A few random photos & swim lessons

Since the Plaquenil has been working so well I've been able to get back to my sewing projects.  Maybe I should say since I had an allergic reaction to the Plaquenil & need something to occupy my hands 100% of the time I have been able to get back to my sewing projects.  Either way, I'm sewing again!

Today I finished this shirt for Sam that I cut out for her about last August.  I've tried to gather all the patterns & all the fabric that I've bought over the last year or so to make school clothes for the kids.  I won't lie, most of the clothes are for Sam.  My thought was that if I get started on them now they might be done for school this year!  If I don't get going on them they'll have to wait until Brooke is big enough to wear them!  I was proud of myself on this shirt - I did it all by myself (no help from mom at all!)  The pattern did say to put elastic in the waist so it was more fitted, but she liked it like this & didn't want the elastic in (honestly, I'm good with that!)

The other day I also finished this pillowcase dress for my niece.  I made one for her big sister last May for her birthday & kept the extra to make one to match on purpose.  I also finished the one for Brooke that matches Sam's, but I haven't taken a picture of it yet.

The kids have been loving their swim lessons.  Sadly, tomorrow is their last day!  I can't believe that it went by so quick!  The kids are bummed they won't be going to the pool every day anymore.  I am trying to convince Travis that we need to sign them up for at least 1 more if not 2 more sessions this summer.  I'm hoping he'll concede & I can sign all three up for lessons that would run July 16-Aug 9.  We'll see.

These boys are just too cute together.

Sam doing the back float

Caleb's class got to put on life jackets & float on their backs today.  Caleb was pretty excited about it.

First they floated in the shallow pool & then they went over to the deep pool & floated over there.

They have the kids in Caleb's class "bunny hop" or "ride a pony" when they go from one side of the pool to the other.  Caleb loves it - I think it's hilarious that he keeps his hands like this:

They started letting the kids in Sam's class jump into the pool the other day.  They were so glad!  They had been watching the other kids do it & would ask me every day why they didn't get to cannonball into the pool.

Caleb has done so well in lessons.  I seriously debated about whether he was old enough to even bother putting him in.  His mid session report said he was one of his teacher's top students!  Made me glad I went against my gut & enrolled him in lessons!  He's blowing bubbles in this picture:

I told Travis when I talked to him tonight that we should have signed all the kids up for swim lessons ages ago.  Part of the reason we didn't is because Sam has been so afraid of water that I didn't even want to bring it up with her.  I am amazed at how quickly she's pushed that aside.  I wondered if her fear would return when we were at the pool tonight & she wasn't in her class.  Much to my pleasant surprise, she jumped right in as though she hadn't a second thought about it!  I'm really hoping the improved attitude that Caleb & Sam have gained towards the water will last them for their entire lives and not just this swim season.  I really hope that Nash's ability to learn new strokes/techniques quickly will last him.  I think we may have found his "thing" (like dance is for Sam).  Who knows?  All I know is I have four kids that absolutely love the water & would spend the entire summer in the pool if I left them!

The Aquatic Center vs Me...& 4 kids...& a whole lot of other people but none of which are there to help me!

The last time Travis was home Nash & I had an appointment at the chiropractor.  While I was in the office, I noticed a flyer saying that they were having a customer appreciation pool party on Wednesday, June 13.  I figured I'd get tickets (since they were free) and perhaps...maybe...think about taking the kids.

Since they have been loving swim lessons and have been doing really well with it.  I figured what the heck I'm already plastered with a rash from head to toe.  The chlorine I'm also freakishly allergic to can't possibly make this rash any worse, right?  Time will tell. :)

Despite my best efforts to get my friend & her kids to go with me (completely in vain I might add) I loaded up the kids & we headed in to the pool.  The party was suppose to start at 7:30 pm & last until 9:30 pm.  I didn't figure I'd last much more than an hour because let's face it; one adult, four kids and an aquatic center chuck full of people is bound to give me chest pains.

I gave the kids specific directions on the way in to the pool.  I figured it would be falling on deaf ears but what the heck, I'll give my spill anyway.  Apparently, today, my directions did not fall on deaf ears!  Wahoo!  Much to my very pleasant surprise, all directions were followed, no one drown (or nearly drown), there was no fighting & no arguing.  I know, I'm still in shock just thinking about it! 

Samantha & Caleb partnered up & stayed in the shallow pool the entire time we were there.  Nash braved the water slides twice and even the deep pool.  Brookelyn didn't fight me when I put a life jacket on her & she turned into quite the little fishie.  She kept batting my hands away thinking she was just going to walk off in the pool all by herself like a big girl.  I was holding her hands and walking around with her in water that came up to about my knees.  All the sudden she would just lay back, lift her toes up out of the water, start kicking & just grin at me.  The girl loved it!  The only pictures I got were when I took her out of the pool to give my back a rest!

There was free watermelon & the kids didn't miss out on that!

Brooke was happy with just the Capri-Sun I gave her.

Much to my surprise we didn't leave until about 9:10 pm!  I was shocked!  I thought that things would go quite differently for us tonight.  After such a good experience tonight I don't think I'll hesitate to take my kids back - even if I don't have someone to go with me!

Plaquenil - The good, the bad & the freakishly itchy

Yes, this is my back.  Can you see all those fabulous red spots?  Not only does my back look like this, my entire body looks like this.  I am ready to skin myself - that or rip my skin off one fingernail slice at a time.  When I say my entire body looks like this, I mean my ENTIRE body looks like this!  My scalp to my ankles.  Not an inch spared.

It all started back on May 21st when I went to see the rheumatologist.  I had my appointment and explained all the symptoms I'd been having (excruciating joint pain since February).  We did x-rays of my hands & knees and some blood work.  About a week later he called me back & said everything had come back normal (no Parvo infection, no rheumatoid marker & not sufficiently low vitamin D levels).  Dr. Walker said other than joint pain he had no idea what was wrong with me.  He wanted to start me on a medication called Plaquenil.  It use to be used as an antibiotic but is now used to treat rheumatoid (yes, rheumatoid arthritis & yes, I said I didn't have the rheumatoid marker - don't ask).  He told me that this particular medication has a tendency to make you very nauseous so to start taking it just once a day.  If I could handle taking it once a day then increase to twice a day.  He told me that it would take about 4 months to really get into my system & start working so I made a follow up appointment for the end of September.  

I started taking Plaquenil on May 30th.  I decided that if it was going to make me sick, I would just take it at night before bed.  I took it faithfully every night for a week with no new symptoms.  In fact, I noticed an extreme improvement in my joint pain.  I was excited!  So, on June 6th (1 week after starting Plaquenil) I started taking it once in the morning & once at night.

On Sunday night I was getting ready to get in the shower & I noticed a small red rash on my chest.  At first I thought it was maybe just an eczema break out from perfume or something and just brushed it off.  Monday morning came & I was itching like nuts but I thought maybe it was eczema.  By Monday night I was dying!  I wanted to itch until I would bleed!  Flash backs to swim lessons when I was a kid & couldn't wash the chlorine off & I'd break out like this.  I called the pharmacy where I got the prescription filled & told the pharmacist what was going on.  He said that it sounded like an allergic reaction & to stop taking the prescription immediately and to call the dr. in the morning.  Fortunately for me, my mom had some extra benadryl she was willing to part with so I could make it through the night.

This morning I called the dr.'s office at 9 am.  I told the medical assistant what was going on & she felt so bad for me (and she didn't even see the rash!).  She told me she'd talk to Dr. Walker and see what he wanted to do & get back to me.  I finally got a call back at about 2 pm.  The verdict: Stop taking the Plaquenil until the rash disappears entirely.  Then, start taking the Plaquenil again, but only take it once a day & see if I break out in a rash again.  Seriously?!  What part of I want to rip my skin off don't you people understand here?!

So here I sit Tuesday night, 3 prescription times passed without taking the prescription, and the rash is continuing to get worse.  Not awesome.  I totally understand why bears scratch their backs against trees!  In fact, truth be told, I was doing carpet angels at my girlfriend's house today in order to itch the backs of my arms without making them bleed!  And yes, she thought it was funny!    

A surprisingly busy Sunday

This past week has been crazy busy.  We've done swim lessons every day & then something just about every afternoon.  I even finally finished Nash's bear rag quilt that was part of his birthday!

I've also re-done my front porch.  Since Travis moved the swing off and into the back yard for the birthday party in May I was able to find some cute stuff & decorate my porch more how I've wanted.

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning & then baking/cooking all day.  I made pulled pork sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate peanut butter hi hat cupcakes & cinnamon rolls!  When I woke up this morning, I kinda figured we would take the day to kick back & relax.  And then, I was washing my hands at the sink & glanced at my summer bucket list.  So, after Brooke entertained us with her cinnamon roll, we took a bath & got dressed to begin our busy day.

This was Brooke's first ever cinnamon roll.  At first she didn't know quite what to do.

After a little bit of assessing the situation, she dove right in, head first:

And loved it!

So she kept going back for more!

And at one point, was worried I was going to take her cinnamon roll!

I started to wonder if she was going to go into a sugar coma or wig out due to frosting overload.

Lucky for me, she recovered quickly.

And then to my surprise, she started on the bread part of the cinnamon roll!

After about 30 minutes, this is all that was left of her cinnamon roll!  Chubba chubba!

Once we were all showered & dressed I decided we should venture over to First Dam to feed the ducks.  We haven't been there in at least a year.  Last time we were there the ducks/geese were not afraid of people at all.  In fact, they'd come right up to the kids & try to snatch the bread right out of their hands!  Today they were much more timid.

Sister got mad because I wouldn't take her out of her stroller, but she loved watching all the birds.

Nash decided he was going to make a bread crumb trail to see if any of the ducks would come up on the sand & eat it.

Caleb even joined in & helped make the trail.

Sister wasn't impressed with the idea :)

The birds never did come up on the sand for it so eventually they scooped the bread up & threw it out in the water for them.

After we ran out of bread they decided to run down by the docks and throw rocks in.

At one point, Caleb waded into the water so he could throw his rock even further into the water.

I took Brooke down by the water & then she got really mad because I wouldn't take her out of her stroller.

After we left First Dam I thought it might be a nice enough day to go to the park.  I haven't been up to AJ's park (where Caleb got his Harry Potter scar) for 2 years (since the day Caleb got his Harry Potter scar!).  So, we went back out towards home & up into Blacksmith Fork Canyon & up to the park.  Unfortunately, it was windy & the wind was cold, so we only stayed about 20 minutes.  It was fun though - something different for the kids.

This is the slide where Caleb got hurt - he fell down the metal stairs & smashed his face.

After we got home I told the boys we'd have quiet time because Nash got carsick & I was hoping Brooke would go back to sleep.  Sam got to sleep over at Grandma Terri's last night so I figured the quiet time might actually work.  About 10 minutes into it my mom texted me & told me she & Sam were going to go see Madagascar 3 & wanted to know if the kids & I wanted to go.  So, since Brooke wasn't going back to sleep I decided what the heck & off we went!  The movie was really cute & all the kids were really good - even Brooke.  So much for a nice, quiet, stay at home Sunday!  Oh well, the kids had fun and so did I!