Diabetic Youth Foundation

DYF is an organization that encourages and educates families who live with diabetic children.  It is not an organization, like many others, that fund raises to find a cure.  Their mission is to simply improve the quality of life for children, teens, and families affected by diabetes.  I am a supporter of this organization.  My close friend, Carole, has three children, two with Type 1 diabetes.  It is a disease that effects every day of her life.  And not just every day, but every hour. 

DYF puts on a camp every summer for families with children who have diabetes.  It is a place for families to go to be educated, to bond, to cry, to encourage, to play, to learn to enjoy life inspite of this disease.  The majority (if not all) camp counselors have diabetes.  Many of them went to camp as campers and found such great support that they are back serving the new young ones who have been diagnosed.  There are trained doctors on site to educate the parents.  But most of all, everyone there has been effected by diabetes.  So the support they can all give to one another is PRICELESS.  Because the camp employs trained staff, it is very expensive to attend.  Thus the need to fund raise.  And because this camp is so essential for not only my great friends, but all families effected, I whole heartedly support it.

Therefore, I am asking you to donate.  Donate to a cause that changes lives.  Please, watch this video and try not to be moved.  Picture yourself as a parent of a child with diabetes.  You'd want to be at this camp.  Just like I would.

To donate go to http://www.firstgiving.com/forcryingoutloud  Help me reach my goal of $1,000 to send kids and their families to camp!

Joy of Love - Day One

I'm attempting to try a photo journal for the month of February.  I stumbled upon a website that is giving daily assignments and tips for a photo a day project.  I thought....why not?!  I'm definitely not a photographer who would charge to take someone's photos, but I do like taking pictures.  And once in a while, I am able to capture a good one.  So here goes...

Day One - what they do

What do you think?

Two glowing reports

Parent conferences were today.  I have never really been nervous for these with the girls.  They are really good students.  BUT, (there's always a but) Juliet's responsibility - or lack there of - has made me nervous for this one.  She's forgotten some assignments here and there, we didn't finish some of the work from when we went on vacation (partly my fault oops) and some assignments have just been way too vague for her to remember to explain to me.  It's been an interesting year with her teacher.  I'm pretty sure her teacher has a lot of family things going on outside of teaching and things are getting left undone or not explained to the kids.  I understand that, totally, but it definitely makes for a tough year for everyone.

So anyway, Juliet is doing awesome!  121% in Spelling...how does one do that?  no clue.  110% in Math...again, no clue.  All areas except Science, she's doing outstanding.  I couldn't be more proud.  I am so grateful I don't have to stress about her academics.  She has always been "at the top of her class" and I'm not one to worry if she's being pushed along, I'm more one to worry if she's making good choices throughout her day.  If she's being respectful to her teacher, choosing the right friends, thinking with her heart throughout the day, etc.  And so far, she seems to be doing all those things while at school.  So yes...Juliet is awesome!  Now if we can just get her to be responsible in the common sense area.....LOL

Mia!  Mia rocks!  She is the quietest little thing and has the biggest heart.  Her conference went great as well.  She went from last trimester reading 72 wcpm to 96 wcpm!  Average for 2nd grade at this point in the year is 78wcpm, so she is doing awesome!  Spelling...100% Social Studies...100%  And her teacher said she's sweet, well behaved, and respectful (duh) ;)  Every day when we drop the girls off at school or pick them up, Mia is surrounded by little friends.  When we arrive, she is bombarded with, "Mia! Mia! Mia!" and big hugs.  It's so cute.  She is truly the sweetest thing.

Side effects out weigh the Benefits

I have been on Zoloft for 4 years now.  It has worked really well for me.  It's kept me stable through some really trying times.  However, it has cause a slow yet steady weight gain that has not been fun.  I wasn't sure if it was the direct side effect, or if it was just an excuse that my mind wanted to use.  I had tried all the normal things that had worked for me in years past, to no avail.  But really?...a girl dealing with depression takes meds to deal with that and it helps her to gain weight?  Seriously?  That's just wrong.  On all levels.

So I changed medication.  That's not a fun process.  It made me weep during Wheel of Fortune one night!  *rolling eyes*  But it has been a good thing.  In just 3 weeks, I have lost 5 lbs and no longer deal with many of the other annoying side effects I was putting up.  These meds will give me other side effects too, I'm sure.  But the weight gain from the other was enough to send a girl into hysterics! 

I've also been trying out muscle relaxers and pain killers and anti-inflammatory stuff.  None of it seems to work.  One makes me sleepy, another makes me really dizzy, and another still makes me want to hurl.  So ice and heat it is.  Physical therapy has helped, but I didn't go for a couple of weeks, and I have really noticed.  Time to get that back on the calendar regularly as well as maybe an hour long massage in the near future.  Really near future....

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Cal making his first PB&J all by himself!

 hmmm....

YUMMY!

Purple Pancakes

 Why not?

I think he likes them...

Duh, Mom.

Me: Cal, can you go get my phone for me, please.  I think it's on my bed.
Calvin: Sure Mom.....I checked Mom, it's not there.
Me: Maybe I should call it.
Calvin: It's not going to come to you if you call it Mom.

Nice.  Sometimes I tell ya, sometimes!

Making Progress

This is the second night Cal has slept back in his own bed!  I asked him two nights ago if he was going to sleep in his bed and he replied with a nonchalant, "Yeah, I guess so."  We sprayed the room with vanilla scented (ghost) room spray and he climbed right up. 

I'm so proud of him for being brave and going for it.  YAY for a step in the right direction!

Happy New Year!

Can't believe we're 11 days into the New Year and I haven't posted!  So here goes...it's going to be a posting frenzy around these parts!

Happy New Year!

It's been confirmed...This family will be mailing out New Years cards from now on!  

Now, don't you all go stealing my idea!  

I had every intention on getting Christmas cards out on time this year, but the pictures that I ordered were not good enough for me!  So, I had to return them and order again.  Of course this order took FOREVER to arrive and Christmas went by.  It was a darn good thing I stuck with homemade so I could write whatever I wanted!  And I'll tell you...I got more thank yous than I ever dreamed!  I cannot remember EVER getting a thank you for a Christmas card.  I mean, I honestly don't know if I've ever thanked anyone for a Christmas card.  But this year I got a dozen or so "Thank you"s.  So it's settled.  New Years cards it is for this family!

Three's Company....One's Lonely

As of late, Cal hates to sleep in his room.   He would much rather sleep with the girls, so that's what we do.  I mean, who likes to sleep alone in a room anyway, right?  He sleeps on the cot and the room just barely slides under maximum capacity!  We're thinking of getting a bunkbed with a trundle just so it's more permanent and fits the room better....but we'll see how the next couple of months go.  The girls don't seem to mind too much...yet.