Back To Blogging Soon!

So, I looked at the last date on my blog, and it was May 9th! I can't believe it! I can definitely say that things have been hectic since then, but still, I should be blogging... Keep your eyes peeled for updates, blogs, and I will hopefully get my foodie blog going again! I've got lots to share with everyone!

Ooops...It's Been Awhile Again...

Okay okay...I'm slacking off on my blogger duties... So here goes, time to play catch up. Now, I know what you're thinking. Here she is, making a valiant attempt to reclaim some sort of blogger status, and she's promise to blog a heck of a lot more than she has been. True, I need to get back in the blogger world. I will try to blog more. But things get hectic around here more and more, and when it all comes down to it, I'm exhausted!

I went to the Spa yesterday and used the gift certificate that Andy gave me for Christmas. I switched out the pedicure for a facial--not due to having a huge fit when someone goes near my horribly crooked toes. It was a more of a "my feet are icky, they hurt, and should probably seek some form of medical treatment prior to exposing themselves to god knows what at a spa" type of situation. So off I went to the spa, for some "me-time". It was beyond worth it. Two and a half glorious hours of perfect solitude and relaxation. I had a 1 hour hot stone massage, which was amazing, followed by an intense facial--translation: "multiple layers of goo, scrubs, rubs, masks and creamy stuff--oh and 15 minutes of suffocating steam being blown on my face"--making my skin amazingly smooth. Then she suggested, more like went ahead with something incredible. She tinted my barely there, invisible, blonde eyebrows--to match my hair color! It was intense at first, I mean, I've gone almost eyebrow less for as long as I can remember, so you can imagine my reaction when I go to the mirror and see brown furry lines above my eyes! Not to mention alot of red skin around my eyes, due to waxing that area... I felt so incredible when I left there, and can't wait to go back!

Have had a rough week with Liam, mostly with molars/teething. Today was one of his best days th0ugh, and he didn't nap!! The spa definitely gave me a much needed break, as Liam had become alot of work this past week, and I was at a breaking point! He has been non-stop lately, exploring everything in his world and loving every minute of it!

I won a pretty new digital camera! I won it at Safeway, on those pull-tab tickets they give away at the cash register. I was in shock! Usually all I win is a few airmiles! Never a camera! Should be ready to pick up in the next few weeks! YAY!

Should run though, will try to blog more tomorrow! Night all!

I'm Failing As A Blogger... or am I?

Okay, so failure as a blogger is not something to take lightly in my world. Especially if I am the failing blogger in question. It has been almost a month since I last blogged. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging and all that it entails. Having the general public read about my mishaps, teething woes, food finds, random rants, and other crap-ola. But I digress...

Liam has been teething the past few days... yep, we're right back where we left off. He takes it pretty well, except for today, when, nothing went right for him. Mommy and Daddy couldn't figure out what show to put on for him, what he wanted every second. Apparently he had deemed us utterly useless, and went around howling to prove it! We finally figured out that he wanted to watch the Wonder Pets save the silly nutcracker for the 10 millionth time--and apparently "millionth" is a word, as my spell check didn't catch it! Score! He has been sleeping better though, which is always a good thing. That child doesn't function well without sleep--wonder where he gets that from--I'm looking all innocent, I swear.

I managed to badly sprain my wrist last week. Not just any wrist, my right wrist. I was trying to get into bed, and not crush Liam in the process... rolled my wrist, heard and felt a pop, and then my hand went numb. This was at 1 in the morning, no way was I going anywhere. Waited til the morning to get it checked out. Had popped a tendon, pulled some ligaments, and I think pinched a nerve. Nonetheless, it hurt like a bugger, am still wearing a brace, but it's getting better every day. Still have some tingling in my fingers, but not as bad.

Other than that, did a trip to the zoo, as the weather had been really nice. Have been going for lots of walks, trying to get Liam used to the grass... He's doing well on it now, wasn't too sure at first. Have been trying to get caught up on laundry, as there was a few pukey nights... sigh...

Went for Easter dinner with the family last night, at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Had yummy turkey and all the fixin's, and I made Apple Kuchen for dessert. Will get back to food blogging and post a recipe soon! It's sooo good! There was only one slice left, so it must have been good! And my cousin Kris, was amazing with Liam--they became buddies right away, walking everywhere. Who would have thought a 13 year old would have so much interest in a little guy?!

Did Chuck E' Cheese awhile ago too, for Aidan's b-day. Had a blast, but it was super busy, and I argued with a dad who was throwing the balls at skee-ball. Sorry again Manders, just didn't want Liam to get pegged in the head--was sooo close to it!

Should run though, need to check my email and watch the movie "Bedtime Stories". We bought the blu-ray, as we had a $10 off coupon for it from the Disney website.

Take care all! Cheers!

Revelations...

Again, it's been awhile since the last blog. Things have been stressful, I have been in a bad relapse, and Liam is teething. Through all of this though, I've been keeping my chin up, as usual. Montel Williams was on Oprah today. He was discussing his battles with Multiple Sclerosis. The thing that touched me completely, while listening to him, was his passion, his vulernability, and his strength to overcome anything that the horrible disease throws at him. He suffered from severe depression, was suicidal, has non-stop pain throughout his body. He has a rapidly progressing form of the disease, increasing the unpredicatability of it. But there he was, on Oprah, telling his story. Telling it with passion, with courage, and with a strength that some would be blessed to posess. He focuses on the small things in his life, and treats every day as a gift. He pushes himself every single day, forces himself to get out of bed. He faces each day with strength and passion. His wife stays by his side, being his main support system. He lives every day with this debilitating disease. And he still smiles.

Yes, this affects me on a level that might not affect others in the same way. What I loved about watching him though, was, it proves that others can get through it. Second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. He was very candid and bluntly honest. I appreciate that. Through watching him, I felt comforted and reassured. I know it's okay to have a bad day, to be frustrated with the disease, to question my diagnosis, and to be stubborn as hell. I can be anal. I can have a bad day. I can curl up in bed with Liam and just veg. I can have a good try with no reason. I can overcome what is thrown at me.

This past week has thrown me into a tail spin. The job that I got hired at, well, I have chosen not to pursue it. The stress of thinking about the job and all that it entails, put me into a relapse. I know better. It wouldn't have worked out, but I am stubborn, so I thought I could do it. I also experienced new symptoms, mostly stomach problems, and my depression/anxiety level was up there.

I'm not sure why I am blogging all of this, but I am feeling a sense of calm as the words scroll across the screen. Maybe I don't want to hide from it, and actually admit that this disease is getting to me lately. Mostly frustration. I hate the battle, but I love the fight. And I fight it daily. I want it known that I have MS, and I am trying different techniques to manage the symptoms. And I have an amazing support system, which is definitely the best part.

I definitely need to keep up the healthy eating plan we are on, and we have been looking at going to a gym, as exercise always makes me feel better.

I should head to bed... that's another thing I need more of... sleep! Cheers!

Birthdays, Turtles & Employment

I admit, it's been awhile since I last blogged. My dedication seems to be somewhat lacking as of late. I promise my few but faithful readers, I will blog more. I swear. I promise. Yeah, we all believe that, now don't we?!

Went to Miss Emma-bean's second birthday party on Sunday. Definitely had a great time, once Liam realized that all the people there are okay to visit with, and that Aidan's room will always be there--he sort of gravitated to it. He's not used to large crowds of people, so he sought comfort in Aidan's room apparently-he especially liked the big boy bed! Emma was absolutely adorable--she wouldn't have it any other way--and was amazing at opening her presents! Thank you so much Manders for having us!
We are now the proud owners of 2 aquatic turtles. There is also a blood parrot fish--they always look like they are smiling--you can see what they look like HERE . The turtles are fantastic, very entertaining, and very healthy eaters. They were eating feeder fish and butter worms today, along with dried shrimp and romaine lettuce. Tasty combination for them, I guess! They know when it's feeding time and when it's night time, and are always curious when we go past their tank. They have taken on the names Hide and Seek for now, makes sense.

Liam is still teething, but the problem one finally cut, so it's a little bit easier on him. His gums are still swollen and he still has more to come, but as long as he has lots of sleep and bits of tylenol, he's his normal happy self. He's become quite the little ham, always ready to put on a show for anyone who cares to watch. He has learned to blow his nose, and also blows insane amounts of raspberries. He continues to amaze me more and more everyday!

Finally...I got a job. I am going to be doing personal care at a nursing home. The nursing home is beautiful and the grounds are very scenic--definitely different than some in the city. I start next Thursday--I can't wait. I mean, I love spending time with Liam, but I need a bit of a break. I also need to figure out/prove to myself if I can do it. It's part time, they're flexible with scheduling, and the pay is decent. We shall see how everything works out. Poor Liam has to be up 3 hours earlier than usual though, just so I can get him to my dad's house, as Andy is working my first day. Might make it easier on my dad, being so tired, Liam might crash easily for his nap. I've got 2 pairs of scrubs, will still look for a third. That way, I won't be having to do laundry all the time. But, the main part is, I have a job. The nursing home is giving me a huge chance, as I don't have very much experience, just the training I completed through school. So, off I go, to prove everyone wrong, and show them I can do it!

Tomorrow, we are off to the Science Centre hopefully. The weather is getting better by the day, so might as well get out and enjoy it while we can! Not sure what we will do on Saturday--time and weather will tell, I guess. Until next time, I'm off to bed! Cheers!

Traffic Court, Teething and Turkey

Thank you Rubbermaid, for making extremely durable storage boxes. Liam decided it was the perfect place to sit today!

It has been awhile since I blogged last. Things have been hectic lately, but I am actually able to sit down for a few minutes and ramble! I went to Traffic Court on Monday to give a statement against the person that pulled the hit-and-run on me last year. Thankfully Liam wasn't in the car at the time, and I wasn't hurt. And also, chasing him down, though stupid, was definitely worth it. So, off I went to court, expecting to take the stand. Was informed that the reason I was there, was because he was fighting the careless driving charges, but pleading guilty to the hit and run charge. After sitting through other traffic offense cases, his name was called, the police and lawyer talked to him, and convinced him to plead guilty on all charges. I was more than happy with the decision, as it meant I didn't have to take the stand--I've done enough of that lately, and still have more of that to do in the future.

Liam has been teething like crazy lately, working on a stubborn tooth that finally had a point cut through today. He has other molars coming, which are making him a little unpredictable and fussy, but nothing like he could be. Otherwise, we've been spending lots of time at home, playing and watching his favorite shows. He got a copy of the new Wonderpets DVD today, so he was watching alot of that--thank you Mr. & Mrs. H.

Have been battling a head cold the past few days, which hasn't been fun, but it's not too bad. I've had problems with my sinuses all my life, so it doesn't really phase me now...

Made a huge and very yummy turkey dinner last night. Thank you mom and dad for the bird--it was perfect! I did the stuffing in the slow cooker, made mashed taters, veggies and gravy. Sooo good! We went to Coffee n' Scream after dinner to let Liam play, which wiped him right out. Makes me wonder if he's catching my cold, or if it's the possible chinook that will be coming, or all teething... Hmmm...

We bought an ice cream maker the other day. We found it new on the classified ad web sites I check out all the time. It had never been used! We have made 2 batches of ice cream so far. Last night we made a 5-Layer Bar Ice Cream--toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk, pecans, graham cracker chunks, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. So scrumptious and completely sinful! Tonight we made an eggnog ice cream, which would be fantastic to top a fruit crisp with!

Tomorrow will be a lazy day. Andy goes back to work tomorrow night, so will be sleeping during the day. I really would like to get caught up on laundry--mostly putting it away, so we shall see. Will definitely try to get in a nap again tomorrow--had one today and it was amazing! I felt alot better when I got up...

Should run, gonna watch some TV then curl up in bed... I love my sleep! Cheers!

Stress, Teething and Exhaustion

Grandpa P. & Liam
Haven't blogged in a few days, mostly due to being extremely tired. I tend to get overtired and blah when I get stressed, and my MS tends to flare up quite a bit. As well, I have an extremely sore left jaw. I think I have been clenching my jaw at night when I sleep, and I also suffer from temporal mandibular dislocation with both jaws-meaning, my jaw doesn't line up properly and clicks rather loudly. I can actually say I have a big mouth! So, needless to say, it hurts. Motrin has been helping alot and I know if I de-stress myself, I will feel better.

Went to Chinook this morning with Liam and my parents. Did a big mall walk, well, run. Liam was moving it pretty good today, and was so proud of himself. Dad and Liam went on the carousel--watching Dad turn white and look sick? Not good. They should really slow that thing down! I think that is why there is barely anyone riding it at any given time-they know better!

And Liam is getting smarter by the day. If I say "no" or "ta-ta" to him, he sticks out his forehead for a kiss to say sorry. If I am not facing him, he grabs my face and turns it toward him. It's absolutely priceless! He was a bit grouchy today, mostly due to teething--yep, he's still teething. It's been non-stop! He also hates being in his stroller now, as he loves to walk! Can get a little frustrating when we're in a busy store, but we make the best of it. I am going to take him to a quiet mall tomorrow morning and let him walk to his hearts content.

Tomorrow afternoon, I am off to court. This is one of the reasons for my stress and exhaustion. This is different than my own court case. I am going to give a statement against someone who did a hit and run on our car a few months back. He not only did the hit and run--but I caught him about 8-10 blocks away--but he only had a learners. And it wasn't his car. So, that's the plan for my afternoon tomorrow. Andy is going to get up early (he's off tomorrow night) and look after Liam. So a mall walk in the morning to tire Liam down is probably a good idea, as anyone other than me getting him to nap? Not easy.

Needless to say, I'm enjoying the vomit free days and nights now. Just get tomorrow over with, and I will feel a bit better. Get my own court date in May over with, and things will be alot better. There are still some other issues I want to deal with, but will keep you posted on the results.

Should run, am going to have some soup. Comfort food. That's where it's at. Might even curl up in bed with a book and ear plugs--just kidding about the ear plugs...maybe... Night!