Harry Wayne & Betty Jayne

I have been fortunate to have some amazing grandparents. Their names are Harry Wayne and Betty Jayne. They are absolutely precious and the cutest ever. We recently spent a weekend up in Kansas to be with them and help Grandpa get his garden going for the spring. Carl took some pictures around the farm and of my grandparents for us to have and enjoy. I'm in love with the pictures, but I love the actual people more. I hope that all of you have a set of amazing grandparents! I hope you've learned to listen when they talk, to remember their stories and make fun of their quirks. I hope you treasure them and value time with them. I know it's been a recent discovery for me. I've always enjoyed visiting them, but in the last few years I've realized all the things I've learned from them and how amazing it is to have such great influences in my life. 

in my head

I blogged 2 blogs in my head last night as I was trying to fall asleep. Of course now I can't remember what they were about. I do remember being like, Wow, that will be a good blog post. Boooo.

In other news I found out who Justin Bieber is by watching last weekend's SNL. What a child. And I'm ashamed to know that I've been car dancing to his jams on the radio thinking it was some Lil' Bow Wow type who must a cutie 12 year old black kid. Nope. 16 year old baby faced white boy. (Who can't dance.) This was similar to the time I found out "The Climb" that I was SO enjoying singing at the top of my lungs was sung by Miley Cyrus.

if you want to

Check out some pictures from our Hawaii trip over on Carl's blog. There's 3 posts so be sure to look at all of them!

Hoppy Easter Every Bunny!

"Your generation..."

While I was enjoying my first flight in First Class, (I know!) the RUDE woman sitting next to me asked, "Do you have the time?" I picked up my iPhone and said "3:55. So 2:55 Eastern." She thanked me as she re-set her watch and then proceeded to lecture me on how she read an article the other day that talked about how "your generation" doesn't wear watches anymore and how it's really sad.

What am I supposed to do?! I don't feel like I have the permission to appologize on behalf of "my" generation....and over not wearing a watch, afterall. I don't even remember how I responded but I do remember immediately judging her based on how she was speaking to me. It's like she knew I'd never been in First Class and knew I wasn't worthy enough of the status required to sit in that seat.

Listen here lady. I earned that seat (thank you credit card miles) and the good news is, I can tell time. With or without a watch.

Not to rub it in your face...

...but we just got home from Hawaii.

Sorry! (No I'm not.) Not much to blog about. Maybe there is, but I'm tired and not motivated.

Let me say again though, that I don't think it makes any sense to wear heels while traveling. Lots of people do it and I just don't get it.

Can anyone tell me when it became exceptable to wear leggings as pants? Pants. Like, with no long top over them. Pants. I don't get it.

Bye.

Vacuuming

So, I hate vacuuming. I realized today though that I think about a lot of random things while doing it. In the bathroom, I thought about my friends who will be tackling potty training in the next year. I cursed all the dog hair clogging my filter in the living room. In the dining room, I thought, "I hope we have hilarious kids." It was almost like therapy with myself.

Anybody else do this?

Another reason I don't like being a girl

Getting my car worked on. It's so intimidating. Even oil changes make me nervous. I feel at a disadvantage before I even go because I'm a woman. I start running lines before I go about why I don't need a new air filter or a transmission flush. I try to guess what they might throw at me so I have a defense ready. Does anyone else feel this way? I feel like if I was a man, I'd only be approached about my air filter 1 of every 4 visits instead of every time. I feel like they wouldn't try to sell me on every service because I'd know what they were talking about. On the way here, I thought to myself that when we have kids and if we have a girl, she will be required to take an auto shop class. Heck, I need to! I do know how to check my oil, but I can't change a headlight or a tire. That makes me feel vulnerable. I want to feel independent. Like, really independent.

Am I alone in this? Do men feel this way about anything?

kidish

Swings and Kites. Those are 2 things that always make me feel like a kid instantly.

props

 props (ps, that's me.)

It has been so nice the last few days. Get outside and be a kid!

wish list

 

I'd like to be in this lovely spot right now. I feel like I could do a lot of dreaming here and everything would be right with the world.

Something I hate more than jean shopping....

...is swimsuit shopping.

Ew.

I haven't purchased a swimsuit in nearly 3 years. I don't do a lot of swimming...I'm more of a sun-soaker who gets in to cool off. My life situation has changed a lot over the last 3 years. I managed to stave off the freshman 15 all four years of college....and then I got married. And got a stressful job. And I like to eat when I'm stressed. Especially those foods that are really bad for you. Fatty foods. Yummy, delicious, thousand calorie packed foods. So I gained about 10 pounds. I knew it was inevitable. No big. Then I had a seizure and I became really good friends with our couch. Close friends. Too close. So I gained another 10 pounds. And somewhere in there I was replacing muscle with fat. Ew.

All that to say, we leave for Hawaii in 2 weeks and I have no adequate swimsuit! So I went to Target today to start the search. (Shocker I chose Target, I know.) No dice. While yoga is making me feel better and is slowely building my body back to what it used to be, it won't be here in time for Hawaii.

I'm just sharing because the 99% of you readers are women and you feel my pain.

Too much?

So, how many times a week is an appropriate amount to go to Target? Different locations of course....

But seriously, give me a number.


PS, I want/need this.


And this coordinating pillow.

The Winter Games

We just love the Olympics around here. Is anyone else just blown away at how nearly every sport has evolved since we were kids? Tricks are so outrageous now. And I can't get over how far over you can speed skate. You're basically levitating off the ground Apollo! It's only day 2 of competition, but we've been recording and watching as much as possible.  The Opening Ceremonies weren't the greatest ever, but I still enjoyed them. (China really set the bar high.)

Speed Skating: For some reason it is really intense to watch, especially short-track. (For me anyway.) They go so fast and are so far over and soooo close together that I'm concerned for their safety. At least 1 person wipes out every race and they go flying into the wall. Ouch.

Moguls: I've watched both men and women's. My body hurts. They are sailing down a black diamond hill, hitting every mogul, completing 2 jumps and someone coming away safely. I saw 2 crashes. Both got up and finished the hill, but I have no idea how. It looks like they were flown from a vehicle into hard snow! Yowzers! One girl has had 6 knee surgeries and walked away with the bronze! Whaaaaaaattt?!?!?!?

Luge: I can't watch it. (Okay, I did...but I can't anymore.) They are just going too fast. Even after all the changes they made to the track, it's just too fast. 90mph?! It's 10mph MORE than the 2006 games.

We're watching Figure Skating, but it's only because freestyle skiing is next.

GO WORLD.

What have you enjoyed about the Olympics so far?

Yogaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh.

Well, Carl and I started taking yoga this week! We're doing a Vinyasa 1 class three times a week and then a Restorative Yoga class twice a week. We love it. It's been hard and I'm totally sore all over, but it's a good sore.

PLEASE check out our friend Mandy's studio! They've worked so hard to get it up and running. Take advantage of the February special and get 30 days for $60! Unlimited classes!

I can do this!

I had a research and baking day with my mom. It appears that this no-wheat/gluten-free diet thing may turn into a long time thing. I've noticed a big difference in how I feel and how my body reacts to food. I cheated twice last week. We were snowed in at a friend's house and it was pizza night. I was lazy and went ahead and made my pizza on the community dough instead of making my gluten-free version. The next morning I ate buiscuts. Again. I was lazy.

Back to my story. We made bread, an applesauce spice cake and some pizza crust for me to use tomorrow at pizza night. The picture is of the cake. It is sooooooooooooooo yummy! Gluten-free items have a history of being dense, heavy and dry. We were both nervous how these experiements would turn out. The bread didn't rise all the way, (too cold in the house we think,) but we made it anyway. Honestly, we still have some work to do, BUT, it was SOOOOO much better than the store bought bread I've eaten so far! So I was pleased.  The cake. Oh my word. We were shocked! It was moist! (I hate that word.) And it was really good!  The pizza crust will have a verdict tomorrow night.

If you have recipes for me to try, let me know!

Be Honest

People. Your car is not trapped in your driveway. The streets are not sheets of ice. The roads are clear.

You are just lazy.

It's okay! I am too! Just don't lie about it. Turn on your defrost, come back in 20 minutes with your ice scraper and start chipping away. It's great exercise and a swell stress reliever. Get out there and run your errands!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Grammy opinions

I'm blogging live....ooo la la!

Stephen Colbert...I love you, but you weren't meant to host the Grammys. (Just like Ricky Gervais wasn't meant to host the Golden Globes.)

Lady Gaga and Elton John surprise duet....loved it!

American Idiot cast and Green Day: LOVVVVVVED it! Very unique.

Beyonce-legit. Covering Alanis? Genius.

Pink. Didn't care much for your "outfit", but loved your performance.

Black Eyed Peas....more than terrible. But I enjoyed the robots.

Lady Antebellum. You are in Taylor Swift's live category. Stick to the radio. You were flat the whole time.

Jamie Foxx: Please stop trying to pull a Michael Jordan. You have no future in a music career. And were you really attempting the "running-man" as a legitimate dance move? Please, no.

The Zac Brown Band: You have mad-crazy guitar skills. That's all.

Taylor Swift: You are awkward. You are always flat. I can't tell if your hair is naturally curly or not and that bothers me. I think you should stick to the studio. And please stop swinging your hair around.

MJ Tribute: Celine: I've missed you. Usher: You are showy. Carrie: I love you. Jennifer: You're legit. Smokey: You're the only one who knew Michael.---Did anyone else think about Free Willy when they showed the killer whale? ----PS No one looks cool in 3D glasses. Even celebrities. (Yesssss)

Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles: Fairly good. Jennifer saved you. PS. "Living On A Prayer" has been out of your range for some time now Jon.

Haiti tribute: I've loved Andrea Bocelli for a long time. His voice is insanely clear. Mary J, did you know he is blind? I left like you didn't. And you're standing really close to him. But you were legit nonetheless. (And your body is bangin')

Dave Matthews Band: You are great. Still querky. Still singing out of the side of your mouth. Still doing that weird walking/dancing thing you do while playing.

Maxwell: Who are you? Take your stage fog and lame falsetto and go home.

The people Jeff Bridges introduced: We all know you're lip-syncing.

Dre, Eminem, Lil' Wayne: The best part about you guys was Travis Barker on the drums.

Best of the night: Pink. DMB. Mary J and Bocelli.

In other news:
I'm over the auto-tuning.
I'm soooooooooooooooo annoyed with Taylor Swift. She only writes about fairytales. She can't sing live. She can't harmonize. I think she's still 15. And her hair bothers me (as previously stated.)

think about it

I read an article today that has lead to some great conversations. Just something to think about. Check it out and let's chat.

I don't know why

But seriously. American Idol and Biggest Loser: Will you PLEASE stop tugging my heart strings?!??! I refuse to shed tears over TV shows (with the exception of Friday Night Lights.) I can't lie. I have been reeeeeeeeeeaaaalllyy close.

Seeing people come from horrible circumstances and situations and overcome them and get a chance at a better life....it stirs something in me. I can't help it. You can laugh at me. I don't care.

In other news, here's a Polaroid from our recent trip to LA! Thanks to our new friends Scott and Mary!

the update

Carl and I went back to the nutritionist this morning for my 1 week follow up. He is a clinical nutritionist with a background in pharmacology and is currently a candidate for his N.D.. I will be calling him Keith. I've had a really good experience with him so far and feel that he has been the most helpful and realistic in unraveling the web of health issues I seem to be having. I will start with last week and then fill you in on today.

Last Wednesday, I went to have a consultation with Keith. We met for about 45 minutes to talk and go over some "homework" I had done before my appointment; mostly questionnaires. I had a Natural Wellness Screening done and was sent home with more homework and some other tests to complete before coming back. The NWS consisted of getting my vitals, height, weight, etc. I also completed an electrode test which measures how quickly electrical current moves through the body. It also measures your cell walls and water retention. Lastly, I had an iodine test done to see how quickly/slowly my body absorbs it. Turns out, my body is within normal range. I scored well with my blood pressure! Unfortunately, that's about all. I'm retaining water at a fairly high amount, my cell walls are thin and cells move fairly slowly. I have 21 pounds of body fat and am lacking 5 lbs of muscle. I also have an extreme magnesium deficiency. I scored in the age range of a 55 year old woman! Oops! Keith was very shocked at my results. He said he's never had anyone as young as me score so poorly. I was put on 2 supplements and a multivitamin. I was also given a restricted food list to follow for the next week. He is very interested in my food allergies and how that may correlate to my seizures. No wheat/gluten. No dairy. No grains. No sugar. No citrus fruits or tomatoes. Needless to say, it was a VERY hard week! I cheated a few times (wheat was VERY hard to eliminate completely) but gave myself an overall grade of 75%. Going cold turkey was definitely a challenge. My homework was to fill out more questionnaires, have a complete blood panel done, and a urine test to look for metal toxicity.

I was in shock and mourning for about a day over the loss of cheese, butter, tomatoes, bread, ranch and granola. I had an attitude adjustment Thursday night after talking with Holly and realizing that this wasn't the end of the world. Since, I have also talked with a couple of other friends who have either been on a vegan diet or have gone gluten free. I feel very encouraged and hopeful that I can make the best of the new foods I have to eat.

Today:
Carl and I met with Keith to go over my test results and put together a plan for the next few months.

Bad News:
-I am "dangerously low" in Vitamin D. (There is a lot of research showing links between low Vit D levels and seizures as well as other issues.)
-My Homocysteine level was high which could indicate a deficiency in B vitamins. (I had found to be a HUGE link to seizures through a book I just finished reading about treating Epilepsy naturally)
-My hsCRP level is very high which indicates there is some type of inflammation occurring in my body. hsCRP usually correlates to the blood vessels and heart. While he is not ruling this out, it can also be a sign of it in other areas of the body.
-My Free T3 (the non-bound carrier protein associated with the thyroid function) was a little more elevated than he would like.
-My BUN and Creatinine levels are low. This shows I am low in protein and could have malabsorption which means my body is not absorbing the appropriate proteins/minerals. It also shows that I could have muscle atrophy and/or nerve/muscle degeneration. (This is linked to my lack of muscle.)
-Potassium is low. This is linked to the adrenal gland. This could be connected to blood pressure and hypertension.
-Chloride is high. This is also linked to the adrenal gland. This is linked to your metabolism.
-I am possibly not absorbing fats and proteins correctly. My digestive tract is officially under construction.

Good News:
-Thyroid panel came back within normal limits
-I get to eat cheese and tomatoes again!!!


The Plan:
-Continue with Gluten-free diet. This means no wheat. I will be foraging for gluten-free bread, crackers, and other options. I need to be eating 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.
-Up my protein intake. I am supposed to eat 1 palm sized portion of protein, 3 times a day (at least.)
-Have Dr. Waggoner (chiropractor) evaluate me for fibromyalgia.
-Conduct stomach acid and pH tests.
-Conduct blood work and NWS in 3 months to see if levels are within normal range.



I'm sure after reading all that it sounds really bad. It is a lot of information. I felt very encouraged to have some answers and a plan to move forward. I am confident that Keith is committed to getting me better and getting my seizures under control.


Now? We're heading to LA for a week! At least it's the epicenter of the gluten-free revolution!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrg.

In the last few weeks I've embarked on an adventure of seeking alternative treatment for my seizures. It has been really frustrating. I guess I was hoping for a quick fix but at the same time, I knew it would probably be hard. I've been going to my chiropractor for about 3 weeks to get my spine back in place. As of today, I'm doing so much better! No seizures either.

Last Wednesday, I went to see a clinical nutritionist. He has a 15 year background in pharmacology and is currently a N.D. candidate. I really like him and trust him. I had some tests done while I was there and have been completing some other tests in the meantime. I go back again this Wednesday to see the results and get the news of where we're going to go from there. I'm on a restricted diet that contains: no gluten, no wheat, no dairy. It's insane and really hard. I'm hoping on Wednesday he'll allow me to have my cheese, bread, and tomatoes back.

That's all. And my insurance decided my medication is "not preferred" so they upped the price $50. How ruuuuuuudeeee.