Poor Princess Bear

The ick in our house is still running rampant and Princess Bear just isn't feeling well.  I made an appointment with the pediatrician because her cough was starting to sound croup-y.  The Dr. said he lungs wheezy and he wasn't happy with her cough.  He's put her on Prednisone, a new inhaler and ordered a cough medicine so she can get some sleep.  He also sent me home with a prescription for an antibiotic in case we need it over the weekend.  He's relatively sure that she's coming down with a  secondary infection.  This is what my baby girl looked like when the Farm Kings were on tonight:

I also decided it was WAY past time for her bangs to be trimmed so I took care of that when she woke up. She did wake up for the last 20 minutes of the Farm Kings. I think we'll be checking that out tomorrow. I was going through some things last night and remembered this video that PB was in for Easter Seals. Can you recognize her? She was so itty bitty when she did this video for them! I can barely watch it without crying. It just reminds me how far she's come and how much farther she's going to go. I think back to those Doctors that told me shortly after she was born that she'd never be independent and live on her own. The kid is so independent it scares me! She's going to do just fine in this world! 

Things in the blogospher & internet in general this week

As I've mentioned there is some serious ick making its way through the house.  Princess Bear (PB) and I are fever free but still sound like we're going to hack up a lung any second.  We're also at the point in which PB feels well enough to be bored.  Being the awesome mom that I am I brought home one of those little activity kits in a box that you can buy at Walgreens.  In PB's case it doesn't get much better than Hello Kitty.  Yeah, that worked for about a half an hour.  We've played Candyland and Sorry.  We've watched copious amounts of TV and read a fair amount too.  I also have been hanging out online because, hey, it's just what I do.  I've decided to share some of the things.  Scroll all the way through.  It's a pretty varied list. 


There's been a fair amount of chatter about the dismal closings on Wall Street.  You combine that with Obumer giving the SOTU and things look not so peachy.  Scary thing is Matt Drudge dropped this one before any of that.  I read about this over at Rural Revolution.

What do you think about this?


Here's an interesting article on how banks are dealing with people trying to make withdrawals.  Never a good sign since it seems as unrest seems to hit in Europe before making it's way across the pond.  You can find this article HERE.



Let's talk about the cost of food and the weather a bit.  I'm thinking things are going to get very dicey in the next year or so as food costs keep on rising.  Now I'm not a prepper per se.  What I am is a gardener who believes that you should grow as much as your own food as possible.  It's safer.  You know exactly what is and more importantly what isn't in your food.  Who needs extra chemicals in their life????  While I'm not what anyone would consider a prepper there is also something to be said for having enough on hand if things hit the fan.  Perhaps it's from living through a few hurricanes and seeing how irrational people get when there is no electricity and low supplies of food and water.  That being said it's not a bad idea to have some extra on hand.  So I've definitely been checking out some gardening articles and posts.  Take a pic if gardening is your thing.
Granny Miller discusses why a snow heavy winter is a good thing!  Who knew!  Read it HERE
The Midland Agrarian discusses some gardening books he likes and why he likes them.  Anyone who is a fan of Gene Logsdon and Herrick Kimball (Whizbang guy) is ok in my book.  Read his gardening book suggestions HERE. 
Fine Gardening has some tips on why it's not too early to start HERE.
If you aren't a gardening you might want to read this post and reconsider gardening HERE


When you're not feeling well and the weather is cold as all get out is there anything better than soup to warm you up?  One of these came via my inbox yesterday and the other my blog reading list.  Check it out and see if they sound good to you.  Find them HERE and HERE.  PB is completely enthralled with the slow cooker.  Something about putting the food in it in the morning and leaving it alone only to come back to a completed meal just thrills her.  It's so cute!


As I've mentioned before I'm all for giving natural healing a try or trying it in conjunction with traditional medicine.  I've been taking Sambucus every 4 hours.  If you haven't tried it before you can find it HERE.  Great for supporting the immune system and even works against some viral infections (up to and including the flu).  PB loves when she gets to take Sambucus.  You can do a daily maintenance dose but frankly it's too expensive for us for that purpose.  When the ick hits you can bet the it's forefront on the counter.  In the past two days once again the blogosphere and my inbox came through with great herbal information.  Check out the post HERE and article HERE.  Speaking of herbal remedies I thing I've got to give these sore throat drops a try because I'm sick of artificial color in the store bought crap.  Check out the recipe HERE.



Jenna from Cold Antler Farm has a new book coming out this spring.  She posted the news HERE.  I read her first book Made From Scratch many moons ago.  Want an inspiring read on what you can do with only a small amount of land I encourage you to read it.  You can find it HERE. 


For your "awwww!  How freaking cute is that!" go to The Country Chick and check out Playing with Goats.  You can find it HERE.  PB is completely in love and wants to know how soon we can move outside the city limits!  It truly is too cute! 


MindBodyGreen had an article about some simple ways to get happy today.  Always a good idea even better if you're stuck inside sick and dealing with artic like temperatures! Check it out HERE. 


Just because I feel like being a bit snarky.  Check this out.  Baby face wipes made with all kinds of stuff- albeit natural so your child tastes sweet.  Seriously???!!!!???  You know some idiot first time parent is going to buy this too. This is just one of those times that even being natural isn't enough to redeem it.  You can see more about Neat Cheeks HERE. 


I adore One Good Thing by Jillee.  She's always whipping up something useful and gives you her opinion on what works and what does (like when she tried 4 different ways of cleaning her iron to come up with the best method!).  She was having trouble with her hair getting very dry in winter.  I've been rubbing coconut oil on PB's hair for the same reason but hadn't thought about adding essential oils.  I actually have several containers of coconut oil with lavender essential oil whipped into for my uber dry hands.  It's a go to in this house since it is very moisturizing and very healing.  Read about her hair care remedy HERE. 


I also came across this darling tutorial for lined bags on In Color Order.  I have 2 count em folks 2 sewing machines that I have absolutely no freaking idea how to use.  My sister has 1.  My mom refuses to teach us because she's scared we'll hurt her machine.  My sister and I keep saying we're going to take lessons.  I think the time is NOW! :)  Check out the darling little bags HERE. 



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Ick and the icky SotU

Well, the ick that Princess Bear (PB) had is working it's way through house at a rapid clip.  I was at the Dr. yesterday because whatever it is has really compromised my lungs and triggered my asthma so I'm now on my 3rd or 4th round of prednisone since the week before Thanksgiving.  It's truly evil stuff but it does work.  I'm not a wheezing orchestra.  I did wake up running a 102.4* temp this morning.  So not a happy camper.  I've been doing the alternate advil and tylenol every 3 hours and now am in a normal range.  I am more than willing to let  a temp run it's course- to a certain extent.  102* is past what I'm willing to deal with.  My parents are both coughing like made which is how PB & I both started this.  Fun and games.  I also had a bunch of appointments this week that I had to cancel.  The pulmonary function test that is pretty dang important in the scheme of getting my asthma under better control is off until at least March.  My Dr said there is no way my lungs are going to be ok for at least 3 weeks.  I love it when the Dr. is so positive- NOT!  Fortunately I love my Dr.  The office was deader than all get out since we're once again having artic temps here in the midwest.  Any appointment that weren't completely necessary cancelled. Therefore Dr. Adams and I sat there discussing gardening.  He's a pretty big gardener too.  He asked if I'd ever used seeds from Seed Savers in Iowa.  I told him where he could get them locally to avoid shipping.  I also told him where I'm getting some blueberry bushes this year.  The sell the bushes at 3 years of age so you get berries the first year.  I'm so not big in the patience department!  So, PB and I have been holding down things by just trying to get rest and play it low key.  I've been tearing through magazines and most of a book.  PB is having a ball playing her leap pad and watching TV.  She's not going to be well enough to go back to school tomorrow so I do think I'll have to declare at least 1/2 the day a technology free time.  Here's a pic of PB hanging with her leap pad

Now let's get political for a few minutes.  Tonight is the State of the Union Address.  For anyone that has been reading my blog for awhile it's no secret that I do not like Barak Obama and have zero, nil, nada respect for the man.  He has no respect for our Constitution so he's unworthy of my respect.  His comment about just needed his phone and pen to change things a few weeks ago just proves how arrogant this man is.  He has no respect for the law of the land or the Constitution.  Why he hasn't been impeached yet I really don't understand.  I did like it that Boehner reminded him that the country does in fact have a Constitution.  You can read about it HERE.  I'm also not a huge Boehner fan but for once it seems like he has reached down, grabbed a pair and manned up so I'll give him props on that.  In all honesty I can't say I'm a fan of the SOTU under most Presidents.  It's been turned into a dog and pony show with who is having what guest and what it stands for.  Who stands and applauds and what time.  Who bucks there party and stands and applauds although there party doesn't really support whatever it is.  Under the best of circumstance I find the SOTU hard to watch.  Under this President I find it almost virtually impossible.  Unless it's going to be a drinking game (take a shot every time the Idiot in Chief says immigration reform!) or something to that effect I just can't handle it.  My parents who are pretty in line with my feelings on this President will watch the SOTU.  More power to them.  I just don't want to have my blood pressure go that high.  So will you be watching the SOTU tonight? 

I've got to say that I'm really sick of winter already!

We are experiencing some really nasty weather here in Central Illinois right now.  The local school district has actually already cancelled school for tomorrow.  A very good thing since they're usually idiots about when it's a good idea to cancel.  Last Thursday it was -20* wind chill and the kids still had school.  I wasn't a happy mom.  Tomorrow they are calling for wind chill temperature between -25* and -35*  and a few inches of snow.  To add to the barrel of laughs Princess Bear (PB) is sick.  She started coughing and saying her chest hurt yesterday.  Around 3am her temp went to 102.9*.  We've been doing breathing treatments every 4 hours and it still sounds like the child is going to cough up a lung any second.  Of course it's been awhile since she was sick and I had no organic lemons on hand to make cough syrup.

My dad & I went to 9 am mass where our family friend, the Green Bay Packers fan, tried talking some football smack.  Seems to me that the Packers only went 1 game farther than the Bears.  They also lost having home field advantage to a  California team.  Mr. Gray mentioned that he thought he'd buy PB a Packers hat.  Every time I even think about that I laugh.  No way in bloody hell my daughter would wear anything promoting the Packers.  She'd have big fun destroying it though!  I realized at church today how incredibly lucky we are to have such an awesome director of religious education.  She is so incredible with the special needs kids in the parish.  She worked so closely with PB to make her first confession and Holy Communion.  Every week the they have a child that is preparing for their First Communion take up the offering gifts with their family.  This week it was a little guy that is another special needs kiddo and confined to a wheelchair.  No stopping him!  He just rolled up there.  I love that she tries to make these kids feel as normal as possible and make religion accessible to them!

After church I was sent to Steak n Shake to slay the breakfast dragon since no one was highly motivated enough to make breakfast.  I then headed to Kroger for organic lemons and more honey.  It really does help soothe a sour throat and at this point I'll take anything that helps PB.  She is not always the best sicky and is very very whiny at the moment.  Anything that helps ease how miserable she's feeling I'm ok with! Now it's time to curl up with the newest issue of MaryJane's Farm and a mug of hot tea.  Hopefully this cold streak and PB's illness disappear very quickly!

Farm Kings Season 3 Episode 6

Ugh!  Who to throw the hatchet at first?  Joe or Lisa?  Both were in rare form and both probably needed to be b&%ch slapped.  Lisa with the whole "challenge" think was so over the top and how Dale held his temper in check I don't know but kudos to him.  She needed the whole table?  Then what about you working at night then when you won't be in the way?  I don't think it would be possible for her to be more in the way or more abrasive.  The boss told you?  Ok, guess what?  The boss didn't rub 2 brain cells together and think that sending you down their during lunch wouldn't be a good idea.  Then Saint Lisa had so much to do that she couldn't possibly do anything with the chickens.  Hello this is the woman that can't say no to her boys or leave work unfinished so why even bother having a mini piss fit about it?  We all knew she was going to do it so why bother? 

The walipini was is such a cool concept and not just for farm use.  I love that Tim is always trying to find a way to take things to the next level.  Also, I was not surprised that Pete knew the proper name for it.  It's a downer when he degrades himself because he obviously a bright guy.  Now if I could just stop my 10 year old from drooling over him!  As always Joe shows up for a project, grabs control.  Doesn't even do a particularly great job of it but we're not supposed to notice that, right?  Also like we're not supposed to notice that he takes off when the really hard labor starts.  No wonder the guy is soft!  He did it with laying the brick and then again with the oven.  Wasn't it nice of him to show up after they had the new oven in? 

The boys having a competition during the wood cutting was too funny.  I loved John's reaction to the loser having to wear a dress.  So adorable!  Luke also had to know he wasn't going to win so why bother cheating?  The best part was Paul coming ahead in something.  Go Paul!!!!!

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 5

Ok, so here I sit with Princess Bear (EP) watching the last episode of the Farm Kings.  As I mentioned in my Maggie's pregnant post last night I wasn't really in love with this episode.  Lisa was Lisa in that she is never just grateful.  I loved the scene where she's telling Joe what is wrong with the pond.  If you can get past the idiot narrator does anyone really think that the fact that the way Lisa's pond looks is costing her any business?  PLEASE!  It made me cringe when Lisa was thanking him BUT.  Growing up my mom always said that anytime your doing anything and you add the word but you're negating whatever you said before that.  Damn did I hate when she said that but she was right.  So Lisa doing a thank you but just once again shows her lack of gratefulness.  She's never ever happy with whatever it is that is done for her.  Ugh!

The whole thing with Dan being in pain was sad.  When Sam was talking about Dan wearing braces so people feel sorry for him was not so cool.  While I admire Lisa for being proactive when one of her kids is in pain and trying natural health first I'm thinking that taking Dan to the spa isn't quite the same.  I'm ALL for natural health and remedies and completely agree with her that it's better to try that first.  On the flip side of that I don't think a spa is one in the same.  The sensory deprivation tank seemed really cool though!  Dan's face just made it look like he was in so much pain during the cupping session.  Poor guy!for the

Getting ready the fall festival was interesting to watch.  Why they were so behind planning the fall festival was a bit puzzling.  It was completely unfortunate that mother nature didn't agree with them.  As always the King family delivers in their positive attitude and it will go better next year. 

Breaking Farm King News!

Ok....I know 30 lashes with a wet noodle.  I haven't done a rundown on last weeks episode.  Lots going on here and frankly it wasn't a very exciting episode (imho at least).  Anyway, I did have some news but wanted to wait until it was verified.  Which is was twice today!  Wanna hint?

Have you figured it out yet???!!!!???


Uh???? Have you?????


OK....maybe this will put it out there better!

Yep!  Less than 3 months after wedding bells for Tim and Maggie they're getting ready to welcome a little one!  I think I did predict this right????  Nothing like giving yourself some time to ease into married life and enjoy it.  Regardless, this little farmer is already in the oven so lets raise a glass.  Just make sure it's sparkling cider for Maggie!  Congrats!

Oh the places you'll go.....

Ok, I started thinking about my bucket list of vacations awhile ago.  Then my friend Jen from Jen on the Edge went on an amazing vacation visiting several countries in Europe.  This made me ponder my bucket list some more.  It's always kind of interesting to ponder where you'd go if you could go anywhere.  Also I think who you're traveling with has a lot to do with where you want to go. It reminds me of the questionnaires on Facebook....where would you go if you could go anywhere.  Am I going with friends and having  a girls only trip?  Is this a trip with Princess Bear (PB).  If so its it an educational trip or a fun trip with her.  Is this a trip with a significant other.  Is there a purpose of said trip or is it simply a get away.  So many options!!!!  I'm going to do a different post that really covers my bucket list but just for giggles let's just do some what if options!  It's cold and snowy in Illinois right now so this seems like a pleasant diversion!

If I was going somewhere with my girlfriends where would I go:
Australia.  Hands down.  I love Australian men.  When I worked up at Great Lakes there would be visiting Australian sailors periodically.  I loved to party with those guys.  The accent gets me each and every time!  SO if I was looking for a fun time with my girls friends we'd be heading to the land down under!

If I was going somewhere for an educational trip with PB I would take her to:
Washington DC and Annapolis MD.  Washington DC is such an amazing city with so much history.  Each child needs to go there at least once.  So many museums!  Mason took Faolan there this summer and each night I was texting him to get updates on how the day had gone and what they were doing the next day.  Faolan sent me a text of the Hope Diamond.  I love that kid!  The Smithsonian is amazing, the National Zoo is awesome!  The White House and Library of Congress were impressive.  The Holocaust Museum was built since my last trip there.  It's not that I necessarily want to go there but understand that I have to go there.  So, DC is #1 for educational trips with PB.

If I was going somewhere to just have fun with PB I would take her to:
Disney World.  I'm a Disney junkie.  I especially love being there at Christmas time.  They really know how to do the holidays.  As it turns out my parents have decided that we're going to take a family trip to Disney this December.  PB is already beyond herself with anticipation.  We're driving so I'm hoping we can stop in Clearwater Beach to visit Winter because PB LOVES the movie A Dolphin Tale.  I guess if  money was not an object I'd throw in a Disney Cruise just for fun!
 
There are tons of other places I really want to go to: England, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, and Lithuania.  There are tons of places I'd like to visit stateside.  I want to go to Custer National Park when the bison are brought in for the fall.  I'd love to do the Laura Ingalls Wilder vacation where you follow the route she traveled with her family.  I'd love to try to shop my way through the Mall of America!  I want to visit Bronners because Christmas decorating is such a big deal for my family.  I want to go to Baker Creek Seed for one of their festivals and since I'd be close I want to check out Branson. 

These are just a few of the places I'd like to visit.  For now it's just a dream but you've gotta have them!

It's a damn fine day!

Today Princess Bear and I are sharing some serious downtime without my family around.  We live with my parents because for PB it really is the best thing.  For the rest of us...not so much.  We try our best to keep things at a livable level and hope for the best.  I'm usually getting home from picking up PB from school about the same time my parents are landing after work.  PB has a tendenacy to want to come home and start blaring her music.  Now for the most part it isn't bad music.  Lately its been her Disney Princess CD, other times its Christian Kane or Adele.  Gotta admit I think my kid has a pretty diverse taste in music!  SO, it's unusual that we have the time without my folks home that she can unwind and go crazy before  I have to start cracking the homework whip and start the clean your room routine.  Once a month my mom has a meeting at work and she doesn't get off work until 8pm.  Today is meeting day.  My dad decided that he hasn't seen my nephews in a couple of weeks so he headed to Morton for some boy bonding time.  I'm figuring he's knee deep in Spider Man and all things Star Wars right about now.  What this means is that as I sit here and type PB is in the kitchen rockin' out.  Now I can handle most of the music she listens to because frankly it's music I listen to.  That said the CD of choice for the moment is the Disney Princess CD that Santa brought her.  I can only listen to it so many times.  I've reached the threshold on Disney.  So I've got YouTube open in another window and I'm in a country mood so its been Chris Young, Easton Corbin (this video cracks me up!), Blake Shelton(this is PB's all time favorite song...my parents swear I'm turning her into a "damn redneck"! lol), Florida Georgia Line (I love the version with Nelly too.  Gotta love Midest rappers!) , Billy Currington, Christian Kane, David Lee Murphy , John Michael Montgomery, Tim McGraw, sheDaisy (right up there with Katy Perry Firework in songs all girls should listen to and take to heart growing up!) and Trace Adkins.

I'm also in a good mood because I went to Ulta today to use my handy dandy $3.50 off $10 coupon.  Usually I spend WAY more than $10.  Mason is ready to stage an intervention.  I admit it I'm a cosmetics junkie.  Give me access to Butter London, Too Faced and nyx and I'm quite the happy girl.  Right now all nyx is  by one get one 50% off.  Thalia is the ultimate every day lipstick gals...not even kidding!  It's really moisturizing but still has some staying power!  I'm in love.  Lala is also a lovely shade.  So, I walked out of there with 4 tubes of nyx lipstick for until $10.  I won't mention the Too Faced and Butter London spree I went on the other day.  I've also created a monster.  PB loves going to Ulta.  She calls it the nail polish store.  My child could be a professional nail tech with all the damn polish she owns!  If you're a make up kinda gal Too Faced shadow insurance is the holy grail of shadow primer!!!!  I put on my makeup at 8:15am the other day and it still looked perfect at midnight that night.  Yes it's the little things that make me happy!!!

Now I'm going to get off the computer and have some cuddle time with my little girl!  Have a good one!

My kid really is a trooper!

Today was the day for Princess Bear (PB) to go to the hospital for her renal sonogram and blood work.  She was thrilled that she was going to get to sleep in.  It kinda worked for me too!  So what woke me up at 6am other than my daughter blaring in Disney Princess CD doing her best karaoke.  I'm working on yet another sinus infection and woke up with a raging headache.  Gotta say the Disney music didn't help!  I finally conveyed to PB that mommy's head really hurt and we had a couple of hours before she had to be at the hospital.  I told her she could play her music just not blast it.  I know.  I know.  I'm the mean mom.  Mason loves telling me that.  I did try explaining that mommy with a bad headache wasn't a happy mommy and she really didn't want to make it worse.  It seems as though sleep wasn't meant to happen because the phone started ringing with regularity at 7am.  WTF???? 

So we got ready and arrived at the hospital admitting desk at 9:15am as scheduled.  There was a line from hell and only one person helping check people in.  Seriously????  After waiting for 10 or 15 minutes it's finally our turn and I'm hoping that it's just a matter of giving PB's name and signing paperwork since I did preregistration last week.  Oh no!  Please go to the Ultrasound department and check in there.  Now I'll be the first to admit that my head hurt like he$$ and I was in a bad mood.  It didn't explain why the lady at the ultrasound check in felt like being a royal beeeotch!  PB is finally checked in and I break down and by a soda hoping that caffeine will help the headache.  We wait in the kids waiting room so at least there was something for PB to watch on TV.  For this particular sonogram the Dr. said absolutely no food or fluids after midnight.  Well, I wasn't keeping my child up until midnight just so she could fill up so it wound up being no food or water from 9:45pm on.  Our check in time at the hospital was 9:15am.  They didn't call PB back for her sonogram until a bit after 10am.  The tech didn't even get into the room until 10:15am.  I was very proud of my child for how well she was keeping it together.  I assured the tech that I wouldn't sue her, steal her firstborn or anything else but just asked her if everything looked ok and she assured me it did.  Yay!!!!!  Then it was off to my mom's office to meet her for lunch.  I also had to apply the emla cream to PBs arms so we could do the blood work after she ate.  Nothing like trying to stick a vein in a child that hasn't eaten in more than 12 hours.  At lunch my mom and I pushed almost 60 ounces of water into her.  Thankfully it worked relatively well.  Her blood test wasn't pain free but not awful so I'm thankful for that. 

Now the  waiting game for results starts.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed and uttering lots of prayers that the blood work does not show any signs of inflammation or juvenile arthritis.  I don't like that my baby is in pain on a very regular basis but I'm not wanting that to be the news we get.  Since the tech said her kidneys look fine I'm sure that we're going to have to do more testing but I'm not as worried since there was no sign of kidney stones.  It's days like this that my child truly amazes me with her inner strength.  She just rolls with life and keeps a smile on her face.  What an amazing kid!

Proud mommy

There are times Princess Bear (PB) amazes me.  The amount of caring in this little girl is just mind blowing.  Her desire to make me proud is amazing.  Her ability to take a lesson from one area in life to another is great.  Maybe not a big deal for every kiddo out there but definitely for PB.  We know that she has issues with the way she processes and retains information.  Just the way things are.  I'm not quite sure what they were talking about in Sunday school day but PB came out with some little slips of paper that were things she planned on doing to help out.  Tonight after she went to bed she came back out with a little basket that had several slips of paper in it.  Each slip was another way that PB was going to try to help out.  Some of them really awesome ideas. Some not so much.....not so big on letting her wash dishes yet!  Whenever she does something like this my heart just swells.  She's such a good little girl!  She tries so hard.  There is the base level of the fact that several years ago her teacher wanted to give up on trying to teach PB to write.  It wasn't a skill that she was picking up on quickly.  The teacher wanted to focus on typing skills.  A useful skill set to be sure but not at the cost of learning how to write.  I absolutely love it when PB writes things down!  She does is often and with gay abandon and she loves that freedom it gives her.  I'm so glad that I fought the teacher back then!  Here are the notes that PB gave me tonight.  How freaking cute is my kid???? G-d I love this child and I'm so proud of her! She continues to amaze!  Go Princess Bear!

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Farm Kings Season 3 episode 4

Today Princess Bear (PB) did her very best to try to convince me to let her watch last night's Farm Kings episode before school this morning.  I was a mean mommy & sent her to bed last night and she was not happy about it!  Unfortunately, there was just no time this morning.  Has it worked out her grandparents had to pick her up from school today and I guess she was still in a funk because she hadn't seen it yet.  This somehow lead to her holding court on a Farm Kings watching party this evening with her grandparents and myself.  As always the King family delivered. 

I was absolutely rolling with laughter watching Sam & Paul on their bartering expedition at the Farmers/Flea Market.  How cute was it when Paul was trying on the boots and Sam was seeing where he's toes were?  Adorable I tell you!!!  Paul getting the taser was also hilarious!  I love his attitude with stuff like that.  I might be small but I'll get my punches in one way or another!  Tim and John were great when the other 2 boys were showing off their "treasures".  Again the taser thing had me howling with laughter.  How scene was adorable!

There were two different scenes with Bitty taking care of her niece and nephew and then 2 nieces.  You can tell that she is very comfortable with kids and rightfully so.  The best is how she really seems to enjoy them for the simplicity of childhood and celebrates that.  I think Bitty probably has a very kind, artistic, creative soul and tries to see the best in all things. 

Joe came up with a plan for a pick your own event at the Farm.  Brilliant.  Seriously!  They are all about getting people to understand their relationship and connection to the food they eat and this was a wonderful way to foster that relationship.  The only thing I didn't like is that they put Dan in charge because they had other things to do and Dan is such a natural with people.  It just seems like again Dan is the pick up the slack guy and gets no real appreciation.  Unfortunately Dan kind of did himself in by showing up late and not having a clear idea of the program when he did show up.  Dan is an unbelievably hard work and one helluva salesman.  He just can't make mistakes like showing up late if he wants his brothers to ever truly consider him as a partner.  The event seemed to work well except for the girl cutting herself but that wasn't due to a lack of preparation or any kind of oversight.  I bet that the Kings could feature more than one event a year like this. 

There was the wood carving demonstration that Joe set up as another way to get people to the Farm Market.  You have to give the guy points for always trying to find new ways to get people introduced to Freedom Farms.  The downside of it is how he always and I do mean ALWAYS tries to find a new way to make a buck regardless of the consequences.  This was one of those times that Joe kind of crossed a line in my mind.  Yes he was laughing about it and joking around but there was no real doubt that he would love it if Pete could turn his wood carving into a money maker.  I love Pete's honesty when he talks about not really knowing what he's doing or being unsure of himself.  It is just one more sign that Mama Lisa has done an incredible job raising her family.  They aren't afraid to admit their shortcomings or that they don't know how to do something.  Go Lisa.

Back to the bartering.  Frankly I think the boys hit upon a great idea when they started bartering.  There were things they needed and/or wanted.  They had the produce let the bartering commence!  Now did I miss John bartering for Jerry the goat?  How freaking hysterical was that?  Can't say I've ever seen anyone walk a goat before.  The conversation between John, Sam and Paul about combining their items to barter for something bigger was awesome!  Again I was sitting there just laughing!  It was cute that John didn't want to get rid of Jerry but agreed to go along with it. 

Side note:  I live 20 minutes from Morton Illinois which is the Pumpkin Capital of the World.  My sister, bil and nephews live there.  You can read more about this HERE.  The Pumpkin Festival is HUGE around here and Punkin Chuckin' is a big part of that.  So as they are cuing the segment for what the boys bartered for I'm asking my mom "Hey.....what do you think they got????" and laughing.  As soon as she saw the pumpkin chucker she started laughing.  I know it's a regional thing but flinging those pumpkins around is big fun I tell you!

So, enter Sam and the pumpkin chucker.  I love that he set up targets.  The family definitely knows how to have fun.  Except for poor old Lisa who's going to have to clean it up.  I loved when somebody asked what they had traded to get Luke. 

So, there you have my recap on this weeks episode.  Another good one to be sure.  If they would just get rid of the damn narrator! 

Life is precious and reality just sucks sometimes

I'm sure you've heard at least something about Jahi McMath the little girl who went into cardiac arrest and then was declared brain dead after a tonsillectomy.  It's been all over the news outlets.  Apparently, last night CNN had a panel of experts on about the situation.  One of the experts was Dr. Drew who almost lost control when he was trying to try home the fact that dead is dead and no one has ever come back to life.  Let's not bring religion in here since that provides precious little wiggle room anyway. 

No matter how you look at it this case is heartbreaking.  This is a young life that still should have had dates, proms, babies and lots more living to do.  It's never easy when a life is lost but I think perhaps more so when it's a young life and there is so much potential.  Jahi had her tonsils taken out to help with her sleep apnea.  Same reason that Princess Bear (PB) did.  If you've been reading my blog for a while you might remember that simple procedure cost PB 8 days in the hospital.  Nothing is ever routine when it comes to the hospital.  I wish people had a better grasp on that.  People go into cardiac arrest.  People stroke out.  People throw clots.  There is nothing ever routine. 

As a parent that has spent a fair amount of time in the hospital with my darling daughter I still cannot fathom how Jahi's family must feel.  I also cannot understand why the family is prolonging the inevitable here.  This is not a case where there is a chance this child could come out of a coma or something like that.  This is absolutely a case of the brain has ceased functioning and the body is slowing deteriorating.  I can understand the wanting a miracle but there has never been a case of a person that has been declared brain dead that has recovered.   If you want to see faith go watch a parent that has a child in the hospital.  You'll see faith like nothing you've ever seen before.  I know that Jahi's family has said that they are praying for a miracle.  I admire them for that.  I'm not even going to bring up the financial aspects of this case.  Not my place.  I just hope that someone talks to this family and offers them the appropriate counseling.  I'm sure if I was in there shoes I'd be devastated as well.  No parent should ever bury a child.  I've watched friends bury their child.  It's horrible and no one should have to do it.  While I can say I don't understand why Jahi's family is prolonging the inevitable I pray for this family during this horrendous time. 

A bit of this and that

Ok let me just say it and get it outta the way.....Baby it's cold outside!!!!!!!!!!!!  There isn't enough hot tea in the world to make this cold streak ok! Princess Bear (PB) was granted an extra day off from school since the local school district decided that sub zero temps were a bit too much to ask anyone to go out in.  So the teachers planning day that was set for Monday was bumped to Tuesday and school resumed today.  Christmas break is long enough for me to start dread sending her back to school.  As I mentioned in other posts I never imagined that I'd have a child in public schools, especially in this school district.  Unfortunately, parochial schools don't have a special education department so stuck we are.  I really keep on entertaining the idea of home school PB but I just don't think that's a great fit either.  I'm veering off here though!  Last night the school district called here at 5:40pm with a message asking that parents of bus riding students be proactive and go out and check to see if there was a safe place for their child to stand and wait for the bus.  Seriously?  You people didn't think of that until after 5pm?  Extra day off and all?  They also sent this email which is basically the same info: 

Jan 7 at 5:36 PM

School will resume for students at Peoria Public Schools tomorrow, Wednesday, January 8^th with a full day of school. Local forecasts are calling for higher temperatures tomorrow morning, however at 7:00 a.m., temperatures are still expected to be in the single digits. In addition, with the snow received over the weekend, some students may not have a safe place to stand if the resident or business at that bus stop location has not made a snow removal effort. We encourage parents and guardians to be proactive today and visit the bus stop with your student to make sure there is a safe place to stand and the student is able to find a safe route to the stop. Also, please make sure students are dressed appropriately for the frigid temperatures tomorrow morning.

We look forward to seeing your student back at school tomorrow morning following our extended holiday break.

I'd like to say that the stupidity of this school district amazes me but it just doesn't anymore.  

I was also not looking forward to sending PB back to school because she has been somewhat "off" for the last week.  She's on a Prophylactic antibiotic for the next three months for some health issues the Dr is trying to nip in the bud.  I'm not  a huge fan of antibiotics but understand the need.  Even with the antibiotic PB has been running a low grade temp for several days, had glassy eyes and just seemed not ok.  She's also broken out in hives randomly several times this week.  She starting complaining of her side hurting Monday night.  It's been a fun week a tell you!  My mom spidey sense was tingling.  I called the Dr's office as soon as they opened today to be told that our pediatrician had no openings for the rest of this week.  I asked about our back up pediatrician.  Again nothing this week.  I was starting to get a bit pissy.  At this point after not sleeping for the better part of 3 weeks because of being on prednisone my being a bit pissy isn't a happy thing.  They tell me that they can get me into one of the nurse practitioners tomorrow.  Fine.  Not happy but running out of options here.  I get a call a few minutes later.  Dr. Tom as a cancellation at 12:15pm tomorrow.  Ok sounds good.  A call a few hours later.  Another cancellation.  We were at the Doctors office at 3pm with bells on.  I really wanted the Dr. to look at me and tell me that I was worrying too much.  I tend to do that.  I'll own it.  Instead he's sending PB for a renal sonogram and based on what that shows then more tests.  He's also worried about the joint pain she's experiencing.  We went to the rheumatologist over the summer and he seemed to think that PB did not have any inflammation issues going on.  He didn't do any blood work.  He just said that PB's spine is more curved than it should be and as to be monitored and that's why her back hurts.  He did put in her in PT.  The pediatrician is doing some general blood work and looking for inflammation.  My 10 year old shouldn't be in so much pain that she can't kneel during church.  Being the awesome Dr. that he is he hooked us up with emla cream for the blood work.  Emla cream is basically a numbing agent that you put on an hour before blood tests and there is not pain!  PB goes through stages of being completely ok with blood work to completely freaking out.  I figure it's just easier to apply emla and not have to worry about it.  

I will say that it was nice to have some serious time to myself today.  I did some online putzing around which is always fun.  I also had a ball adding some violet and fushcia color swatches into my hair. Ulta had Jerome Russell punky color buy one get one free right before Christmas.  It seemed to be calling my name.  I did violet and flamingo pink.  I'm not sure what I think of the violet.  It might be a bit too dark.  I'm completely in love with the flamingo pink.  When I opened the jar I wasn't too sure but it is pretty darn cool and is working for me!  

On the way to get PB from school today some little old lady decided to stop for a car literally more than 1 full block away.  Our subdivision is still in horrible shape as far as the roads go.  Although I was going between 10mph and 15mph there was little option other than hit her for go for a snowdrift.  Obviously I opted for the snowdrift.  It wasn't fun getting out of that let me tell you!  I really want something that has 4 wheel drive!  I loathe driving in the winter and this didn't help let me tell you!  

Now it's 11:15pm and the house in completely quiet.  This is beyond a rare occurrence.  I'm going to sign off and read.  Yoga Journal Magazine was delivered today and I have a Bella Andre junk romance book calling my name.  Which to delve into first?  Catch ya on the flip side!

Cranio kids are so amazing

OK, I know I'm partial since I'm a mom to a cranio kid (kids that are born with cranio facial anomalies such as cleft lip/palate or craniosynostosis).  These kids walk through the fires of hell and keep on smiling.  Princess Bear noticed some of the scars on her head the other day the way she was wearing her hair and asked.  I explained it was the scars from her surgery when she was a baby.  She literally has a scar from ear to ear in a zig zag pattern (the zig zag helps when it's windy or wet that the hair doesn't split right across the scar line and look odd).  She just took it with a grain of salt and went on her merry little way.  It made me reminisce on the entire experience.  There is no way to describe what it's like to have your child so swollen from surgery that your child is completely unrecognizable to you.  I honestly didn't know that a person could swell that much.

 When I heard that Mia Robertson of the Duck Dynasty clan had surgery the other day for her cleft lip and palate part of me wanted to bawl because I know how much that little girl has to be hurting now.  I can relate to what Missy & Jase Robertson are feeling holding vigil by their daughters bedside.  Any parent would rather experience pain than let their child if it were possible.  It is so hard to have faith in G-d and the surgeons and know that while what your doing is completely necessary and know that your child is going to be in severe pain.

I'm sure you're reading this post asking yourself "What in the bloody he$$ is this woman babbling about?" and I kind of am but if you've made it this far just say a couple of prayers for Mia that she has a fast, uncomplicated recovery.  Say a few prayers for her parents because it is rough watching your child hurt and it can't be easy trying to keep a child on a liquid diet for 3 months.

I love this picture of Mia surrounded by so many of her loved ones prior to surgery here:

Even more though I love this pic of Mia flashing a thumbs up after surgery.  Really I can't tell you how amazing these kids are!  Go Mia!

I'm going to go completely gray trying to dress my kid appropriately!

Yesterday Princess Bear (PB) discovered that I have gray hair.  Not a ton but more than a couple but for whatever reason she found it hilarious and decided that made me a grandma.  Not sure about the correlation there but she was having a ball yucking it up.  I was nice and didn't mention that I had nary a gray hair until having her.  I'm sure that parenthood brings its own batches of gray hair and PB's thrown some zingers my way so I figure they're all deserved.  The gray is going to be coming on fast if I can't figure out a way to dress my daughter so she looks like the little girl she is and not a freaking hooker wanna be.  Scoff now.  If you're not there yet your day will come!  :)  The biggest problem is that PB is VERY tall for her age.  She's all of 10 1/2 years old and is 5'4".  She weighs around a 112 pounds so its not that she's a huge kid.  She's not she's just insanely tall and she's very long in the truck and legs which makes dressing her harder.  She's always got to wear 2 piece swim suits because 1 piece suits ride up her buns since her trunk is so long.  Add to the fact that she's pretty modest it is hard finding a 2 piece swim suit that covers a lot!  At this point because she needs the length in things she is wearing juniors size clothing.  Have y'all checked out any junior size clothing lately?  This shit is going to kill me!  I'm not lying.  None of this is ok for a 10 year old!  Take a peek! 

Take a peek at Lulu's HERE  and HERE While it is cute stuff not what I want my 10 year old rocking.  You  can instantly take out anything cropped or with cutouts and it doesn't leave much.

Wet Seal does a bit better as far cold weather shirts.  These might actually make appearances in her wardrobe next winter:

 

 

Warm weather is obviously going to be a challenge.  PB saw this and knows that her cousins love Spider man so she asked if she could have this:

 

   
Um, let me think about this for a nanosecond....no!!!!

Wet Seal goes way down hill when you take a peek at dresses.  PB loves maxi dresses and they work well on her.  Somehow I don't see any of these showing up in her wardrobe anytime soon.  Go HERE and let me know what you think.

So what am I missing?  Where in the bloody hell am I supposed to find age appropriate clothing for my very tall 10 year old?  I'm open to any suggestions.

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 3

I have to say that I like this episode the most of the three this season.  Perhaps because several different members of the family were shown in a wonderful light.  Of course the narrator still sucks it big time.  People are still complaining on the GAC website.  I wonder when they are going to get a clue and get rid of him.   Listening to him just grates on my nerves!

The part of Pete taking Jilly to her violin lesson was beyond adorable.  It's obviously he tries to spend time with her when he can and takes a real interest in what she's doing.  The pride he has in her and his love for her is evident.  This isn't always something you expect from somebody that became a father at such a young age.  Having a child in high school I'm sure is never easy but it seems like Pete and Jessi have done a great job.

The part about keeping Ben in shape was endearing.  I had not realized that individuals with Down Syndrome had issues with hypothyroidism as Bitty talked about but was aware that they often have heart problems.  It's wonderful that the family is trying to be proactive in keeping Ben as healthy as possible.  Watching Paul work out with him was heartwarming.  The whole family really does rally together and put Ben's best interests at heart.  No disputing that!

The Freedom Farms weight loss challenge was interesting to watch.  It was a great concept in that there was community outreach and it featured Freedom Farm products.  In theory eating fresh produce should help lead to a healthy lifestyle and weight.  The part where Lisa was supposed to be showing the group how to eat was a complete failure.  Lisa seems to never prepare for things and just shoots from the hip.  She had both feet in her mouth and kept on going.  She needed to have an outline of ideas to cover as a guide.  While the program overall was a success you had to feel sorry for Joe.  One has to wonder about the validity of Joe and Ben entering anyway but beyond that how much did it suck that Joe was the only one who gained weight?  What in the world is Heather feeding him?  It is sad that Joe admits he doesn't have enough time with his kids.  He's never going to get that time back.

I was absolutely cracking up during the greenhouse segments.  For once I actually felt bad for Lisa.  Anytime the boys do a project for her they always have her best interests at heart but things seem to never go quite as well as one would hope.  I did love Lisa pointed out them smashing her flowers is the same as if she went on stepped on their tomatoes.  The boys don't seem to look at it that way though.  Also why does Lisa mention changes she wants to make right away?  It makes her seem ungrateful for what they have done.  Graciousness does not seem to be Lisa's strong suit.

Ben as the water boy was again putting a very human face to special needs so I particularly liked that part.  Watching him talking to the girls was too cute too.  I also love that they are airing Special Olympics commercials during the show again.

So what did you think of this weeks episode?

Happy New Year!

So did y'all have a nice night last night?  Did you go for quiet and peaceful or rowdy and rambuncious?  My New Years Eve didn't go exactly like I thought it would but it was more or less pleasant and I spent lots of time with my baby girl so it's all good!

I haven't even done a Christmas post yet (my phone was jacked and in the process of Verizon trying to fix it over 900 photos and videos were lost even though they were supposedly safe on the SD card.  I'll try to touch on Christmas soon.  New Years Eve was a slight repeat of Christmas Eve but with less people.  I was at the Dr's again because my lungs are still a hot mess.  Bring on the antibiotics and prednisone...AGAIN!  I then met my dad and Princess Bear (PB) at church because there was no way I was getting up early for mass tonight.  Holy day of obligation or not.  I'm not much of a morning person and I had a lovely bottle of wine on hold for last night.  Morning was just not happening.  My mom dropped my dad & PB off at mass since I was joining them.  No point in having 2 cars sitting there.  After mass we pull into the drive way and see that my mom is sitting in the living room with company.  We don't have company.  My parents are rather unsocial creatures and when they do want to visit they'd rather go out to dinner, a movie, a show....something out.  I realize the company is my dad's best friend's wife.  We'll call her Mrs. K.  For the most part no one in our family likes Mrs. K much.  She has a tendency to talk out her a$$ and tries to incite.  Don't get me wrong... I love a good debate.  I just hate people who spout garbage without any knowledge of backing it up.  The downside of not liking Mrs. K is that we adore my dad's best friend.  Jackson's been around for as long as I can remember.  He's a completely stand up guy.  He dotes on my daughter and is kind of like her fairy godfather.  For instance, tonight PB was being a real pickle about cleaning up, that tween attitude from hades.  I was ready to go nuts and my mom just threatened to throw away everything so there was no argument.  That's one way of doing it I guess.  PB without missing a beat says "I'll tell Jackson and he'll buy me new stuff" and he probably would!  SO, if we want Jackson around we have to deal with Mrs. K.  I sent a quick text to my sister asking her if she needed a babysitter and what was going on.  Unfortunately they were staying in.  She did get a good laugh since she really really really can't stand Mrs. K.  I was wondering if we were going to be dealing with Mrs. K by herself but Jackson did arrive.  Actually, PB sat Jackson down in our family room and made him watch a couple of episodes of Farm Kings with her.  I was laughing!  he's so good to her!

The problem with not having company often is that PB gets incredibly excited when we do have company.  She wanted to pull out all of her Christmas toys and show them and on and on and on.  It made for a very long evening.  I did decide that there wasn't enough wine in the world to make Mrs. K easy to deal with and I don't relish hangovers so that lovely bottle of wine is still just sitting there.  Mrs. K and Jackson left around 11pm.  PB went to sleep soon after and I had a text marathon going on with one of my best friends.  It was nice to actually do that without little people around.  Her youngest was born on December 31 so they were all partied out.

I must admit that I don't miss the New Years Eve's when my friends, brother and I would go out from bar to bar and get totally trashed with several hundred of our closest friends.  I'd rather have a quiet evening with a few people I like.  I guess last night was pretty close to that.  I'm thinking that next year PB and I should go out to NC to spend the 2nd half of her Christmas vacation with Mason and Little Wolf.  Little Wolf is getting so big that soon she's going to want to be going out with her friends all the time.

The quiet time last night did give me time to think about the upcoming year.  I never know whether I should embrace it with open arms, full of hope.  Something like this:

or if I should get ready for battle and go in guns blazing.  Something like this:

I suppose a wise woman would go for the middle ground.  I'm not always a wise woman but I think I'll try for that middle ground this year.  Here are some more great pics that I think are great ideas to ponder on as we enter a new year.

 

This really isn't a bad thing to ask yourself. If it doesn't serve some purpose and a positive one at that then do you really need to have it in your life. I adore Pink and this is one of my favorite quotes of hers. Those negative voices in our heads are our enemy. I'm going to try my best to give it very little credence in 2014.  

And a wonderful premise:
 


 And if you're one of those people that prescribes to the theory that what you send out into the Universe is what you get back like I am you'll understand. Mostly joking with some truth I'll take these things if they land on my doorstep!

  

How cool would it be to live in a silo house????? I'd love to live in a log home or an old farmhouse but if Mason is going to be along for the ride that might have to be modified a bit since those styles don't interest him in the slightest. So maybe this would float his boat. Also if destiny wanted to throw Ricki Hall my way for a day I'd be grinning from ear to ear. How about you?  

 I've also decided that by next December I want my hair to look something like this. I don't need much more in the length department but a perm and some color is needed. I've listened to my family freak out about my tendency to love what is not considered to be "normal" hair color. I've done my time as a blonde, as a redhead and my natural auburn. I think it's time for some fun!  

So, what about you? What are you hoping for in 2014? Are you glad to see 2013 leave or is there a sense of sadness about it? Did you do any New Years Resolutions? I did do some resolutions and I'm also doing a 2014 jar where you write down something about the day you want to remember. PB saying or doing something cute or wonderful. A quote that resonates and then you open the jar and read through all the pieces of paper on New Years Eve or Day. I'm also doing gratitude slips of paper in it. Three things that I'm grateful for everyday. I think it's a good way to keep a great perspective on life!