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My turn

On Saturday, my friend Char came to town and we cut each others hair. Char and I always have such a nice time when we're together. She and I have known each other for 6 years now, so each of us feel as we know the others family. Each time we get together we catch up on our families and what's new in our lives. Don't ya love friends like that? I sure do.

Are you ready to see my new SUPER CUTE hair cut? I'm not kidding. It's SUPER CUTE and I LOVE it!!! Ready?

It wasn't long before a special someone snuck into the picture.

She was looking for "Quaire". Luckily, I found her. ;)

Thank you, Char, for the BEST hair cut!!!!!

The feast

As you know, we spent Thanksgiving with the Ferber's. Grandma Sandy filled our bellies with so much great food. If we've said it once we've said it a million times; everyone needs a Grandma Sandy.

Everything was so good. I even brought some home with us. YAY! GO TEAM!! By the time I busted out my camera, Jack and Caymen were sleeping, Justin had been there and gone, same story with Grandma Sandy and Papa Ken, and Ferber and Tracy's dad were outside working on Ferber's car.

Oh, before I do that, I really need to post these. Nathan made these costumes at school and apparently had a feast. He told Justin about it but I didn't know anything about it until Justin asked him how it turned out.

Nathan the Indian. (It's ok to say Indian, right?)

As sure as Nathan was that he was a Pilgrim, Claire was just as sure he was a Pirate. "Neenee, you a Piewit, wite?" over and over and..........

Not to be outdone...........

Anyway, back to Thanksgiving......

Claire was downstairs playing with the kitchen. I thought this picture was adorable.

While she was downstairs, the boys were upstairs pounding out a game of Uno. Dawson is taking a break.......while Tracy and Nathan play a game. Playing Uno with 5 year olds is kinda a tough job - entertaining - but tough.

You have to concentrate very hard.

Sometimes you have to have help. Grandma Karen was willing to give a helping hand.We had such a fun time. Jack slept for 3 hours. HOLY CAT SMOKES! I love Thanksgiving. I don't think I really have to say why.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Tom - we're a commin' for ya!

Partial video blog

I had another video, but it was too long and I tried to upload it to putfile - which didn't work. So I'll just type it. It's long. Lucky you.

Ok, so after it passed, it was like nothing ever happened. I told a few people about it and it really sounded like I'd had a panic attack - with out the panic. Never once did I feel panicked thru the whole deal. Strange.

On Wednesday, my friend Barb J. came in for a color. She's been working in the medical field almost all her life, so I told her about it. She also said that it sounded like a panic attack until I told her that it lasted for about an hour. We both decided that if it happened again that I for sure should go to the doctor. I, however, didn't expect it to happen again. Fast forward to 9pm. It happened again. It was such a strange experience. About every minute for about 45 minutes, my chest would tighten, my heart would beat fast 3 times, it would take my breath away, and it would be done. The 'experience' would last for about 2 or 3 seconds. That night I said I'd call the doctor the next day.

Thursday Justin was leaving to go North to hunt deer. We decided to meet and have lunch. I can do that at my new job. =) Anyway, we were about half way through lunch when it started again. This time my finger tips felt tingly and my right arm felt heavy. After we left the restaurant, I went home and called my doctor. She wasn't in so I talked to the on call nurse. I told her my symptoms and she said she'd talk to the doctor and get right back to me.

I was doing a hair cut when my cell phone rang. I excused myself to answer the phone. The lady on the other end told me that I needed to go to the ER. Eeek! I explained to her that I had more clients coming. She didn't seem to see the importance. I told her that I didn't want to go to our ER because something bad was wrong with me they'd kill me. I know, nice.

I finished my hair cut and called the rest of my clients and rescheduled them. There is a lady at our salon that does reflexology. I don't even really know what this is. She was in between clients as well. She said "Come with me. Take off your left shoe and sock." I did. She pushed on my foot. "Can you feel that?" she said. "On my foot?" I replied. She said "Well yes, but anywhere else?" I said "You're manipulating my heartbeat and it hurts my chest." If you could only have seen the look on her face. She said "You need to go to the ER". Wonderful. We know that she knows what she's talking about, right Kim B.?

So I went. It's interesting how fast people move when you tell them you're having chest pains. There was a waiting room full of people, but after some chick with pink eye (giggle) got called back, I was called back.

The doctor on call was a known hardass. I knew he took care of my friend Barb J. when she had chest pain, so I felt comfortable knowing that he was going to take care of me too. He ordered an EKG and a chest x-ray along with a blood work up.

The EKG and chest x-ray were normal. During my stay, Tracy sent me a text asking if I needed her. I didn't think I did. That answer didn't set well with her. She came anyway. I was glad she did. Thank you Tracy. Having you there made me feel better.

Tracy and I waited in the waiting room to see the doctor. They called me back and we went to a room. The doctor came in and said that so far everything was normal. He wanted to do a echo stress test that would take place on Tuesday - today. He was sending me home with a 24 hour heart monitor so that they could listen to what I was feeling in case it were to happen again. Lucky for the doctor and I, it did.

Before we left, the doctor said that my potassium level was low. He asked me to eat some bananas that night and the next morning. Then he wanted me to come back and have them test my potassium level again the next evening. If the bananas didn't work then he'd have to put me on some medication. I asked if having a low potassium level would make my heart feel this way. He said it could but acted that he didn't think that was it.

The next day I went and had my blood drawn. I'd been having - whatever it was - again. It wasn't pain as I'd normally explain it. It's so hard to describe. Anyway, my potassium level was still low. Normal is 3.6+ and mine was 3.3. Not horribly low, but it was making my body feel all out of whack. The stress test was scheduled for Tuesday and I now had a prescription for something to bring my potassium level back up.

I started the medication right away Friday night. I was still having heart flutters up until I went to bed. Saturday morning I got up and felt better. I took another dose of the medicine. By Saturday afternoon I was feeling much, much better. How on earth could low potassium cause so much problems for your body? Crazy, right?

I Googled 'low potassium' and found the following information from this website:

Signs and symptoms of low potassium include:
Weakness
Fatigue
Muscle cramps
Constipation
Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)

I had 4 of the 5. I'd been telling Justin how tired I was. We chalked it up to me working more. Standing and working is different than sitting and working. Hopefully, after getting my potassium level back to where it should be, I won't be as tired.

This evening the doctors office called. They said that they got the reading back from the monitor. My heartbeat was off at times, but they didn't feel that it was beyond the normal range. The doctor felt like we were on the right track with the potassium pills. He said that if it happened again, I would need to consult a cardiologist. I don't think that's going to be necessary - well - lets hope not at least.

I did a video blog yesterday. I might get it on here tomorrow. I have something in the works - thanks to Miah. I know it's not a big deal....but still.

Julie told me once how she liked my video blogs. I explained to her that it's like a train wreck. You really shouldn't watch, or in this case encourage it, but you do.

I had a big week last week and I wanted to tell you about it. If I can't get the video to upload then I'll be forced to type it. As much as I enjoy typing, and I really do, I have only about a million other things that need to be done in its place. We'll see how it goes.

Until then my peeps.........

U;ve beeb byst = I've been busy

gave tiy ever gad a dat wgeb tiyr fubgers are ib tge wribg jets wgeb tiy tyoe> Tiy bituce utm byt tiy dib;t care> Teagm ne tii,

Translation:
Have you ever had a day when your fingers are on the wrong keys when you type? You notice it, but you don't care? Yeah, me too.

"Like"

This word has to be the most over used word in the english dictionary. I'm serious. It's driving me crazy and I notice it ALL the time. Don't get me wrong, I over use it too, but it's seriously driving me nuts.

Do you notice it as much as I do? When I'm having a conversation I start to count the like's, but get lost quickly.

Last night Nathan was telling me a story. It was one for the books.

Nathan: Mom. Trace (a boy in his class) and his brother, Jordan, got in a fight at school. You should have heard them. You wouldn't believe your ears.
Me: Really? What happened?

Nathan: Trace was like "Shut up!" and then Jordan was like "Shut up, shut up". Then Trace was like "SHUT! UP!" and Jordan was like "YOU shut up". Then Jordan was like - I mean Trace was like "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP." Can you believe that?

Me: (Think of what I'd look like with brain cells flying out of my ears.....)

Nathan: What does like mean anyways?

No Video blog =(

I can't even count how many times I tried to upload my video blog from last week. I'd have an idea of how it might work, come running to the computer, and nothing. It would load it about half way and then stop. I'm not sure why it did that.

Anyway, if I did a video blog, this is what I'd say:

I LOVE MY NEW JOB!

Oh my goodness! The freedom I have made me realize the freedom I didn't have at my old job. I came home for lunch every day this week. I went to the bathroom with out a radio. I answered to me - and only me. F*U*N!

On Tuesday, Justin was getting ready to leave for work when I came home for lunch. He looked at me with panic and said "What are you doing here?". It was pretty funny. I said "At my new job I can come home and have lunch if I want to." F*U*N!

Thank you to those who came to see me: Cheryle, Just Mom and Just Son, Kim, Linda, Barb, Tracy and Kelsey. It was great to visit with each and every one of you. Thank you for your support. I even had three people rebook a service. F*U*N!

I saw one of the ladies I've worked with for the past 8 years. Seeing her outside of dispatch and in my new setting was fun. I'd seen her only a week before, but it I was so excited to see her walk though the door. F*U*N!

Anyway, picture me saying those words since I can't post a video blog. To give it that video blog feel - I think I'm going to run out of time. Have a good week. I'll talk to you later. Bye!

Happy Birthday Jack!

A year ago today, at this very minute (6:13 AM), I was in the hospital being prepped to have a baby. As you'll remember, Justin and I couldn't agree on a name for him. The only thing we knew for sure when we went into the operating room is that (1) I'd probably get sick and (2) we'd be coming out with a boy. Both things happened and we were wheeled out of the room with Jack Allen (previously named Pierce Allen).

I have no idea where the past year has gone. I'm in awe of the way my life has changed. Nathan and Claire got a brother who they think is nothing but perfect and Jack got a brother and sister, who I believe, will always protect him.

Jack provides our house with laughter and love. We cheer him on each day as he's struggled to reach milestones. We all cheer when he does something as simple as clap, because it isn't always as simple for Jack. We clap when he falls from a standing position because he was just standing.

Jack Meyer, I say this with the biggest tears in my eyes: You have stolen our hearts. You have come so far. You have given us so much worry, but so much love. You are our rainbow of light in dark cloudy days. You, my love, will conquer all. Jack Meyer - you are pure love.

Happy Birthday Ka-choo!

Love,

Mommy

Sometimes......

Don't ya just feel like wearin' a hat?

Fall Festibal

Yes, another fun festibal to enjoy. Nathan talked and talked and talked about the festibal. He had questions about what he would do there and with whom he'd do it. The day finally came last week when the festibal would take place. I was lucky enough to be off last week so I could volunteer at it. I had a blast. I got to spray paint kids hair. It seemed so fitting. Lucky for me, God was there. (That's an inside joke.)

I didn't get the best pictures, but here are a few that I did get.

I think it's probably hard to tell, but his hair is green. He wanted it blue, but we didn't have blue. I was at a very busy booth and wasn't able to take many pictures. I asked him what he did after he got his hair colored. The first picture was taken of him waiting to throw the football. He said "Oh, I went over and threw the football. I'm really good at that." I said "You're right. You are good at that. What else did you do though?" He looked at me as if I were crazy and said, "Nothing! You did my hair and then I threw the football." Easy enough!

It wasn't long before he came back and asked me if I thought he could get a start painted on his face. I told him that Amber was working that station and that I bet she'd give him a star.He came back and was beyond excited. He was so happy that he had a star on his face. After I picked him up from school he said "MOM! Amber colored in my star! Can you be-lieve that? It was so nice of her!" Cute!Dawson seemed to have a good time too. He dug in the hay for quite a while. I'm not sure what they were looking for, but they sure seemed to have a good time looking for it.Here he is working on a craft. I think he was making a spider. He seems to be thinking quite hard about it.I tried to get him to let me paint his hair. He wouldn't have it though.

The kids sure did have fun. This festibal is in place of a Halloween party. I always had so much fun having a Halloween party when I was in school. I guess if they don't allow them to do it (but why don't they) then this is a great replacement.

First haircut

**I tried to upload my video blog for today, but our connection at the house must be too slow. I'll see if I can figure something out. Until then, enjoy Jack's first real haircut.**
Jack got his first real hair cut last week. As you can tell, he needed it. It's not like he has much hair other than the mowhawk, but the mowhawk was out of control and needed a trim.
You wouldn't believe how many people ask me if I cut his hair into a mowhawk.
I realize that they don't normally know me when they ask, but seriously. How many almost one year olds do you see crawling around with a mowhawk? For real!

Before

After

Although he's smiling, he didn't enjoy his haircut. As you probably know, babies don't tend to like to sit still. Anyway, we got it done and he looks much better. It still stands up on end, but what is a person to do, right?

Daylight Savings

Someone forgot to tell my children that they could sleep an hour later today. Instead, they got up an hour earlier.

Figures.

Black's

Click here to see the cutest almost 1 year old on the block!

Update: Some of you went to the link and the pictures weren't available. Therefore, I'll post them here.

It was spooktacular!