A VERY FULL WEEKEND

I should just call it a Girl Scout weekend.
Most of the weekend was spent with my troop.

The sweetest little group of girls

Don't they all look so SWEET! No really for the most part they are all sweethearts.

My wonderful sister let me borrow her van so that I could carry more girls to a event on Saturday that was an hour away. This photo is them all laid back watching a movie on the dvd in the van.

Even with the van I still didn't have enough room for all so on the way back home I had a few different girls. They were so funny. I loved listening to them singing along to the country radio. I was shocked that they knew all the words to these country songs. I told them I couldn't wait until they were all 16 and could drive me around.

Team work!

Sunday afternoon was spent at Walmart selling cookies.
We SOLD OUT!

When I went to trade cars with my sister I got to see my niece cheering for Upwards basketball.

They were so cute in their skorts and little pom poms!

Our church service was great this morning. We didn't get up in time for Sunday school but made it just in time for service. Grateful for sometime in the Word today.

Now I am watching the Oscar's and waiting for some nasty weather that is headed our way.

Say a prayer for Northwest Arkansas tonight we have a good chance for straight line winds and tornados tonight. This morning the weather channel said it was a 6 out of 10 chance for tornados.

Lord I pray that this does not happen. I need to get our things prepared to go to the cellar if the sirens go off. Thankful that we have it in times like this. Growing up we always had a cellar and Momma would take us girls at the first sign of bad weather, while my Dad would stay in the house asleep. We spent many a night sleeping in the cellar. Hoping this is not the case tonight.

Blessings,

Pam

 

KIDS SAY THE DARNEDEST THINGS

I got to see my great nephew today. Little E is 5 years old and his home was robbed this past week while they were all gone to work.

I asked him about it today and this is what he told me.

Me: E what happened at your house this week?

E: UMMMMM I was KIDNAPPED and they took my wii, my games, Nicks xbox, Nicks razorback hat.

Me: I had a really hard time keeping a straight face !

He was kidnapped instead of robbed!!! Precious

It is not a laughing matter that they were violated in this way but his little face with the missing front teeth was just to much.

I sure LOVE that boy and all his rough and tumble ways!!!!!

LIVING WITH A CHRONIC ILLNESS

A new journey in my life. I mentioned in an earlier post that I was recently diagnosed with LUPUS. Since I was told, I have spent some time studying up on the subject. I am amazed at all the symptoms that I have had in the past few years that I thought were because of my age, my weight or the lack of exercise, etc etc. 

Today I was asked about the disease by a coworker. This is what I found online.

Lupus is not contagious. You cannot "catch" lupus from someone or "give" lupus to someone.



Lupus is not like or related to cancer. Cancer is a condition of malignant, abnormal tissues that grow rapidly and spread into surrounding tissues.


Lupus is not like or related to HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus) or AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). In HIV or AIDS, the immune system is under-active; in lupus, the immune system is overactive.


You can then talk about what lupus is.



Lupus is an autoimmune disease. In some ways, lupus represents a kind of allergic reaction by the body, in which the immune system sees the body’s own healthy tissues and cells as foreign.


Lupus is a chronic disease. This means that anyone who develops lupus will have lupus for the rest of his or her life. As with other chronic illnesses such as diabetes or asthma, there is no cure for lupus yet. However, there are medications and lifestyle adjustments that help most people live active and productive lives in spite of these illnesses.


Lupus has many different symptoms, and because of that, affects each person differently. Lupus can cause a mild skin rash or achy joints, or can involve the kidneys, heart, lungs, brain, or other internal organs. What most people do not realize, however, is how much effort it may take you to function day-to-day when you have to cope with extreme fatigue, chronic pain, memory loss, medication side effects, and/or visible skin lesions.


Lupus is unpredictable because it is a disease of flares (the symptoms worsen and you feel ill) and remissions (the symptoms improve and you feel better). Knowing that lupus is unpredictable may help other people understand your physical and emotional ups and downs as well as the changes that you may have to make to schedules, plans, and commitments.


One of the things in this information that really hit home was the last sentence. I have canceled so many plans and events in the past couple of years that it became a joke about how I just didn't like certain family members or groups of people. I really want to post this on a t-shirt and wear it around so they know that it was beyond my control.
 
I am thankful that I finally went to the dermatologist. I have had this rash on my chest that would come and go for the past year at least. He took a biopsy and it was positve. This diagnosis has really been a blessing. Finally a reason for the fatigue (this is a big one for me), the achy knees, the catching every cold or bug that blew by me. Scott, Mom and my sister really thought I was just depressed and I kept telling them I wasn't sad or blue, I was just to darned tired to doing anything.  It is now something that can be treated. I was told recently that one way to live a long life is to have a chronic illness because it makes you take better care of yourself. I am waiting now to get in to see a Rheumatologist. This appointment should get me on a regime of living a normal life with this.
 
Sorry for the rambling, I wanted to share what is going on with me. Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this new journey.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY

OR SINGLES AWARENESS DAY ( i saw this on a friends facebook comments) I remember so many Valentines days that I spent as a single girl. Thank goodness it never bothered me. I loved my alone time as a single girl. I lived out on my own for 11 years before Scott and I married so it was a culture SHOCK after we married.

Now I wouldn't have it any other way. This has been a great day.

Let me show you in photos!

My gift from Scott that was waiting on me when I got home. I told him not to do anything and we planned on cooking dinner at home together tonight, just a simple home cooked meal together.

We were both exhausted so I went to get Subway sandwiches.

Coco's Valentines we made for school.

I was so happy with the way they turned out.

She said some kids didn't want the photo. How mean is that?

Parents please teach your kids some manners and how NOT to hurt someones feelings.

See that beautiful Damask? I got my SheyB camera strap in the mail today.

Happy Valentines Day to me!

Hope your day was filled with love!

VALENTINES DAY PHOTO SHOOT

Today called for a photo shoot with Coco. It has been a LONG time since she wanted me to take pictures.

She's growing up to fast!

This is more like my sweet LITTLE girl...

The REAL reason for the photo shoot.

Valentines

I have seen this done on several blogs so it is not original but I love it and Coco did to.

I will show you the finished product tomorrow after we pick them up and finish them. I didn't think she would be doing Valentines this year. I didn't get any notices from school. Could be because she has been out for 2 weeks due to the snow. She says her home room teacher said they could bring them. So that is what we'll do and treasure it as it will the last year. INSERT sad face here!!!

BLIZZARD OF 2011

Last night when I went to bed the weather man expected 2-4 inches of snow for our area.

The latest forecast today

We probably have 15 inches at our house. Everything is closed  and hopefully no one is out on the roads.

Feels like I went to sleep in Arkansas and woke up in Chicago!

THOUGHTS

1. I am exhausted.

2. Mamie, Scotts grandmother is not doing well. She is 96 years young and we were told today that we will only have for a few more days. She will be dancing in heaven. As Scott said it should be a joyous day as she has been ready for a few years. She is the most precious little Mamie you could ask for. I have NEVER heard her say a bad word about anyone or really even have a bad day. Wish I was more like her.

3. We are expecting MORE snow in our area tonight. I hate driving in the bad weather so it stresses me out.

4. I just found out that I have subcutaneous Lupus. I am thankful for a diagnosis it explains why I am always tired and sick or sick and tired. Will be going thru some more testing and doctors to find the right treatment for me.

5. My girl seems to be growing up so fast and I am not ready. She was talking about her wedding tonight and she says she wants to get married on a mountain in Oark Arkansas in a camo dress. STOP the car "where is MY daughter". She is such a tomboy. I gently explained that she will be married in our church in a white princess dress with lots of GLAM!! End of discussion

6. I shouldn't have eaten the BBQ from Dink's tonight.

7. Scott has lost 30 lbs and I am really proud of him. I need to get on that bandwagon.

8. I have 165 pizza swaps to make for Girl Scout Thinking Day event on Saturday. My fingers will be glued together by the time I am thru.

9. Did I say I'm EXHAUSTED

10. Time for bed. Maybe I will get to work a few hours tomorrow.

SNOWED IN

We have been snowed in since Tuesday. We got 7.5 inches which doesn't sound like alot but for Arkansas it quite a bit. It is usually gone the next day but the temps have been dropping to the negatives at night so the snow is hanging on. It didn't help that we got a half inch of ice first.

Coco has been entertaining me while we have been home.

Recorder concerts (we called them flute a phone when I was a girl).

This was on Tuesday when it was snowing and blowing so heavily.

We don't have any hills so Coco was sledding off the front porch.

She and Maggie pulling each other on the sled in the street. Luckily we live in a very quiet neighborhood.

Then she decided to run and do the softball slide. Great practice time for softball season coming up.

She might have a sore heiny tomorrow.

Windmill in our neighborhood.

My beautiful girl

Having fun today

Ride like the wind Coco!!

I have a confession to make. All these photos were taken from my doorway using my long range lens!!!

It was way to cold to be out there long!!!

I am going to try sledding into work tomorrow.

The weather men are calling for more snow all day tomorrow, more on Sunday and again next Wednesday. Like my friend said on facebook, the kids will never get out of 5th grade with so many make up days!

Keep warm and keep sledding!

Pam