!

Alex

Jenna and KayleeMy nephew, Ashton, looked so cute in these picsTyler and KayleeJolie and Kate, upside down. Connor, Laurie, Tyler, Jenna, Ashton, Jolie, Kaylee, AlexTyler and AshtonAlexMore Jolie and Kate

The biopsy reults are in.....

and it is Basal Cell cancer. I kinda thought it would just be a blocked gland or a zit gone psycho, but no such luck. It is a very minor cancer, so I am not worried, but I am scheduled for surgery on March 24. I am wondering why I am sheduled for a surgery when my sister had the same type of cancer on her shoulder and they gave her a cream that killed it. I am gonna have to find out about that! C ya!

K- I called my sister and found out the name of that cancer killing cream and called back the dermotoligists office to see if it could work for me also. They said it is only for superficial basal cancers and I have nodular basal cell cancer and it has to be cut out. Okee dokee, then. It is still relatively harmless as cancers go, but unfortunately the surgery will take all day she said. But, they will be serving healthy breakfast and lunch so if I bring a good book, it might be a nice break! lol

Yes, I filter...and I am working on it!

All right, I probably need to explain that title! I was talking to my sister yesterday (she doesn't blog so she missed that last post!) and I told her how I really was feeling and she got mad at me. She asked me if I "filter" when I talk to her. I thought this was a pretty good term for not completely opening up and letting it all out. I had to laugh at that! Yes, I do filter and sometimes a lot. Except in that last post, if anyone missed that! lol She told me that I am never allowed to filter to her and I loved that!! Made me laugh pretty hard! Anyway, I have more friends than I thought and I mean real friends that care whether my heart is breaking and my spirit crumbling. That was a bit eye opening for me. So today, I am not ready to scream/cry or otherwise freak out! Thanks to my friends for being ready and willing to help me be strong for a little bit longer! I need you more than I thought! Today will be a good day!

Gimme a break!

K- some of you may know that I don't like to post when I am feeling like a "negative nancy" but today it's just too raw and I don't know where to turn with it, so here it is! I am feeling so down right now. Bryan just got turned down for another job. This one was a good one with a lot of potential. We were optimistic about it, just like the last hundred or so! He has been on so many interviews and they all say how impressive his crendentials are or you were a strong candidate or whatever bs they say to let you down easy. I am so sick of it. We have been dealing with this for a YEAR now and it feels like it is never going to get any better! I am so close to tears that I can't even see the keyboard. So, I am tired of it all and don't think I even have it in me to pretend anymore. I try to stay positive for Bryan and the kids, but I am done. I need some help here cause I am done. I got nothing left! I know that my problems may not seem like much to some, but to me it feels like a mountain that I can never climb no matter how hard I try. I feel so alone in all this and that must be what hurts the most. I don't know why He has left me and I don't know what He wants me to learn/grow/whatever. I am done.

Skin cancer, migraines, superbowl and regionals!

Hey everybody! I just got back from the dermatologists office and it looks like the ugly zit looking thing on my forehead is probably basal cell carcinoma, which if I have skin cancer is the best kind to have. I had to wait an hour and a half to see the doctor (which had me really annoyed!!) and then she gave me shots to numb it up. Those hurt so bad! I wonder if it would have been better not to numb it at all! Then she cut the top layer off, cauterized it (gross!!) and sent it off to the lab. She then puts a bright blue bandaid with soccer balls on it! Seriously?!? Am I a child? This is on my forehead! I looked so ridiculous! I will hear definitive results in abt 2 weeks, but she said she is pretty sure that that's what it is. Anyway, if it is basal cell, then I will be scheduled for surgery to have it completely removed and that should be about it. If it isn't basal cell, then it is just an ugly growth and now I will have an ugly scar to replace it with! Lovely! Anyway, that's about it where that is concerned.

Yesterday was an interesting Sunday. I was preparing my singing time when I felt like I should get another back up sharing time ready in case a lot of kids were missing due to the superbowl or something. I was going to teach the song "How Firm A Foundation" and had everything prepared when I decided to also make a name that tune jar that can be used at anytime if needed. Right before church (which starts at 3) I was getting the beginnings of a migraine and only had the nasal spray, which is so gross and makes me nauseated and gag for about 30 min after I take it. I was fasting still and didn't want to end it early cause we need the blessing we are fasting for so badly! Anyway, I tried to make it through church and right before junior singing time my migraine hits fast and furiously. Of course! I am now sick and can no longer think straight. I knew there was no way I could teach a new song so I ditched my foundation song and just did name that tune. I don't have to try to connect any serious thoughts with that one and muddled through it. I was pale and shaky and dealing with the medication but managed to finish senior singing time also. I still managed to have a good time with the kids and by the time I got home, the meds were working and I was almost back to normal. Then we headed to Gerry's to watch the superbowl.

K, I am bummed about the superbowl. We got together with my father in law for his birthday, which is actually today (Happy Birthday!) and had dinner with my sil and her family, Kirk and my mil Eva. It was mostly fun (esp. Leslie's baby, Luke. That kid is adorable!). The only part that I didn't like was watching the superbowl in two different rooms. They were watching it live and we were watching it recorded cause we don't get out of church until 6. We could hear their cheering and screaming so we pretty much knew what was going to happen. That kinda sucked, but we still had a good time. They are fun to be around. After we finally finished the game and we were just a bit bummed by the results, Jonathan got the results of his violin audition for a High School Regional Orchersta competition. He made it!! There were a lot of kids who auditioned and he made it! We were so excited! He wanted to make it for his Grandma Hooper. I thought that was sweet. He totally respects her and is grateful that she has helped him develop this talent. The regional performance will be on Feb 20-21 I believe at Westwood High School if anyone is interested in attending. We are definitely going! I don't know if there is a cost involved. I imagine there will be a small ticket price, but will let you know it there is. Anyway, I hope everyone's week goes well! Cya!