My How Time Flies

First, I want to say that this is quite possibly the funniest picture I've ever taken of any of my kids. (Well, there was that one of Kayly from that Christmas where she looked like she was missing a chromosome.) The story is this. We were just getting home one day this spring and it was raining out, so Jordin wanted to cover her head. She took a hood that was removed from a coat earlier in the year (and of course was still in my car because I never clean my car) And, she had just painted me a pot for my Mother's Day plant. She looks grumpy as a bear here, but she was laughing in the next second.

I don't wanna write a lot. I don't wanna see the summer go. I don't wanna feel and hear snow crunch beneath my feet. Where did the summer go? It's already October!!

Kayly gold mining, at the zoo...She got rocks, and she's happy!!

Some people never like their pictures taken...... But, she's so beautiful she'll get used to it :)

Rianna with Osko Wesson when he graduated!!

I think she took this one of herself!

My precious Jordin :) Earlier this summer she didn't have much teeth. Now she has a mouth-full!

Me and "the kids" who are now, officially, adults. Laurelle, 20, just got back from a missions trip to Africa. Weston, 18, just moved to MN for college.




Below is a video I took of the younger two girls back in May. It cracks me up every time. They take my foot and hit their heads with it sometimes when we wrestle.

{{SIGH}} What a day!

The Good, The Bad and the Absolutely Adorable!
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Rheumatoid Arthritis sucks
I went to the Rheumatologist this morning. At my last appointment, we discussed different medication options for me. Anyone who knows me, knows I am silly and care-free and just plain fun. (usually). Well, over the past year, I've been in too much pain to move. Or I've been too drained from my medications to participate in life. The Orencia infusions I've been receiving monthly have been working quite well. My histoplasmosis has not flared up (I'm not blind). My joint swelling, inflammation and most of the pain is gone. But my quality of life isn't good enough for me. I think it hit me when my friend Mandi said "you're not as fun as you used to be" and when I went out with Shasta I sat and couldn't even dance a whole song. My left arm was locked up last week and I missed two days of work. I slept approximately 35 hours in two days. I had my infusion on Friday and still had pain this weekend. We were in Fargo this weekend because my Grandma (mom's mom) is moving to a wonderful retirement community and some family heirlooms needed to come home with me. We also went up to the hospital to see my grandpa (dad's dad). He is doing better in that his surgical site is healing well, but he's still got a long haul ahead of him. It's been a very stressful time in my family. But, I digress. Meds are working, but not good enough. So today I asked the doctor if I can try something else. Again, we go through my options. With the histoplasmosis lingering in the shadows, it's a matter of trying to weigh the options and choose the lesser of all evils. There are plenty of options, but I need something that will work for ME and my lifestyle. I can't committ to two pills a day. I have cut my pills down to 6 or 7 a day. I liked the monthly infusions because I can't miss that dose! Well, the new meds I'll be trying is in the TNF-inhibitor family. It's another weekly shot. I will start that in a month after this round of Orencia is done. SO...long story short, it's going to be another 6 months before I really know if it works or if I have to switch again. I hurt and I'm tired and I don't even care how much it costs (my insurance company). The Orencia cost $3,000 per infusion. The new one will cost about $500 per month. And, of course, insurance denied the new one. It must be standard because if a human being looked at that it would be a no-brainer! Oh well, like I said, I have a month.

Fibromyalgia
It's a new one for me. The doctor thinks I have it. I am still on the fence. I know the professionals claim it's a letigimate disease, but it's so hard for me to grasp. It's too many people claiming to be in pain. Sniff Sniff. Cry baby. There's no inflammatory response, no laboratory or radiological confirmation. No actual sound proof this disease even exists. It's nerve and muscle pain. My doctor says RA and Fibromyalgia are frequently found together. So, like I said, I'm still on the fence here. I will try the new pill and see if it helps. It's supposed to help me sleep better. So I don't sleep all the time. We'll see. I'm apprehensive to say the least.

can I trade this body in for one that works?!

While in Sioux Falls, I went to see Crystal and her two beautiful kiddos. So, the trip wasn't entirely awful and depressing!


Super Christian to the Rescue!!!
Here's one cutie pie who had fun showing off his big muscles and flying from the footstool to me on the couch!! The last time I saw this little man, he was months old. Now he's 2 1/2!! Last time I saw Crystal, it was a Saturday and so Christian was with his grandparents. So it was really fun to play with him today!




(Crystal, please don't kill me for accidentally getting you in this picture)

Christian looks so much like his daddy! I haven't seen Matt in several years, so I am excited to see him again, too! But I know that doesn't even compare to how he and his family feels!! Welcome Home (this week) Matt!!!!

Pretty Princess!! Reach out and touch someone! ET Phone Home! haha!! How about if I just pick her up and kiss her sweet little face?! PERFECT!! This is Miss Sarah, who is about to celebrate her 1st birthday!! It's been a few weeks since I last saw her and she just grows too fast! I had to show off my pictures to Dennis because we just love her!

I wish I could have gotten pictures of her teeth! She has such a beautiful little smile and she has her two top teeth now too!! I think she looks like her mama.

Fantasy

After 10 years, Dennis and I have finally eloped! My parents were so excited to have the girls for days on end, helping with homework and the joys of bedtime protests. I am truely blessed! Dennis doesn't care much for water, but bless his heart he is such a wonderful man! Please enjoy our pictures!! And we apologize for not inviting anyone. This was OUR dream. "And after all, a dream is a wish your heart makes" This photo is where we got married this morning. Please, feel free to send large, expensive gifts in the mail.

Here is a picture of me. Dennis is such a wonderful photographer :)

Here is Dennis working very hard to get nice photos.

What a beautiful sea turtle!

Coral reefs are so amazing!




This picture doesn't even do it justice

I found this little Toucan pertched near our bungalo.

...........maybe some day................ For now I'm home with an RA flare-up. (sad)

SURPRISE!!

I was making lunch and Rianna was doing homework. The rule in our family is if there's homework needing to be done, then NO TV. So Jordin was bored. Well, all you moms know that we never let a child get bored. So out came the broom and magically cured her boredom. After lunch, Rianna was supposed to sweep the bathroom. Making things fair and all. While I'm doing dishes, the house is a wee bit too quiet for my liking. Something must be up. What are them little brats -er angels up to? I brought the camera thinking I was going to sneak up on them doing something wrong. This is what they were doing. They were CLEANING!!! Not to discourage Rianna and Jordin from actually going against their norm, I got out the Clorox wipes and let them have at it! Of course they had to fight because one was doing more work than the other...blah blah blah. I told them to do the best they can and take pride in their work! So until their done--and I'm sure it will take a whole jumbo-sized container of wipes and a roll of paper towels--I'm not going back there! They always make a mess when they clean, but the point still remains, they are cleaning!! Daddy will be so impressed when he gets home!!

Daddy is currently serving our country by riding in a semi throughout Sioux Falls, telling the lower-ranked driver what to do. Sounds pretty boring, doesn't it? We're all very thankful he got transferred to the transportation unit because his former unit has been deployed. Our prayers go out to all the soldiers and their families, because there's more to fighting in combat than a man/woman with a name and a rank. There's all of the families and loved ones left behind who support, love and honor them every day. So he may just be driving a truck, but to me and the girls, he's home. That's all that matters!

BFFs

So Jayda and Jordin...BFFs; McKenna and Rianna....BFFs. It's Friday night, why not have a sleepover?! Well anyone with girls knows that a sleepover isn't complete without tears shed from hurt feelings, and late hours full of giggles. These girls don't just get excited to see eachother, they get "freaked". Usually, that means Angie and I roll our eyes and tell them to calm down. NOT usual for one of us to have to throw the girls and their clothes in the wash before lunch.

(side note to self, figure out the layout of the pictures before you make an idiot of yourself)

Yes, that's right. Rianna and McKenna are making a "chalk dust ball" and Jordin and Jayda are making a "cow pie". In my Pfaltzgraff bowl. You know, the set Dennis and I got as a gift from my aunt and uncle (at our first wedding). How precious these little darlings are. They have a contageous giggle and you can't help but smile.

Well, now it's a shower for 4, all want to shower together so I'll be mopping up my floor soon. Then it's lunch (look out McDonald's--don't say I didn't warn you) and the movie theater. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs sound like the PERFECT movie for these crazy girls!!

Angie, I love you. You owe me!!

Welcome

Welcome! I'm new at this, but will definitely try to get some pictures up and some stories going soon!! We have lots of crazy stories to share!!