Well, I'm still unemployed and really starting to go crazy. Only thing good...it's been a good winter to be able to stay in out of the cold and snow we are getting. I have enjoyed being able to keep up on the political action. I just keep counting Barack's delegates......I'm sure he will be calling me again for advice.
I have the the video link from the Rocky Mountain News for a slideshow/video of caucus day at my house.
Also, Grandma is right.....it's time for some more pictures!!
Sorry to hear about the house deal falling thru. Hang in there and someday (when Barack is in office), the housing industry will get going again.
http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/multimedia/20080103_caucus_50883/
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Not Under Contract!!!
House in STL is officially on the market again. Easy come, easy go...
Fingers crossed that Rainbarrel will sell soon.
Fingers crossed that Rainbarrel will sell soon.
The holdup...
Sorry.. it's been a crazy week. Went to Miami (4 hour drive from daytona) on Friday for my mom's party on Saturday. Left early Sunday morning and all went to Tampa (4.5 hrs drive). House hunted all Sunday evening and Monday morning. Put an offer on a house Monday. Literally 5 minutes after we submit our offer to buy, we got called by our STL agent and warned that the buyers on Rainbarrel may be walking from the deal.
There's other stuff too complicated to write down. Besides, Dave and I are emotionally exhausted. We don't know where this all is going. We will let you know once things start getting sorted out.
Between our agent in Tampa, our agent in STL, the home we we're trying to buy here, the mortgage companies, the movers, Raytheon, the house we're trying to sell there, the tiny one bedroom apartment we're stuck in... there's been little time. We'll let you know when things start to make sense. Right now there are just too many balls in the air.
There's other stuff too complicated to write down. Besides, Dave and I are emotionally exhausted. We don't know where this all is going. We will let you know once things start getting sorted out.
Between our agent in Tampa, our agent in STL, the home we we're trying to buy here, the mortgage companies, the movers, Raytheon, the house we're trying to sell there, the tiny one bedroom apartment we're stuck in... there's been little time. We'll let you know when things start to make sense. Right now there are just too many balls in the air.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Under Contract!!!
Our O'fallon home went under contract today. We sold it for exactly what we bought it for. This is still great news to us because now we can get on with our lives. Now we can make decisions for ourselves and not keep wondering how long we'll have to live apart because of our home in STL... This is not to say that we have any idea when we'll settle in to a home in Tampa- just that now we're more in control of that decision.
The closing date is mid March (I think the 14th). We're still working on plans to do the packout.
We have not yet found a house here to move to. We were only 1/2 looking as we couldn't buy anything without selling first.
That's the scoop for now.
The closing date is mid March (I think the 14th). We're still working on plans to do the packout.
We have not yet found a house here to move to. We were only 1/2 looking as we couldn't buy anything without selling first.
That's the scoop for now.
Peek a boo!
I can't figure out why there's no sound.. but if you just say "peek a boo Nathan!" 3 times in a high pitched voice and giggle like a dufus, I think you'll get the picture.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Austin's a lumberjack!
Don't call child protection services... he wasn't doing this for very long!
This is a picture of Austin cutting firewood for the campground.
We went to St. Augustine
On Saturday we took the boys to St. Augustine- which was est. in 1565 and is the oldest permanent European settlement in the U.S. It was a military base for the protection of Spain's colonial trade and commerce. It's about an hour from where we're staying in Daytona.
The 2 big boys loved it- as we visited Castillo de San Marcos- a fort with canons and stories of pirates. The soldiers even fired off a canon when we were there!
So here's the good stuff- the pictures!
Friday, February 1, 2008
I know I shouldn't have favorites..
And I really DON'T have favorites... I just have some that are easier to catch on film...
Anywhoo- I wanted to give you all the update. Tomorrow (Feb 2nd) Nate is officially 10 months old. He took his first steps- thought exactly when is debatable. It's much like in football when you have to figure out if the receiver had full control of the ball before his knees hit the ground.
Anyways, he took his first step at some point this month. His likes are: trying to walk, splashing around in the toilet, biting people, and rubbing boogers in people's shirts.
Anywhoo- I wanted to give you all the update. Tomorrow (Feb 2nd) Nate is officially 10 months old. He took his first steps- thought exactly when is debatable. It's much like in football when you have to figure out if the receiver had full control of the ball before his knees hit the ground.
Anyways, he took his first step at some point this month. His likes are: trying to walk, splashing around in the toilet, biting people, and rubbing boogers in people's shirts.
Daddy's home!!!!
And, of course, even thought it's almost 10pm, Nathan's awake!
What a beautiful baby boy!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Thanks for the birthday card & gift
I showed A.J. the birthday card Grandma and Grandpa Fenn gave me for my birthday... and A.J. said, "is that Nathan??"
(I guess you'd have to have seen the card for this to be funny)
(I guess you'd have to have seen the card for this to be funny)
Friday, January 18, 2008
While we were in Little Rock...
A.J. and Tater stayed at Auntie Dawn's. At first A.J. thought it was pretty funny.
On day one, A.J. says to Dawn, "you're our NEW mommy now!" (all grins and giggles)
But by day two, the joke was over.
A.J. says, "this is only our pretend house, right? My mommy's coming back?"
*************************************
And while we were in the hospital... the research room is an large open area with 5 or 6 beds. All the "patients" can see and interact with each other. While Austin was being observed, a couple came in with a 4 month old baby and set up shop in the bed next to ours. The little baby was just pulling up on all fours. Austin looks up at me with tears welling up in his eyes and whispers, "Mommy, I sure hope that baby doesn't need a shot"... soooo sweet.
On day one, A.J. says to Dawn, "you're our NEW mommy now!" (all grins and giggles)
But by day two, the joke was over.
A.J. says, "this is only our pretend house, right? My mommy's coming back?"
*************************************
And while we were in the hospital... the research room is an large open area with 5 or 6 beds. All the "patients" can see and interact with each other. While Austin was being observed, a couple came in with a 4 month old baby and set up shop in the bed next to ours. The little baby was just pulling up on all fours. Austin looks up at me with tears welling up in his eyes and whispers, "Mommy, I sure hope that baby doesn't need a shot"... soooo sweet.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
"They misunderestimated me."- G.W. Bush
So we return from Little Rock. After some very traumatic blood work, Austin steps up to the plate. Our boy consumed 1200mg of peanut protein- or 100 times the dose he began at on September 12, 2006. He showed no ill effects. This is now the dose he will take for the next 4 months.
He also had a skin prick test. Here, they scrape the surface of the skin and apply various concentrations of his allergen and see what happens. When we originally did the test in 2006, he got a hive (positive result) on every concentration. This time, he only had one hive- on the 100% peanut concentration. This hive was very small. All the other concentrations produced essentially a negative result.
While the results of the RAST blood work are not yet in, it is clear to us that this regimen is “working”- or it is at least doing SOMETHING. Back when we started, Austin – on just 12mg- was having bouts of vomiting. Today- at 100 times that- he has no reaction at all.
The update from the Dr. Stacie Jones- UAMS’ doctor heading up the Arkansas leg of the study- is that 5 children in total have ‘finished’. This means they’ve reached the max dose of 1800mg & remained on it for a year. On that anniversary, they are removed from all peanut protein for a month, then blood work, skin tests, and a food challenge occurs. Of the 5 that have finished, 4 have NEGATIVE results on their blood work- meaning they test negative for peanut allergy. One showed a score of 33- which is a positive (anything higher than a 2 is positive). ALL FIVE of those kids had a food challenge- they were fed actual peanuts- and ALL FIVE PASSED that food challenge.
The new protocol is that once a subject is ‘finished’, they are to be sure to eat a tablespoon and a half of peanut butter every day to be sure their immune system doesn’t forget and become re-sensitized. Nobody knows if the results will hold on their own and nobody wants to find out the hard way if it doesn’t.
While the research is still very young and nobody knows what the future holds, there is hope. It’s incredible to be a part of this study. It’s incredible the progress that we’ve made. We are truly blessed.
Austin is a superhero.
He also had a skin prick test. Here, they scrape the surface of the skin and apply various concentrations of his allergen and see what happens. When we originally did the test in 2006, he got a hive (positive result) on every concentration. This time, he only had one hive- on the 100% peanut concentration. This hive was very small. All the other concentrations produced essentially a negative result.
While the results of the RAST blood work are not yet in, it is clear to us that this regimen is “working”- or it is at least doing SOMETHING. Back when we started, Austin – on just 12mg- was having bouts of vomiting. Today- at 100 times that- he has no reaction at all.
The update from the Dr. Stacie Jones- UAMS’ doctor heading up the Arkansas leg of the study- is that 5 children in total have ‘finished’. This means they’ve reached the max dose of 1800mg & remained on it for a year. On that anniversary, they are removed from all peanut protein for a month, then blood work, skin tests, and a food challenge occurs. Of the 5 that have finished, 4 have NEGATIVE results on their blood work- meaning they test negative for peanut allergy. One showed a score of 33- which is a positive (anything higher than a 2 is positive). ALL FIVE of those kids had a food challenge- they were fed actual peanuts- and ALL FIVE PASSED that food challenge.
The new protocol is that once a subject is ‘finished’, they are to be sure to eat a tablespoon and a half of peanut butter every day to be sure their immune system doesn’t forget and become re-sensitized. Nobody knows if the results will hold on their own and nobody wants to find out the hard way if it doesn’t.
While the research is still very young and nobody knows what the future holds, there is hope. It’s incredible to be a part of this study. It’s incredible the progress that we’ve made. We are truly blessed.
Austin is a superhero.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
1200 mg!
Today, Austin's peanut dosage was increased from 600mg to 1200mg. Everything went extremely well!
For those of you keeping score at home, he is now ingesting 100 times his initial dose of peanut protein PER DAY. 1200 mg is equivalent to 4 whole peanuts...
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