Diabetes Road Trip

Before I get to the road trip, I have to mention that Carter lost a tooth the Wednesday night while eating chicken.  It just popped right out.  

I guess Walmart chicken is good for something….(my filter is being bombarded with inappropriate comments right now,  If I don't change the subject quick, I won't be able to help myself and those hateful comments will be written down.  So I'll move on.)

Also on Wednesday, my three oldest all had stellar parent teacher conferences.  I'm happy, their teachers are happy, the boys are happy.  Happiness and joy all around.  

 Now onto the trip.

Yesterday I drove Carter to Idaho Falls for his 6 month diabetes appointment.  I was extra wonderful because Steve too Andrew, Colby and Saylor to the dental office for checkups and a little yard work, and my mom took Grady for the morning.  Its was peaceful to drive with just Carter and myself for the trip.   Originally, this trip was scheduled for two weeks ago…but Steve conveniently passed a kidney stone on the same day, so we decided to reschedule.  (long story that includes tons of pain so I'll skip it. Poor poor Steve.)

Part of the deal of diabetes appointments is Carter gets to choose where we eat lunch.

He chose Cafe Rio because 1. he loves it and 2. he wanted me to be able to eat too.  Carter is adorable and thoughtful that way.

He is also nice enough to order pork nachos so I can eat some of them.   He's a dreamy kid.

His appointment went great.  He is growing (slowly but surely), his insulin was increased, and the Dr even mentioned how handsome he is.  (I'm not surprised.)   We also received a new Rx for Humalog instead of Novalog because of our new insurance.  

After we see the doctor, Carter always has a blood draw for his A1C.  This is not his favorite part, but he never complains.

But would you complain if YOU got Fart Putty as a prize afterwards?

Probably not.

Part of our Idaho Falls trip always includes a stop at either Kiwi Loco or Orange Leaf.  This time Kiwi Loco was on the same side of the street we were on.  We're all about ease when it comes to crazy Idaho Falls traffic.

Overall, it was a seamless trip.  I like seamless.

Other good news around our house??

We changed health insurance this month.  We now pay EVEN more than we did before but we have NO deductable.  I could roll around on the floor I am so happy.  Even though we are paying through the nose for our premiums, our heath care costs have gone down dramatically.

(This was not what I expected when we were anticipating Obama-care changes…so I'm really thrilled.)

This is how much we had to pay for Steve's CT scan from two weeks ago.

I could cry with happiness.

This is what I paid for two vials of insulin today.  Before our deductible last year, I paid close to $300 for the same two vials.

More tears of happiness.

I actually had to pull myself together as I checked out today at Target.  My face flushed bright red as I tried not to cry.  It was awesome.

cramming with lists

This week is full.

Meaning…I have too many things on my calendar and therefore I feel stressed.

Sadly, I fully realize that my calendar being filled is actually every other normal persons' everyday calendar, but I don't like being busy- or having a full calendar- so I feel stressed.  (I truly love having my biggest stresser being which cookies to make and/or how many bags of gluten free snacks I should buy at TJ-Maxx that afternoon.)

Yesterday, today and tomorrow I will be in my car driving to and fro from 3-6 pm…and I have no one to blame but myself.  I'M the one who signed my kids up for all this crap.

I also have to drive to Idaho Falls with Carter on Thursday for an endocrinologist appointment and I'm leaving Grady for the first time.  He is a huge, as in ginormous, as in colossal, mamma's boy at the moment and I'm secretly terrified he will cry for my mom the entire time.  (I'm really sorry Mom!  It's only until Steve is off work in the afternoon.)

I know my stress threshold must be reaching it's limit because I am making lists of what I have to do and where I have to be.  I'm also repeatedly verbally reciting these lists to my husband who I am sure is rolling his eyes and letting my ramblings go in one ear and out the other.

Friday morning I'm going to be very happy.  My to-do list will be much shorter.  However…my laundry pile will be inversely proportional to that to-do list.  (Two days of untouched laundry in this house can overtake a small empire.)

But for now…I am going to get in my pjs, ignore the fact that I have too much to do tomorrow, watch netflix with Steve and eat at least 500 calories of pure nutritional emptiness.   Denial is my best friend sometimes.

Our Spring Break in Food

We stayed here in Twin for spring break this year.  Steve worked all week (full schedule…hurray) and the kids and I tried to stay busy.  As I looked over our week of pictures on my phone there was a reoccurring theme- food.  So apparently, we ate all spring break with a few other non food things mixed in.

Monday Carter and Andrew went to Pomerelle with my dad.  They are spoiled and I hope they realize how lucky they are to have a Grandpa that will take them skiing.  (My mom jokes that semi-retirement for my dad is really really tough.)

Tuesday we stayed home and ate chocolate cake for breakfast to make ourselves feel better.  It had sunk in that all our friends and neighbors were enjoying the warmth of southern locations while we were freezing our booties off here in our cold Idaho spring.

The kids worked and cleaned with me Tuesday morning so I took them to lunch that afternoon.

I'm a big spender and we went to Costco.

Colby had been begging for a big hot dog all weekend.

See Colby!  Dreams really do come true!

Wednesday our Johnson cousins came to town.

It was cold outside and the Johnson kids had dental appointments.  (I wonder who their dentist is???)

I had to catch a few pictures of how the kids filled their spring break time.

When screens are off…teenage boys can be really creative!

(Notice how neither Andrew or Walker would look at the camera.)

Wednesday night the kids stayed home and Steve and I went to dinner with my parents and JaNae and Jeff.

After dinner we snuck over to the new church building that is being built close to our home and checked out the progress.

(the doors were open…how could we not go in?)

The building was beyond beautiful!  We are so thrilled to be assigned to this new building starting in June.

Steve, unlike the rest of us, didn't eat his way through spring break.  He worked and built these lockers for our garage.  Hopefully all the kids' junk will now stay outside my home.  (wishful thinking on my part.)  I am thrilled to have these for the kids and am overjoyed with my husband's handiwork. 

Friday, my sister JaNae had a truly fun idea.  We decided to take all the Walker grandkids on a progressive fast food lunch.

Just imagine…13 grandkids, 5 adults, four eating establishments over 2 hours.  

Yes, it blows my mind too, but it was really really fun.

First stop:  Wendy's.

Everyone got a hamburger.

I finally got Wyatt to give me a real smile and Carter did this.  

I feel a child strangling coming on.

Next stop:  Five Guys….for fries of course!

 Then it was off to Daisy's for volcano drinks!

I think I want to invest in some dry ice and the little metal containers so I can make these at home.

Drinking soda with dry ice is so much cooler than drinking it without!

Last stop:  Dairy Queen for some soft ice cream.

 The boys:  Carter, Wyatt, Colby, Wes and AJ

The girls!  Mom, Saylor, Meg, Whitney and Annie.

The teenagers:  Holly, Walker and Andrew.

Grandma and Grady.

He is a lover of ice cream now.

This was the scene around 4 pm that night.  These two had played hard all week with cousins and were completely exhausted.

Yesterday Steve got up early and went skiing with my dad and the three oldest.

No pictures on the hill…but we are sure to get pictures in the lodge with hot chocolate.

On the way home, Steve stopped in Burly and took the boys for hamburgers at Stevoes.  (I'm sure I spelled that wrong.)

I think this plate of food can be crowned the ultimate ending to a food spring break.

Yum.

They ate the leftovers today after church.

My Babies on Their 1st Birthday

Andrew Stephen 2001

 Andrew Stephen

Carter Dean 2004

Carter Dean

Colby Virge 2007

Colby Virge

Saylor Kate 2010

Saylor Kate

Grady Paul 2014 

Grady Paul

Grady's 1st Birthday

My fifth baby turned one year old today.

It couldn't have been a better day.

We went to church at 8am, I spoke in the college ward at 10am, we were all home by 11:30.  We had lunch; Steve, Grady and I all took a nap; we gave Grady his first present; and we lounged around all afternoon.  Dinner was cooked on the grill, cupcakes were frosted and both sets of grandparents were at our home by 6 pm.  

Grady was happy and pleasant all day.  The other kiddos doted on him like he was the prince of the house.

My happiness plate has been filled.

Happy Birthday Grady Paul!

We love you so much and couldn't imagine our home without you!

Cutest picture of my five kids ever!

(Yes…three of my children are in their pj's at 3pm.  Sundays are wonderful like that!  They were instructed to get dressed before grandparents arrived.)

Jumbo muffin pans make the best cupcakes!

Lots and lots of helpers to open presents.

A Phone?  Just what I always wanted!

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Dixon!

Showing off Grady's new hat fresh from Disney World.

Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Walker!!

 I could die this picture is so cute.

Looks like two of my boys eat the same way.

What?  I have a Grandma on either side of me?

Inconceivable.

 Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Kisses from Grandma.

Facts about Grady at 1 year old:

Hates baths.

Starting to walk this week.  He took about 5 steps in a row just today.

Loves loves loves to dance and shake his groove thing.

Plays on the stairs all day.

Down to one nap a day.

Loves peanut butter oatmeal cookies (who wouldn't), Pirate Booty, yogurt and chicken.

Loves his binky.

Only up once a night but with otherwise sleep from about 8 until 8.

Has his siblings wrapped around his chubby little finger.  (except Saylor…she sees right through those sparkling blue eyes.)

Babbles all day long but isn't yet saying words.

Loves to drink water but won't drink milk out of a sippy cup. 

Loves to play with cars.  Will push them around the floor and make zoom zoom sounds.