Winston and the Easter Bunny

Winston and the Easter Bunny
Originally uploaded by kristamks.

Winston got his picture taken with the Easter Bunny this year at PetExpress! (This picture was actually taken on 4/7 but I just got around to scanning it with my NEW SCANNER!!!!) He was a complete ass after his picture and snapped at another (way mellow) dog so we had to leave the store quickly. Guess I need to work more on his anti-aggressiveness training! Good Dog U website, here we come!

Motorcycles, MP530, Meat and Mettings!

What a day!! Yesterday I was feeling really good - perhaps the best I have in a week. Still tired but emotionally quite stable and today was almost as good!

I started off my day by purchasing a new Canon Pixma MP530 all-in-one printer that I'm enjoying so far! Then, I decided to go over to the DMV and get my motorcycle permit. I've been toying with the idea of getting my license since my miscarriage last January (2006) and was looking at the motorcycle safety program again the other day. In order to take the course, you have to have your permit and the permit is good for a year. I'm still not sure if I'm going to take the course or not but at least if I decide on a whim that I want to, I'm ready to go!! It made me feel very empowered to walk out of there with my permit! I guess it kind of makes me feel like I may be getting my life back to normal - whatever the hell that is!!

Then, I went to the meat sale at my local grocery store! This may sound like a really ridiculous thing to be excited about but Chris got me a foodsaver for Christmas and I just LOVE to use the thing and the meat sale gives me a great excuse to do so! So, I ended up spending $156 on groceries yesterday!!! BUT, I've got enough pork tenderloin, sirloins, fillets, frying chickens, smoked turkey sausage and whole chicken leg pieces to last me for a least 4 months (or one big party!!!)!

Tonight was also the HOG (Harley Owners Group) meeting which we always enjoy. They have a 'pig pot' where all of the members present put in a dollar and a name is drawn. If the person whose name is drawn is at the meeting and has put their dollar in, they win the money. The pot is up to a TON of money after not being won in over a year so we always go hoping to hit it - that'll be my new computer!! - but no luck last night an it will carry over to next month! Fingers crossed!!!

Tomorrow, I'm supposed to be going out to lunch with my friend Julia who lives in Harrisburg but I haven't heard from her about it!! I hope she's still planning on coming because I'm really looking forward to it!

On Saturday, there is a Spiritual and Holistic Fair at a local 'resort' that I'm going to and on Sunday it's off to the Spa at Hershey with the Ladies of Harley!!!! I'm REALLY looking forward to that!! I'm getting the body coffee polish and 35 minutes of reflexology as well a lunch with the ladies! I was hoping to take a meditation class as well but they only have Pilates and Body Muscle (whatever that is!) on Sundays. I guess I'll just have to sit in the silent room and meditate by myself! Nothing wrong with that.

Off to bed now! For lots and lots of sleep to give my body the rest that it needs. I've been very achy over the last week which, I'm sure, has something to do with my mood. Hopefully, I'm on the upswing now.

Another Appointment Update

Well, our doctor didn't say a whole lot new yesterday. We're going to re-run the tests that were 'abnormal' (the ANA and homocystine) and see what they say. He's upped my folic acid to a total of 4 mg per day and now we just have to wait one period and try again. I was going to have the testing done this morning but when I reviewed the lab slip, I realized that the homocystine was a 6-8 hour fast and I had just had breakfast. If I were to start the fast then, all of the labs would've been closed by the time I could've had the blood drawn so I'll go tomorrow morning.

I'm still trying to get myself back in order. I'm still spotting which is driving me crazy.I had every intention of going out for a walk today but just don't have the energy quite yet. Perhaps tomorrow will be better. I did get out in the garden a bit and ran Winston up and down the driveway so at least I was outside!! I didn't sleep well last night so I'm sure that doesn't help my energy level!

Anyway... Winston and I need to go get the mail so I'm off to do that. I'm sure I'll update once I receive the results of the blood work.

Lazy Monday

This weekend was very up and down for me. I spent Saturday morning getting the house ready for Easter and by the time Chris came home from 'work', I was tired. Having busied myself all week with Easter preparations, I kept my mind off of everything else going on in my life and by Saturday afternoon, with little left to do or think about, I ended up feeling very down. Friends were going out to the bar so we decided to go as well. We decided this earlier in the afternoon and when I was time to get ready, I really wasn't feeling up to it but got showered and dressed in my most cuddly sweater in case I needed its support! I felt like everyone was staring at me when we first got there but I eased up and ended up having a really nice time. Of course, everybody knows that I've had yet another miscarriage and I did a pretty good job of telling people that I didn't want to talk about it if I didn't. (That's real progress for me!) I drank too much, of course (I started lent a day late and figured I'd end it a day early too) and stayed too long but I'm glad that we went. Friends from Chicago were there and it's always nice to get to catch up with them. Especially since they were only here for a week this trip!

Yesterday was a wonderful day! I didn't go to church because, really, I'd rather go on the 'off' weeks when it's not so crowded!! I haven't been in weeks and a feel a bit guilty about it but I will be going back soon. I think this week starts my attempt to get back to my normal life again - gym, church, walking, etc...

But anyway, Easter was wonderful! We had 10 for dinner - all Chris' family since I don't really have any. I did a photo scavenger Easter egg hunt for his 10-year-old nephew which I thought was a lot of fun!! I hid the eggs *in* things and then took a picture of part of them (the knob from a drawer, handle from a basket, etc) and had him find them that way. It kept him busy for almost an hour!!! When he wasn't occupied by that, he and Winston were outside playing which is great because as soon as everyone left, Winston was asleep and he's still tired today! There's nothing I love more than a tired, cuddly puppy!!

My mother-in-law made the ham and scalloped potatoes; sister-in-law brought mushrooms, corn, brussel sprouts and rolls; grandmom brought fruit salad; Aunt Gayle brought (Panera!) bread and wine and I made tomato pudding, Waldorf salad, green salad, strawberry pretzel salad for dessert and I got a bunny-shaped ice cream cake from Carvel! Yummy!!!

Tomato pudding is something that my father made at every holiday meal and I just came across his recipe a few months ago as I was going through some of his cookbooks. His recipe is very similar to this recipe except that it doesn't use the tomatoes, just the sauce. I used to request this all the time but haven't had it since I was a kid so I took a chance and made it and hoped that I still liked it! Well, I did and so did everybody else! I think that may become a staple for holidays for me, too!

We ate at 3:00 and people actually stayed till almost 7:00!! Normally, that would sound a bit overwhelming but I was really glad to have the opportunity to just hang out with everybody and spend some time with people that we don't see often.

We've got an appointment with Dr. West this afternoon at 2:30. I've *almost* stopped bleeding finally (20 days is ENOUGH already!!!). I'm sort of anxious to hear what he has to say but I'm really afraid that at this point we're onto an IVF discussion which is someplace that I really don't want to be.

Anyway, I'm off to the front room to take the leaves out of the table and perhaps move it back into the dining room. I'll update about our doctor's appointment later.

5th miscarriage official

Well, it's official. I have now had my 5th miscarriage. I am so tired of feeling so completely and utterly defective that it's not funny. There are women out there drinking through their pregnancies, taking drugs through their pregnancies and they get blessed with perfectly healthy babies. I am doing EVERYTHING in my power to keep myself healthy for my babies and I never even get to hold any of them. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement. Why is this so difficult? And why does everyone else get it so easy? I know that life isn't fair to anyone but come on. Isn't this getting a little ridiculous?

here we go again

The cramping started about 45 minutes ago - just in time for my ob's office to be closed. I'm not hopeful that things will be ok but I'll call them in the morning to see if I can get in for an u/s. The way the cramping and bleeding are going, I doubt there will be anything to see tomorrow but I'll post anyway.

Nervous morning...

My temperature dropped this morning and I'm really nervous about it. I know that you're not supposed to keep temping once you're pregnant but one of my (very early) miscarriages was heralded by a temperature drop and ever since then, I just continue even if I get a positive. I guess that's probably not a good idea since one temp can make me think the worst! Anyway... I just have to keep telling myself that it's just one temperature (even though it's the lowest one yet) and hope that it goes up tomorrow = (



Like I said, I'm still charting and I realized that without my fertilityfriend ticker, you have no way of checking out my chart if you want! So here's the link to my FertilityFriend page. I did a pretty good job of taking it easy yesterday. I may have done a bit too much but not WAY too much!! As I was laying on the couch resting yesterday afternoon, I resisted the urge to get up and do things and instead started making a list of them!! Last night after we got home from the club meeting, I did a few of the easier ones and enlisted Chris' help for a few of the others. If we keep up that pace, the list will be done before we know it! I think this may be a technique that I continue to employ even when I don't have to take it easy!

So, that's about it! I lead a very boring life right now. My mind is focused on getting this pregnancy through the next 2 weeks and giving my body what it needs which, right now, might be a nap!

Back to the grind... Monday, Monday!

Well, the spotting is definitely stopping! Woo Hoo!

I got my three things accomplished that I wanted to do yesterday: make dinner (the lamb was very yummy!!), cut up my pineapple (which I'm having as part of a nutritionally balanced breakfast right now!) and I folded the laundry. I was pretty good at balancing rest and 'routine' but there isn't' much of a routine for Sundays!!! Today will be the real test. With Easter coming up and us having dinner here, will I be able to balance all of the things I have to do with not over doing it? Will I be able to organize myself well enough so as not to be completely rushed, run down, and overdoing it by Friday? Stay tuned to find out

Since I won't be doing any more running for the foreseeable future, I've decided to take down the running widget from my sidebar. Just in case I need it again in the future, though, I'm pasting the code here so I don't lose it in my computer! (It doesn't show up but at least I know it's here if I need it!!)


And now without any further ado, I'm off to plan my day!