I Didn't mean to JINX myself...

When I wrote my post on Saturday defining my day's, I honestly didn't want anymore things to write about for my Wellness Wednesdays! I was just going to cover the topics we already had! HUH.
Tristin developed a dry cough and clear runny nose last week and - with the warm weather - I just figured that it was allergy's. Over the weekend the running nose turned the yummy green color and the cough increased and got "thick". His energy levels plummeted a little. Joe came home early on Saturday and stayed home Sunday because he was sick. He even fell asleep during the Superbowl so I KNOW he was sick. Sunday night Tristin could hardly sleep because of his cough and I kept him home from school on Monday. OH! Was he off the HOOK on Monday. But his nose eased up and went back clear. And by Monday afternoon I felt like crap and was nauseated and everything else pleasant. So keeping up with Tristin and him terrorizing his sisters... well my patience was just not happening. Anyway, he had another rough night and by Tuesday morning I was ready for some non-Tristin time. When Joe found out that I was going to send Tristin to school he just about ate my head for breakfast. And informed me that I needed to call the Doctor. Excuse me? Who's the mom here? Who knows best?? Well he ended up being right. (GASP! Oh the HORROR!)
I took Tristin to the Dr. and he has "Almost Pneumonia". Was I really so sick and out of it that I couldn't see the need my son had? And what the heck is "Almost Pneumonia"? And if I am that out of it, why isn't someone taking care of me? Oh that's right, I'm the MOM and no one takes care of me when I am sick. AND it doesn't matter that I am sick because there are things to be done around the house, meals to be made and no one else knows where things are and how to do them. Humph. LIKEOHMYGOSH! Unfair!
Anyway, Tristin is on antibiotics for 5 days but CAN go back to school tomorrow. YEA! However, Keriana has picked up the sickness and she seems more worse off than any of us. But the Dr. wont give her an antibiotic until she's had the cough for at least 7 days. We're on day 3. I am worried because I can't get her to eat or drink much and she is asking for medicine every 3 hours or so. She has very little energy and is pretty pale. But we're limping through as best we can. We're both fighting temperatures and aches. I am just grateful I DON'T have the cough and runny nose.
So today I thought I would do a post on PNEUMONIA.... just for the heck of it since I was looking it all up anyway.

WHAT IS PNEUMONIA?
Pneumonia is a serious infection and/or inflammation of your lungs. The air sacs in the lungs fill with pus and other liquid. Oxygen has trouble reaching your blood. If there is too little oxygen in your blood, your body cells can't work properly. Because of this and spreading infection through the body pneumonia can cause death.

CAUSES OF PNEUMONIA
Pneumonia is not a single disease. It can have over 30 different causes. There are five main causes of pneumonia:
Bacteria
Viruses
Mycoplasmas
Other infectious agents, such as fungi - including pneumocystis

VIRAL PNEUMONIA (This is the one Tristin was diagnosed as having)
Symptoms: The initial symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and weakness. Within 12 to 36 hours, there is increasing breathlessness; the cough becomes worse and produces a small amount of mucus. There is a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.

BACTERIAL PNEUMONIA
Symptoms: The onset of bacterial pneumonia can vary from gradual to sudden. In the most severe cases, the patient may experience shaking chills, chattering teeth, severe chest pain, and a cough that produces rust-colored or greenish mucus. A persons temperature may rise to as much as 105*F

MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIA
Symptoms: The most prominent symptom of mycoplasma pneumonia is a cough that tends to come in violent attacks, but produces only sparse whitish mucus. Chills and fever are early symptoms, and some patients experience nausea or vomiting. Patients may experience profound weakness that lasts for a long time.

To read further information and to find out about the other kinds of pneumonia you can go to The American Lung Association.

Hope you are all feeling better than we are!
JM

Ravioli Lasagna

Family-Friendly Recipes by Smith's

Ravioli Lasagna - serves 6

10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
15 oz carton ricotta cheese, divided
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 jar spaghetti sauce or marinara sauce
1 pkg (25 oz) frozen cheese ravioli

Preheat oven to 400*F. Combine spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella, ricotta cheese, Italian seasoning, egg and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Spread marinara sauce on bottom of 9 inch baking pan. Arrange frozen ravioli in single layer on top. Top with cheese mixture, then ravioli again. Finally top with additional marinara. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Let stand about 15 minutes to cool and set up. Refigerate any leftovers.

I found this in "My Magazine" sent out by Smith's food and drug and thought it sounded so delious I had to share it. Let me know what you think and if you make it- how it turned out!

Memory Monday

I remember when I was young tearing out of my house to go play with my friend Emily. It was a warm summer day and I was barefoot - as always. Half way across the lawn I stumbled a bit but kept going. When I was two houses down I realized that my big toe really hurt. I looked down to find my toe nail almost completely ripped off! It was starting to sting really bad but I couldn't figure out what to do. Do I run down to my friends house to get help - I WAS half way there... or do I turn around and go home? I remember actually wondering who would give me the most sympathy? Emily was the middle child of 8 kids. It was only me and my brother at my house.... I don't remember how long I stood there trying to figure out which way to go, but in the end I decided on my house. And I did get lots of sympathy....

When I was 10 My brother went on a mission to Finland. I really missed him and had a hard time. One day I was home from school sick and both my parents were at work. The phone rang and when I answered it, it was Jeff! I remember how excited I was. He had found a pay phone that only charged 25 cents for him to call anywhere. We talked for about 5 minutes. And then we were cut off. But I was so happy to have been home to talk to him. After the phone call ended I remember crying and crying because I missed him so much. I called mom at work and she thought something was really wrong because I could hardly talk I was crying so much.... but when I got it out she told me she was glad I was there to take the call.

Tristin was born at 32 1/2 weeks and spent 10 days in the NICU. I spent most of the time at the hospital but would come home at least once a day to shower, change and pump. After day 4 time ran together and I remember being so exhausted. But I had to keep going. My baby needed me! Anyway, this particular day I came home mid-afternoon. I took my shower and then sat down on the bed to pump. I had one of the electric pumps. I was so tired I decided to lay back on the bed. Next thing I remember was Joe walking in and waking me up. He said "Jamie honey you need to get up!" I looked at the clock and I had fallen asleep for about 45 min. With the pump still pumping away! I was soaked, the bedding was soaked and the mattress was soaked from the top to about midway down on the bed to almost the center of the bed. I started to cry thinking about what a mess I'd made, the milk that Tristin needed that was a waste and now I had to waste more time at home doing the laundry so that Joe could sleep on the bed that night. Joe tried so hard to not laugh - it really didn't work.

Walking with GOD

Footprints in the Sand
One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.
This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,
“You promised me Lord,that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”
The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”
Mary Stevenson, 1936

I thought I would start this off with my most favorite poem. There are actually 3 different versions of this poem with 3 different authors claiming to be the 'original author'. This version was the earliest so I went with it.

There are many days and times that my challenges get so "heavy" that I constantly question if my GOD is really with me. I wonder if I really will make it past this challenge and what it is that I am supposed to be learning. This poem brings me peace. You'll find it in many different places around my home.

We didn't get the opportunity to go to church today because of illnesses, so I don't have any quotes from there to share with you. But I did sit down and do some scripture study on GOD'S LOVE. Here are three scriptures that I found most comforting today. I hope you find peace in them as well.

D&C 76:62 These shall dwell in the presence of GOD and his CHRIST forever and ever.

Genesis 21:22 ... GOD is with thee in all that thou doest.

Exodus 33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give the rest.

Aren't those scriptures awesome? Just to be reminded that GOD is with us in all we do - rather all good that we do. That HE is sitting next to us in the car on those stormy days... that HE is 'carrying us' thru our trials in which our legs would give out. I just wish I could feel HIM - more physically than I do most days. But I just have to remember that HE is there... and that I have to lean on HIM though I am not able to see HIM right now.

May HIS peace and love surround you this week...

Please tell me - How do you remember HIM?

A New Direction....

I am not a person who likes to make plans. I rarely think out things and do them. I spend lots of time thinking of lots of things but by the time I get to the end of my thought process I decide I am too tired - from all the thinking - or no one would like it , want it, care about it.... yada yada yada. I've never planed a pregnancy, a trip to the store an outing with the kids (outside of the week before birthday parties). And I LOVE surprises. I am a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl and I am happy that way. Most of the time.
I do not know if it is the Gemini (take up new activities enthusiastically but lack application, constantly needing new interests, flitting from project to project as apparently purposelessly as a butterfly dancing from flower to flower. To them life is a game which must always be full of fresh moves and continuous entertainment, free of labor and routine. Changing horses in the middle of the stream is another small quirk in the Gemini personality which makes decision making, and sticking to a decision, particularly hard for them.*more information can be found here) in me, the Bipolar or if I have undiagnosed ADD/ADHD but I flit around from subject to subject, place to place, person to person.... And I have noticed that I am doing it with this blog as well.
In my meanderings around in this new to me blogging world I have had an epiphany. Though I started this blog as a journal and way to keep in touch with family, I also want to meet new people and develop new friendships. As I have found myself in many other's blogs, the most "popular" seem to have a set theme or theme days.
Knowing a lot of things but not a lot about them I decided that one particular thing is not going to fly. That would involve research and honestly - sounds pretty boring. So I have decided to try something new. PLANING. Therefore, as of February 1st 2009, I am establishing the following schedule....
Spiritual Sundays. This is a time when I will blog about something I heard at church, scripture I read, poem I encountered.... you get the idea.
Memories Monday. A blog time for me to share a childhood memory, photograph or something that I want to document that my family did.
Tantalizing Tuesday. Time for me to share a recipe I've found.
Wellness Wednesday. Our lives are touched so much by different afflictions that I want to spread some knowledge about it.
Thoughtful Thursday. This will be my day for expanding my perception of life. Contemplation and input from YOU!
FUN FRIDAY. These days I am going to encourage my creative and humorous sides. Crafts jokes and the like...
Saturday Sunshine. I am honestly not sure what I am going to use Saturday's for. You didn't really think I'd make it to plan EVERYDAY, did you?

Now I am going to ask for your help. I have tried to make it simple to let me know what you think of my postings. I am not going to ask you to leave a comment (though I do REALLY REALLY enjoy them.) At the end of each post it a little question of whether you found the post interesting, funny or cool. Please mark a box so I know what to write more about.

Thanks! I can't wait to start this new PLAN! ;)

The End Result

So after all that worry about what I was going to wear 2 things happened.
1- She called and asked if we could go take our kids on a walk/bike ride on our walking trail. So I ended up wearing a jacket anyway.
2- As I was getting Max to lock him up in his kennel, he decided I was really frightening and promptly pee'd all over my arm as I picked him up. He's never done that before. So I ended up in wearing a long sleeved white t-shirt.

Go Figure.

Where is my husband when I ACTUALLY nneeeed him??

... Well he is at work where he normally is but that is not the point. I am half tempted to drive up there to get his ok on my outfit. ... Yes I said outfit. My husband dresses me - per my request (most of the time). Why? Because I have very little fashion sense.

My husband is a store manager for Kohl's Department stores. He is engrossed in his work. Therefore he knows more than jeans and a t-shirt style... which is my comfort zone - if I even get out of my pj and/or sweats.

No I do not really enjoy shopping either. Especially for myself. I get lost in the racks, things that look cute on the hanger seems to shrink by the time it makes it on me and color coordination - well I think brown and green look ok together. Joe lovingly reminds me that it doesn't. Unless I want to look like a tree. Needless to say my closet consists of mostly solid color shirts and black or denim bottoms. And shoes - same and tend to be added to by my mom and dad. I just don't do shopping!

So why am I stressing out today? Because my neighbor/ primary presidency has invited my kids and me over for a play date. And to talk with her about Cheyanne's seizures so that they know more about them and what to do if one happens during primary. Awesome right? Yes - in the sense that I have been craving neighbor connections as well as the fact that someone cares enough about my kids to learn more about them. We've been here almost 2 years so I am excited about this break though!

However this means that I need to get out of my pj/sweats and into real clothes. And I want to look nice! So it's a play date. That just means I know it is fine to wear jeans.... but I want to look nice.

This is what I have put together. The tank top is new. I just loved the color. But does it actually go with the cream top? I don't know. But after an hour, this is what I have come up with.

What do you think?