Halloween happenings

We started out the week with our youngest having strep which 3 days later landed us at the hospital progressing into Pnemonia. With a week of missed school and mom in the hospital for cellulitis we had a lot of time to prepare some goulish treats.

With the help of my oldest daughter, we frosted cutout cookies, made cupcakes and went trick or treating not once but twice. We even made some witches brew which was quite a hit.

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween and made some special memories of your own.

Country Picnics: A Guide To Pizza On The Farm « CBS Minnesota

Whether your looking to try something new or get out and enjoy the outdoors here is a wonderful adventure to try.



Country Picnics: A Guide To Pizza On The Farm « CBS Minnesota

HealthyChildren.org - Halloween Safety Tips

Found a web sight with some great safety tips I wanted to share. May everyone have a safe and Happy Halloween.

HealthyChildren.org - Halloween Safety Tips

One day at a time my daughter overcomes her addiction

Being a non- drinker i tried to be an advocate to my children. I believe they can only attest to one time ever having seen me drink. I would have never thought I would one day had children who would have had issues with abuse. Yet for one reason or another it happens. no one is immune.

Having said that it breaks a mothers heart to see their child dependent on something that clearly is destroying their life. As a parent you never want to see your child hurting. You do anything to protect them and keep them safe. To see their life spiraling out of control and theirs nothing you can do is the greatest pain a parent can have. You start to question where you went wrong? What you should have done differently? And how in the world can you help and make it all stop?

I can say this.... Their is nothing I found that works until they are ready to quit! You are not in control. They are not in control. I can say, and trust me this one is hard, you cannot be the enabler. This was the hardest for me to learn. I was not helping the situation by pretending it was going to get better.
Several times I thought my daughter hit her rock bottom and just when mom came to the rescue we were off and running again.

Then one day I received a call out of no where. My daughter was asking questions about treatment. I was pleased and actually relieved. However, just like in the past I was disappointed when shed find more excuses to continue on and pretend it wasn't that bad. In her eyes she didn't have a problem.

It wasn't until her boyfriend came to us and as a family we learned to stand up to this illness together that she finally relized their was a problem.

That day finally came when she put herself in treatment. After just a week she was learning of all the hurt she had kept inside and the effects it had not on just herself but others around her. She underwent treatment for 4 months. As each day, week and month passed we regained our daughter.

She started to enjoy life again. As she continues her sobriety we couldn't be more proud of her and the woman she has become. I have my daughter back. Here she is at a suprise party the family threw for her after graduating treatment.

Working together teaches love of the outdoors

Over the years many people have asked how my husband and I can get along with my ex so well. It wasn't always easy. There was a time I hated him. He's an ex for a reason.

Although I never knew it way back when the two of them were friends growing up. They grew up in the same neighborhood. It took several years but eventually we all learned to get along.

When the kids were little the ex would bring them fishing and hunting. After my husband and I were married and also started camping and fishing, later on it was gun safety and then hunting.

We formed a party and what we ended up with was well rounded, kids who became responsible adults. They love to camp, hunt, fish and enjoy the outdoors.

I relize this isn't possible for all people but for my kids I can say they were fortunate. They were fortunate to have a step dad who loved them as his own and a dad who welcomed him as well.

As we get ready for deer hunting I thought I'd share some pictures of the latest season.

Carving the pumpkin

There's something about the innocence and excitement of a young child and carving their Halloween pumpkin. For a first timer our youngest grand baby dug right in. As for my youngest she's all pro and well seasoned at gutting a pumpkin. She even remembered to separate the seeds for roasting later.

I absolutely love the carving tools they sell now days too. I can tell you we sure didn't have anything like them. They do wear out and break quick and although these two little punkins are too young to use them yet I sure love them.

Dads Trade Overtime for Quality Time

Have you heard about the watch D.O.G.S. Program?

Dads are heroes of the school hallways who are not only engaging men. Their presence is inspiring children, reducing bullying but also enhancing the educational environment.

WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) - is the father involvement initiative of the National Center for Fathering that organizes fathers and father figures in order to provide positive male role models for the students and to enhance school security. Today, more than 2127 active programs in 40 states and New Zealand participate in the WATCH D.O.G.S. Program!

Please visit www.fathers.com and follow the link for how you can help your child and their school today.


Dads Trade Overtime for Quality Time

Shared from www.fathers.com

The annual trap shoot tournament

It's no secret our family loves the outdoors. We, raised our children to hunt, fish and camp since they were just days old. Almost everything has revolved around the great outdoors.

This weekend was no different with the annual trap shoot tournament. My husband and oldest son try to compete every year. Theyve had their name on the trophy many times. My oldest son took first place again this year. The weather was beautiful, the company was fantastic and overall it was a great way to end summer and start hunting.

Congrats Dustin!

My new keurig

I can't say enough about my keurig. I first used one several years back that was offered by a rep to my employer. Now that I own my own I absolutely can't live without it. I don't care for coffee. That's my husbands thing. I'm a hot chocolate and chai kinda girl. However, I find myself buying all kinds of things just to try. It's easy to use, looks fantastic, and offers an enormous selection to my guests. I've already sold numerous friends and family on it. Does anyone know how I could get a sample assortment?

Im a troop leader

Being a troop leader for daisy scouts has been an eye opener. It's exciting and yet I feel I missed out so much by not being there for my other daughters to do the same. I feel I missed out on a lot.
This week the whole troop was out sick and we weren't informed until after the meeting. Disappointing? Yes! But we made the best of it and had a great time together. Here we are making a collage of our nations bird and even had time to paper machet a bird bath.

What not to do when involved in a car accident

Started out my day by being rear ended on the highway. I was sitting at the stop light in my husbands car, which I really typically don't drive. I was looking for the rear defrost when I felt the fast, sudden jolt. Safely, crossing the intersection before pulling off to the side, a young male roles down his window apologizing and claiming no damage. Preaching this warning to my kids since the time they started driving, I know I need to get out and assess the damage myself as well as exchange insurance information. Having said that, sometimes as a parent we don't always follow our own advice which later comes back to haunt us.

As I get out of the vehicle I feel absolutely fine. There appears to be no damage to either car. I immediately suspect the driver has no insurance as he is begging me not to call police and offering to pay if I see anything. I don't and I sympothize with the driver simply jotting down his license plate and make of car as he drives off. I'm actually comfortable knowing everything is fine and I've saved this kid for the day. A good deed for me today. He looks familiar and I'm pretty sure he used to hang around my youngest son.

Driving down the road I pull over to make a quick call to my husband whose only concern is if I'm ok. I next call my younger son to gossip about this mornings events. After not being able to answer his first question which was "who was it"? I relize I've failed to follow my own advice and my son is quick to point that out.

Continuing on to my girl scout meeting I again look over the car after reaching my destination. I now notice a black rubber scuff mark but still no concern. While sitting in training I start to become uncomfortable and find myself moving quite a bit. A headache has began to consume me. Still oblivious to the fact this is all due to the onset of the accident it isn't for yet another half an hour when I reach home that the pieces come together. Here I am. My neck hurts and is radiating into my shoulder. I have a headache and now my knee is also painful. I'm sure I'll be fine in a couple days but with no health insurance of my own I realize my good deed might have been my first mistake to protect myself.

I guess next time I might want to take my own advice when faced with the " to act or not to act" questions in life. Chalk this up as a learning experience.

So you think Gastric Bypass Surgery is the easy way out?

We all know its not as attractive being overweight and most of us would love to be thin and look great in no matter what we wear. Do you know however, what the dangers are of being overweight? Obesity is a health risk. Excessive fat increases your chance of heart disease, having a stroke, diabetes, cancer, gout, gallbladder disease, gallstones, arthritis, and breathing problems including sleep apnea.

Next lets talk about the secondary health risks. Things like depression and anxiety. Do you realize how many overweight people deny themselves of living life to the fullest? I've known many people, like myself, who absolutely hate going anywhere in public. Simple things like swimming, amusement parks, school functions, out to eat, family gatherings, meeting new people, even job searches and promotions can cause anxiety in an overweight person. Even having your picture taken makes you run and hide or at least attempt to get in behind someone else.

My daughter, age 23, just had Gastric Bypass Surgery today. Was I concerned? Absolutely! I would be a fool not to be. In fact, I tried on numerous occasions to talk her out of it. To be honest, I've seriously thought about doing it myself. If it wasn't for having to give up my two biggest contributors, caffeine and cigarettes I probably would have. The problem is we all want a easy fix. We all wish it were truly as easy as everyone thinks. In all reality, Gastric Bypass has it's own health risks. It also doesn't come as easy as everyone might think. My daughter has been working with her surgeon for a year. My guess is, behind most overweight person lies someone with health issues, psychological issues or some other problem. Whether diagnosed or not most people have a reason they are overweight. Mine started as having thyroid disease. It escalated when I became even less active when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. For my daughter, she was a very thin girl most of her life. She got pregnant at 16 years old and did initially lose weight after having baby. However, that was short lived when depression and anxiety became a major role in her life. She's battled the roller coaster of weight ever since going from one crash diet to another. Pressured by peers and trying to fit in she then began to drink to try and fit in. Again, combined with depression and anxiety she quickly becomes consumed with drinking. It wasn't until she started having other health issues and her life began to spin out of control that she seriously started talking about having Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Thanks to the surgery that has a very strict protocol she underwent many physical and psychological exams. Her doctor ordered counseling and she put herself in treatment. Her life is truly for the better. After years of depression and anxiety shes finally living life and feeling great about herself again. After successfully completing treatment she has a fantastic outlook on life again. Despite all the wonderful things that are going on for her she still has other health issues which prevent her from working a lot of jobs and she still battles her weight. Sometimes you have to step back, take a deep breath and ask which outweighs the benefits. For her, it was weight loss.

So, no, it is not a quick fix. Its not taking the easy way out. This is a lifelong commitment that took over a year to get here. For good or bad this is her new life. I pray for the best for her. I wish her great success and I hope she is able to live every day to the fullest. I hope she is able to smile confidently again and that everyday is a blessing and better than the day before.

Gastric Bypass Surgery goes far beyond looking good in your clothes.

A day in the life of a cancer survivor

It's Thursday morning and that means it's back to the cancer center. We've spent nearly the past year and a half here every Thursday. It's a pretty typical day with lab work starting at 9am followed by a visit with the cancer doc before heading off for chemo. As I sit in this small 8x10 room separated nearly by a curtain I watch as nurses and numerous volunteers hustle by. I recognize many familiar faces. Some have also been here awhile others I can tell are new. I've learned to differentiate by the look of the unknown on their faces as well as pain and sorrow in their eyes. I am only grateful for the wonderful care team who is always eager to please and make each person feel cared for and important.

As my eyes glance around our room my mother naps in her recliner; wrapped up cozy beneath 2 cotton warmed Blankies. Her IV cocktail is the usual combination of chemo & magnesium. her NASCAR is on. A repeat of the past weekend events which she thoroughly enjoyed being a part of.

Yes, my mother is a survivor! I am so proud of her compassion for others, her will to fight and the strength she continues to move forward.

When Domestic Abuse Hits Home

 Being an advocate for many years of domestic abuse I was sure my daughters and sons alike would never become victim. AS a mother, a family member or a friend the last thing you ever want to imagine is that someone could hurt someone you love so much. Yet it happens. It happens everyday! It doesn't matter if your rich or poor or what ethnic background you have. Amazingly enough Ive had to sit back knowing something was not quite right for the past month. Doing this can rip apart at your ever last sense and completely empower you. Taking away and ripping at every last sense of security and dignity one has. I sat, I watched and I tried to step back and pray that I was wrong. I called a county social worker, I talked to family, I talked to family and friends. It seemed I was the only one seeing the true devastating signs. I know I'm the overbearing mother who cant let her baby go... Do you realize how hard it is to be on the outside looking in when everyone else sees you as this overbearing mother?

Then a few days ago, call it a sign but my brother posted a link on domestic abuse. Again, I get this gut wrenching feeling that this is yet another sign to keep my eyes open. I felt almost as it was a sign from God saying don't turn your back just as I'm about to let go. Maybe I am overbearing?

I start getting random phone calls and requests to babysit. I know deep down something is wrong. Today the call comes. Thank God sooner then later. My child has been punched, choked and is emotionally distressed. Worse yet my grand baby fell victim last night. I do what I know best. I drop what I'm doing, run to the rescue and call the police. Yes, they are safe. Not before a confrontation and many more abusive remarks which were directed not only at my daughter but her friends and family. How I ever managed to keep in control is beyond me to be honest. After several pictures, reports and a couple hours with police we are trying to make sense of a devastating event. As we all pick up the pieces I want to share the warning signs and link from Everyday Health my brother posted just a couple days ago. Thank you Kipp for posting this when you didn't even know there was an issue.

Domestic abuse pulls families apart every day. If you are a victim please get help. If you know of a victim please let them know you are there for them. Know the warning signs! Promises the abuse will stop are just that. They rarely do.

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is abuse that happens in a personal relationship. It can happen between past or current partners, spouses, or boyfriends and girlfriends.
Domestic violence affects men and women of any ethnic group, race, or religion; gay or straight; rich or poor; teen, adult, or elderly. But most of its victims are women. In fact, 1 out of 4 women will be a victim at some point.¹
The abuser may use fear, bullying, and threats to gain power and control over the other person. He or she may act jealous, controlling, or possessive. These early signs of abuse may happen soon after the start of the relationship and might be hard to notice at first.
After the relationship becomes more serious, the abuse may get worse.

• The abuser may begin making threats, calling the other person names, and slamming doors or breaking dishes. This is a form of emotional abuse that is sometimes used to make the person feel bad or weak.
• Physical abuse that starts with a slap might lead to kicking, shoving, and choking over time.²
• As a way to control the person, the abuser may make violent threats against the person’s children, other family members, or pets.
• Abusers may also control or withhold money to make the person feel weak and dependent. This is called financial abuse.
• Domestic violence also includes sexual abuse, such as forcing a person to have sex against her will.

Money troubles and problems with drugs or alcohol can make it more likely that abuse will happen.
Abuse is also common in teens who are dating. It often happens through controlling behaviors and jealousy.

<a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/domestic-violence.aspx">Symptoms of  Domestic Violence - What is domestic violence? What should you do if you're being abused? What should you do if you know someone who is being abused? Why do victims stay? - Children's Health</a>

Black and Blue: Symptoms of a Concussion - Motherly Law

Black and Blue: Symptoms of a Concussion - Motherly Law


As most of you know my daughter suffered a TBI after being hit by a car. I wish I had read this wonderful post by "Motherly Love" I might have recognized the warning signs. Please visit her blog she has some wonderful information.
Thank you,
Tam

Who Are You and Where Did You Come From?: Tips for Talking to Your Child About Adoption by Motherly Law

Who Are You and Where Did You Come From?: Tips for Talking to Your Child About Adoption



A big Thank You "motherly law" for allowing me to post this fantastic post!

Trip to Kansas City Casino 400

Most of my followers are aware my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer a little over a year ago. That being said anyone that knows her knows she is a NASCAR fanatic and Tony Stewart is her driver! I am happy to announce that she did infect leave for Kansas city today and both her and my dad are having a good time. They haven't taken a vacation in 30 years so this is a long time coming. They made it safe and sound and I'm hoping it is everything she ever dreamed of and more. I'm also hoping the two of them will just have some much needed time away and time together without all the stress that goes along with life and this past year.
Love ya mom and dad! Now relax, put down the phone and enjoy each others company.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

South Dakota proves to be a great Vacation getaway!

I promised to share some of the high ores with my readers from summers events as I took some time off from blogging. Here is the one memory which proved to be an exciting, inexpensive and wonderful 4 day event.

I'm a firm believer that not all vacations need to be long, far from home or expensive in order to recharge and feel like you really had a great time. Some people travel the world and Have never even travelled their own state. Destination #1 is one of those places. We set out with our 6 year old Alexis and 3 year old grand daughter Emma. The destination.... 4 hours from home is Aberdeen, South Dakota! On our way we stopped in the small town of ortonville, mn where they had the neatest little museum and one of the best duck displays I've ever seen. It's a small little tourist information place coming into the town and even has a guide, an old school house, chapel and an old steamer boat. (picture below)

After eventually arriving in Aberdeen (now 7 hours later), hearing "Rio" repeatedly play on my sons DVD player in his mini van, 100 requests for food, snacks and bathroom breaks we make the vital mistake to stop at ihop. Despite the fact the kids have already been asking "are we there yet" for well over 100 miles, their obviously too excited and and well lost their patience to wait one more minute. After checking into The holiday inn express which is absolutely perfect for this age of kids, we headed to storybook land which is a mile down the road. Not only is it absolutely free but one of the most amazing theme parks I've ever encountered. It's well kept, well run, and with all the volunteers we spoke to you can immediately tell there city is very proud of it and should be! By the way it has the wizard of oz inside of it which is unreal. Ah, i almost forgot to mention the petting zoo! Theres also a zoo thats free there too and a really neat "mini train". Love this place and I've told absolutely everyone about it. We will go back!!! We stayed until closing. Back at our motel the kids suited up for their very own waterpark built just for small kids. The pool at it's deepest was 3 foot or less and had plenty of slides, toys and cute characters and frog pads to cross. (see pool pic)They also serve a wonderful hot breakfast in the morning which was plentiful and even served hot waffles that were to die for. After breakfast we went back in the waterpark before heading back to storybook land and whily park for most of the day before deciding to head to Sioux falls.

Sioux falls was another 3 hours south of where we were I will post that blog separate as there is so much waiting to be discovered there.
Total trip cost at this point roughly $20.00 in gas at nearly 4.00 per gallon. $120.00 for motel. $30.00 ihop.
Total $175.00.
I also want to let you know we could have stayed in a sleeping cabin for $30.00 per night had we had our own bedding with.
See adorable pics of storybook land. Note I took hundreds here. You'd have to see it to believe it!

The Bucket List

It's truly been a long and exhausting day. After rushing home from caring for mom I barely had time to grab food on the go before my service unit meeting for girl scouts. Yes, once again I'm a troop leader and although my days are filled I look forward to this journey with my 6 year old!

Shifting gears I wanted to share with my followers my moms current status with the stage 4 ovarian cancer. As most of you are aware she is out of remission. This means we are once again going through chemo therapy. Unfortunately, she is now allergic to the carboplatins which really limits available treatments. We were recently given some devastating news when the cancer doc informed us this is terminal with no future hope for further remissions. As you can imagine, this initially hit my mom like a ton of bricks and dropped me to my knees. We both had some high expectations and were truly not prepared for the news received. I immediately along with my husband, made the decision to make her dream of a NASCAR race a reality. I went online and purchased her and my dad tickets for both Saturday and Sunday races at Kansas city this weekend. God was with me when I was able to purchase front row isle seats on turn 1 for both days along with pit passes and a meet and greet before the race. We are hoping for a miracle meeting with Tony Stewart her number one and only driver for several years but as of now they can't guarantee it with all the days events and track promotions. As you can imagine she is dancing on a cloud right now and can't wait for the rumble of the cars live where she will experience a dream come true. Here she is in her racing coat and her truck gassed, packet and ready to go! Let's go racing!!!

My name is mom

My name is mom. I am caring,loving,demanding and even bitchy at times. But God created you just for me. I will always have your best interest at heart.
It took me a long time to see it but I realize now that children cannot learn from your mistakes. They need the freedom to learn from their own. As painful as that may be for me to watch, I'm learning to keep quiet.
Let me tell you the hardest thing to do is watch your children make there own decisions, knowing sometimes they are wrong. Ive come to the conclusion however, that I raised them to be loving and responsible adults. We all make mistakes and they have the right to make theirs as well. I stand beside my family and they know I am always here. There are two things we should give our children: roots to give them strength and wings to help them fly.

Ive been nominated for an award

I was recently nominated for an award. I wanted to share the article with you. Whether or not anything comes of it I feel honored.

I nominate TL a troop leader for Daisey Scouts.

Because of her involvement with friends, family and her community she has changed the lives of many people. She is a role model to the younger generation and a mentor to many.

Tammi attended college at RCC pursuing a degree in Human Services. She was inducted into Phi Thetta Kappa national honor fraternity. She later obtained a certificate as a nursing assistant through Brainerd Lakes.

Tammi was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003, but that doesn't seem to slow her down much.

Working in real estate as a secretary, she was laid off the same day her daughter laid in critical condition after being hit by a car as a pedestrian. Her daughter suffered traumatic brain injury and while everyone else seemed to believe there was little help, Tammi stayed by her side 24/7 for 3 years spending hours upon hours rushing from one doctor to another. Her persistence paid off when her daughter graduated just this year.

Once her daughter was stable, she again returned to work. Just 2 weeks later she received yet another devastating blow. Her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. She immediately left her job to stay home and care for her mother.

Despite an already busy life and mother to 5, Tammi is very easy going and willing to do anything to help someone in need. She believes someone always has it worse and she tries to look at the upside of things and find the positive in everything and everyone.

Tammi supports a number of organizations and causes. Some of them I am aware of are teen moms, prison re-entry project, the epilepsy foundation, traumatic brain injury association, multiple sclerosis awareness, ARC, Birthline, and Anna Maries- victims of domestic abuse.

She has been a child foster care provider since 1997 and recognized in 2001. She did home daycare for numerous years specializing in special needs working with developmentally challenged children.

Volunteer work includes being girl scout volunteer, a past boyscout achievement coordinator as well as assistant leader. She's taken in numerous people in need as well. Both children and adults are always welcomed.

She also volunteers with toys for tots, caritas clothing volunteer, suicide prevention, and she's even helped 3 girls get their bronze and silver girl scout awards and traveled to NYC with 200 girls!!

To relieve stress, Tammi and her family go camping nearly every weekend where her and her husband dj all of the dances. They have a seasonal site and have been there for 15 years. She enjoys the outdoors and all it offers. She goes hunting and fishing and just spending time with family and friends.

Because of her busy lifestyle she tries to remain flexible. She almost always has a back up plan. She's well prepared and well organized. She tends to look at the bigger picture and tries to make it all work.

Tammi's beliefs in god give her strength to encourage not only her children but those she mentors. She encourages everyone to do their best and not take the short cuts. She empowers them to be friendly, helpful and strong. She says to trust in God, work hard, and appreciate life like its your last day. She enjoys making the difference in someones life. She's the kind of person who will look at you with tears in her eyes and ask how she can help you.

She has a multitude of experience dealing with children with physical, sexual and emotional abuse. She also has experience with chemical dependency, developmental disabilities and language delays.

Tammi and her husband adopted their oldest grandchild nearly 5 years ago. Now 6 years old, Tammi looks forward to being her troop leader in Daisys.

Tammi was brought up with Norwegian and Swedish cooking, Lutheran, and family ties with a strong belief. She feels there are no barriers in her family that prevent her her from helping someone in need. Culture, race, religion, she feels everyone has experienced some kind of cultural conflict. Diversity is all around and people have different beliefs.

She feels everyone needs to keep working on bridging the culture gap and being more tolerant of others.

Im still alive!

On one of the busiest days I've had in a long time I find myself again thinking I really need to blog if nothing more than for my own sanity. With the busy summer and avid iPhone users we decided to turn off our home Internet several months back. That being said, it definitely put a hold on my blog. Out of compassion to write I sit hammering this out on the ole trusty iPhone.
So many things have been happening in the past few months I don't even know where to start. I may actually go back and tell a few of our favorite adventures if I can ever get on an actual computer again. For now, I just wanted to reassure all my followers I'm still here and will do my best to keep up again. Even if that means one button at a time.
Love, peace and health to all!

Some times health insurance has too much power.

We had two unexpected visitors tonight. My grand-daughters came to play. My day to sleep in was cut short when I received a early morning call with one of my daughters on the way to the hospital with a severe asthma attack. Turns out she has a pretty good case of bronchitis along with a bladder infection. After spending a greater part of my day trying to get her antibiotic my persistent approach eventually paid off. You have no idea what a triumph that actually was considering the insurance company has my daughter on restrictive care. Apparently, it's a burden for them that she has too many doctors treating her traumatic brain injury. I'll be sure we let the specialists know the insurance now knows more than they do. None the less, I did eventually accomplish the impossible and took the baby home with Gwama and papa for the night. Now if mommy will sleep maybe she can get better.
The next surprise was our little Emmy coming over to play. It seems like she's grown a foot since I last seen her. Mind you, this was maybe 2 weeks ago. It was a nice way to end a busy day and always a joy to see the kids.
Here they are playing babies.