Boo's Musical Debut

So my Boo performed live on stage in downtown Helena last night. Our intention was to go to Winter Fest at Creekview Elementary but when we got there and there was no place to park (other than hwy 17 practically) Elizabeth and I decided to take the girls to The Depot. When that suggestion was verbalized Elizabeth I and I both held our breath waiting for the objections. Ellie decided to do the unexpected and said "Elizabeth that is the best idea"! Whew....

So we go to the The Depot and I introduce Liz to my usual menu selection- the Philly Cheesesteak add jalapenos and ranch on the side. She went with the half and half onion rings and fries. I know better than to add extra grease to the cheese and jalapenos so I went ala carte. The girls ordered their usual and we headed to a table with 6 chairs- one for each of us and our purses sat in the other 2. We so enjoyed our meal; it was fantastic. Several more parties had entered the restaurant and it finally occured to me that we should probably vacate the 6 top and move on. I mentioned this to Liz and she said "is that why those people are staring at us"? I jumped up to refill my tea and prepared to move on. SJ was still nibbling on her chicken tenders so we moved over to the closest 4 top. I'm not sure what all happened but there was a lot of confusion. Ellie had decided against the usual ice cream treat for dessert and opted for a $1 bouncy ball out of the machine which only took quarters. I had 3 quarters and was fumbling around for another when a nice man handed me his change (as if to say "here take it get the prize and get the heck outta here")...SJ opted for the ice cream but came back with a 9 inch popsicle that was just too much. After a couple of bites she was done. We didn't want to throw it away so we let Ellie have a stab at it.

We grabbed our coats and headed over to Wildflower. Jennifer Parrish told Liz that she and Tyler would be there making candles and they had a band playing outside. We visited with Jennifer for a few minutes while the kids went in an out, in and out....making me nervous that something would be broken in the store. We decided to let the girls listen to the band for a few minutes and by this time there was just a girl and her acoustic guitar. She was really good and reminded me of Taylor Swift. She was taking requests so I told Ellie to ask her if she knows any Taylor Swift. The singer-girl (as Ellie refers to musicians who sing) said yes, would you like to join me on stage to help? Ellie looked at me with maybe a 1/2 ounce of nervousness and then headed for the stage. They discussed their options and decided on the princess song...not sure of the exact title. I was so caught up in the moment I didn't think about my camera in my purse that I could use to video this milestone. Her daddy would have been all over it, making sure that pictures were taken and the whole thing would be captured on video. After Ellie and Alexa sang their duet, SJ joined them for "Our Song". Ellie either knows every word to a song or none of the words....well she knows none of "our song". SJ knew some of the words and hummed the rest. They had a great time and I was beaming. I was so wishing Lamar could have been there, but he had a gig of his own in Adger. I was so disgusted with myself for not getting all on video. Thankfully Mandee did; I don't know her but I am so glad she got the video and emailed it so quickly. Of course Liz made sure it got to my inbox! I have attached a small sample...

Cross-training....Exercising the teeth

2 blogs in 2 days.....

Ellie and SJ went to the gym with Elizabeth and me this morning. They wanted to come to zumba class but I knew that the 2 together would be too much of a distraction. I told them if they would play in the playroom while I taught my regular class I would let them zumba to a few songs afterwards. Ellie has been to one of my 45 minute classes before and was sure to tell SJ that as soon as they walked into the exercise room. As a matter of fact, she mentioned that between every song. Everything is a competition these days and I think my child may be the worst when it comes to that. Don't get me wrong; I want her to be competitive but too much of anything can be an issue....

So we started out with "Let's get it started" by the Black-eyed peas. They stretched and were really into it. SJ wanted to be right behind me but I wanted to be able to see her in the mirror so I had her move over. Ellie didn't care where she was as long as she could see herself in the mirror. She was as concerned about singing the song as dancing to it. The next song was "single ladies" and I think this was their favorite. I went on to "Apple bottom jeans" and this started to wear them out. Ellie said that her stomach hurt; Liz informed her that she must be doing it right and working her muscles. By the end of the song both of them were tired. As we were about to begin the next song, Ellie said "I think we need to go eat and exercise our teeth". This was by far the best idea since it was almost 11:30 and I didn't really eat breakfast (I slept too late because I stayed up late last night on FB and this blog). It was also the funniest thing because she was serious! She was hungry and she was all about the exercise so she put it together.

The picture is from Halloween last year...the girls were at dance class. Next time we zumba I will record a video to post!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Fall is probably the busiest time of year but it is my favorite. I love watching college football, taking Ellie to the fall festival and pumpkin patch, and of course dressing up for Halloween. This year Ellie is determined to go as Hannah Montana. She wanted to last year but we found the "go-go fairy" costume that was too cute to pass up. I'll be heading to the store tomorrow to find a new wig. Her old blonde wig looks like rats took up residence. I am attaching pictures to illustrate...which reminds me what Ellie said while I was reading her a story tonight. About halfway through the book she said "they are really good illustrators". She likes to follow the story through the pictures, so this time she used a pretty big word in the right context!

There have been a few blog-worthy episodes that have occurred in the last month; I really should blog a little more often so that I can remember and it won't be such a daunting task...I have just been crazy busy with work. The good news is I am cutting back from 5 to 3 zumba classes each week. I love zumba and I enjoy teaching at the Hoover Rec. It's just a little too far to travel and it is cutting into my Ellie time. Starting in November, I'll be back to my Monday, Wed, and Saturday schedule at the Body Shop with an occasional subbing gig at the Hoover Rec.

I went to parenting day at school yesterday; we ate lunch and then went to the classroom to play math games. The kids got to choose which game to play and Ellie chose Candyland. The poor child doesn't have the original Candyland game (which is fine by me), just a winnie-the-pooh version we bought at a garage sale. It's worse than the original...anyway the highlight of the hour was hearing what Ellie told her teacher about her outfit. Ms Sisk was rockin' some boots with a cute dress and denim jacket. Ellie told her that she needed a country hat, some boots with points (toes), and a new attitude! Lately Ellie is all about fashion, especially Elizabeth's. Ellie loves Elizabeth's silver boots (they ARE freakn awesome- too bad my foot is twice the size of hers). She also loves Elizabeth's eyelashes and pretty much refers to her overall look as "country". Lately I am feeling like a fashion Loser; I barely have time for the basics much less a mani/pedi or highlights. I really need a day of beauty....

And last but not least, Ellie is "in Christ" with Tyler. I'm not sure what this means but I am guessing that she has told someone that she is in love with Tyler and they explained that we all love each other in Christ...just a guess. Anyway, to hear her tell it is pretty darn funny. It was also funny to hear about her playing school the other day. She lined up all of her stuffed animals and taught them for about 30 minutes. Lamar told her that if Monkey didn't behave, she could put him in time-out. She said "oh, that's Tyler...he's always monkeying around". When I got home, she was ready for bed but her classroom was still set up. All of her students were lined up and each had a sheet of paper that had been written on. I remember playing school but I was not that young and I didn't take the time use my stuffed animals as students. I would just pretend that I had an audience. I think this is a good sign that she is already more creative than I will ever be....

My Healthcare Plan....

I'm going to be selfish for a minute and blog about me. The blog was created to document the funny stuff that comes out of Boo's mouth, but I need an outlet for me too. It should be fine since I am the "Boo-maker" (one of the many affectionate pet names my darling husband has for me).

Anyway, I am so pumped about my new Chiro. Dr. Jessica. Pam at work went to see her and brought in a folder full of information regarding Chiropractic care. They performed a number of tests to determine what type of adjustments she would need and had plan of care ready at her next appointment. I was still feeling some pain in my back and curious about what caused my injury. I felt like I could get some answers from Dr. Jessica and within a week or so I had my very own folder full of information about my spine. In a nutshell my spine is way out of line....I'm walking around all cock-eyed...it's no wonder I jammed my back. I do believe that I have been out of line for a while and the jammed back just drew my attention to it.

I like Dr. Jessica's approach; she wants to see people stay healthy. Instead of forking out Co-pays for sick visits and drug refills, why not pay for wellness? Lamar had a good idea...why don't we pay a monthly fee to our primary care physician as long as we are well and stop paying if we get sick? I know it isn't that simple, but maybe I am still healthy enough to try it.

It's funny to me that Dr. Jessica and I have spent more time talking about my stomach issue than my back. When I went to my first appointment I was having a tough time with my stomach. I was about halfway through my 2 weeks of treatment for H.Pylori and my stomach was a mess, probably from the megadoses of antibiotics. I was ready to quit and hope that all the bacteria were gone. She convinced me to tough it out and follow my MDs orders but to consider a plan of action once that treatment was over. Instead of popping purple pills from the rest of my life, which has negative side affects, she suggests apple cider vinegar. This should trick my body into thinking it has produced enough acid therefore preventing overproduction. It makes sense to me...it couldn't hurt to try it. If you could see our medicine cabinet you would understand why I am willing to give this natural approach a try...

Dr. Jessica has some strong opinions about processed food and is very big on drinking at least a gallon of water a day and an additional gallon for every can of soda consumed. Well, coke zero and diet coke have been staples in my refrigerator for years. I couldn't imagine doing without them...until Dr Jessica told me how bad they are. Of course I already knew that, but she makes me listen! I guess it is because she is a mother of 4 who is in great shape and seems to have en endless supply of energy. She is not afraid of the flu- no patient has ever gotten her sick. I truly believe that she practices what she preaches and it works, somehow. I want to try her program for a while and see what happens. I'm only a coule of weeks into it and I am already making progress. I can't quit everything at once- sugar white bread, cokes, caffeine....but I have started with the sodas and I am proud to say that I have had maybe 8 oz of coke in the past week. I am drinking plenty of water and publix green tea and feeling pretty good because of it.

If you had suggested a Chiropractor to me to resolve issues such as headache or stomach problems, I would have laughed. I've known people who have gone to Chiropractors and swear by them...now I think I get it. I will still need to see my internist for check-ups but I am hoping to get thing under control through diet, adjustments, and proper exercise. I have pledged to do the home exercises, get adjusted, and take small steps to improve my diet. If it works then great, if not I will reassess my plan of care.

It's much more than getting your back popped; it is a wellness plan. Now I need to decide what to give up next. I'm thinking sugar....wish me luck with that!

5 going on 15

We are 3 weeks into football season and we finally got together with the neighbors to eat chicken wings and let the kids run wild. They all played well together for the most part but at some point I made Ellie decide that she "don't want a momma like you". Now I remember...David came downstairs to update us on what the little kids were doing and all I remember hearing is "Ellie cut Milo's hair". Then fear came over me that maybe Milo wasn't the only one getting a haircut. Ellie, Alli, and Sarah Jessica all have long hair and no bangs. So I ran upstairs as if someone's hair was on fire to find that the scissors they were using were the little nail scissors that come in the infant manicure set. Whew! That was close. Once I knew that no damage had been done, I let them have it, especially Ellie. I wanted to make sure she knew that she better never cut her own hair or anybody else's...and to never let her friends talk her into it. She didn't like what I had to say so she gave me a dirty look and then said "I don't want a momma like you". So I responded "would you rather have a momma that let's you walk around looking like an idiot"? I didn't get my point across, because what she heard was me calling her an idiot (in hind sight I shouldn't have argued with a 5 year old)...anyway moving on....

Later in the day, the boys went home to rest and the girls continued to play. They played dress-up and then decided to karaoke. Well, they weren't sharing so Elizabeth told them that if they didn't share she would take the karaoke machine and nobody would get to play. Sassy Ellie responds "I guess you are going to put it in the stupid garbage can". Liz said "No, I'll let your daddy decide what to do with it" (Lamar was resting at the time). I chimed in "we're having a garage sale- we can sell it" to which Ellie responded "HOW ABOUT I SELL YOU TO HEAVEN". When I asked her how she would feel if I really did go to heaven, she replied "I wouldn't miss you"....

Elizabeth talked her down a little bit so she came to apologize. At this point I am still rattled so Ellie gave me a peace sign with her fingers, but her face told me that she couldn't stand me at that moment (Elizabeth couldn't really see her 2 fingers so for a split second she thought Ellie may have flipped me off!). I returned the peace sign and said "peace out"...she had to have the last word so she gave me a "rock on" sign with her pinky and index finger and said "EXIT". And then it was over....at least the drama. Now I am just trying to figure out how to get this kid to understand that she can't tell her momma that she wants to sell her to heaven. Then again, it's better than her telling me to go to hell! What in the world am I going to do in 10 years. I am so glad I have Lamar to even us both out because when she hits puberty I will likely be menopausal....

At the end of the day I chalk it up to a BIG day of excitement which left her too tired to control herself. I'm sure her Aunt Charlene and Aunt Rainey will be appalled when they read this. If it makes you feel better, when I told her that I would be discussing it with her Daddy she begged me not to tell. This is not because she was afraid of a whoopin', but because she was ashamed....she does have a conscience...and I love her for who she is, attitude and all.

It hurt to laugh, but I needed the medicine!

Where have I been? I absolutely love this blogging thing but I have been so busy I haven't had time to post! Lets see...I started to post about Teeka, the bunny that Ellie created at Lacey's birthday party. I really need to post a picture of the bunny that was almost named Jesus and turned out looking like a hoochie mama! It was our first experience at the Build a Bear workshop and I was not disappointed. I can't wait to go back and buy a new outfit for Teeka! The guy hosting the party was a trip! He was so full of energy and excitement in the beginning, but by the end, his eyes were as big as half-dollars and he was so over the kids.

I think the whole idea is precious; they stuffed and fluffed their animals and got to pick out the perfect outfit. All but one of the girls picked something pink or purple for their animals; there were pink tu-tus, pink short sets, and then there was Teeka's outfit which was black and white animal print. Ellie said that it was something Elizabeth would wear (Ellie loves Elizabeth's style)! It was hilarious. Accessories were not included, but we had to complete the outfit. So, Ellie picked out the perfect pair of gold glittery shoes...the ensemble is great! We will find out if I can post the pic later- it is a must-see!

Of course I also wanted to write more about my ailments. In addition to the strained back, I have the h. pylori bacteria taking over my digestive system. When I went in to the Dr's office to get my lab results, I told her about my back injury and how I had been to the chiropractor. She went into the plan of care for the h pylori. I have to take 4 pills in the morning and 4 at night for 2 weeks. Then I will continue to take prevacid for 6 more weeks. She informed me that I didn't need to take ibuprofen or aleve; it will further irritate my stomach. I explained that the few pain pills I had taken had nearly stopped my digestive tract (if you know what I mean) and I just didn't know what I was supposed to do. She then told me that my cholesterol was up a little and that the HDLs, which are super, are down and that's not the direction I need to be going. I explained that I am an RD and I know what I should eat, but that sometimes it is easier to grab something not-so-nutritious. She said that I needed to try and then just shook her head. At this point I am throwing my own little pity party, tears and all. I'm sure she thinks I am a total mess. In hind sight I was just tired of hearing and feeling what's wrong with me! I have belly-ached (literally) for 2 months, jammed my back the previous week and didn't think I would ever feel like myself again. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired! I like a break now and then, but not like this!

It has been almost 3 weeks since I jammed my back and I am finally able to zumba again. I am only 3 days into the antibiotics, however. I waited until after labor day since alcohol doesn't mix with megadoses of antibiotics. Besides, I couldn't let my health crash the party in Atlanta! And let me tell you, the Atlanta trip will have a dedicated post!

Monkey Love!

I thought about posting a few times this week, but each time I decided that I needed more material...well now I have so much to report. Everyday when Ellie comes in, I ask how her day went and what she learned. Everyday she says "we did math and monkey bars". Each day she increases the number of monkey bars that she did. We started with 3 and now we are up to 60! I finally got to see her perform on the monkey bars today. WOW! She really impressed me and I got so tickled because she looked like a little monkey. We got back in the car and she asked me if I thought she did good. Of course I went on and on about how impressed I was. She said everyone in her class could do it and Tyler can do 60! Then she said "well, that can't be- there aren't that many monkey bars..." as if she needed to talk herself down from the peak of exaggeration.

Speaking of monkeys...she got a monkey in her pocket this week, which means she "monkied around" a little too much. I can't even remember the details of the reprimand, because all I heard about was "FunRun" and how I needed to "login to .com, funrun, and see if Rainey, Charlene, GiGi, Aunt Pot, David and Milo could sign up to do the fun run. There will be a space bounce and it will be so much fun". I asked her if it was a fundraiser and she said "NO, it is a FUN RUN" (say it out loud and you'll hear how funny that sounds)!

She couldn't have been monkeying around that much if she could remember the sales pitch verbatim. I had to email Ms. Sisk and tell her that she would be so proud of Ellie. I also assured her that the following day would better. She said that she enjoyed having her in class and that Ellie told the guidance counselor that everyday at school was just terrible. When they asked her for specifics, she grinned and said "I'm just kidding". Ms. Sisk, like so many others said "Look out drama class..." And to think, at 18 months of age, Ellie was voted "Drama Queen" of her class by the daycare staff.

An update on my back:

I went back to the Chiropractor yesterday and as promised, it didn't hurt nearly as much as the first time. I left my translator in the waiting room so that maybe I would get more treatment. I did, and Dr. Lott said that I was right on track. It has been one week and I now believe that every day shows a 10% improvement. If this is the case I should be as good as new Tuesday. I am planning to teach class this week; I just know that I won't be able to do things 100%. Jenni led class today and I participated minimally. I went through a lot of the steps, but was very easy on the hips. I could tell that I was working it and I knew when to back off. When I left I felt looser and actually pretty good! I am still wondering if I will ever be the same and able to shake it (like a polaroid picture)...I love to shake it. Liz and Jenni gave me a couple of dirty looks during class (as if I was overdoing it) and at the end of class said that my hips just couldn't help it and that I don't even realize I am doing it! I can't sit around and do nothing, and from what I've heard physical therapy (that's what we'll call my zumba class this morning) hurts!

The Frog formerly known as Prince

It takes a village...or a cul-de-sac in my case, to raise a child. Ellie spent a lot of time with her friends this past weekend while I rested my back. She went next door and fell in love with 2 frogs. As you can see in the pic, she is practically kissing them...I love that she is a girly girl who doesn't mind getting her hands dirty once in a while. It's so much more fun when you don't worry about messing your hair up...thanks David and Milo!

So I went to see Dr. Lott today. I have never been so excited about a doctor's appointment. I didn't expect him to fix me today but at least I would know what the problem is and what exactly I need to do to fix it. I was so pleased to learn that he was the first Chiropractor to go to medical school at UAB. I had my translator with me (Lamar), so as we were making introductions and Dr. Lott began taking notes, Lamar filled him in on what happened to me (as if I couldn't explain it myself). You can imagine...

This was my first visit to any chiropractor so I really didn't know how it would all go. I have just heard testimonials about how "adjustments" made all the difference in the world with necks, backs, and even sinuses (???) Needless to say I was very excited about seeing a miracle worker. I was prepared to say "back off" if I didn't feel comfortable with him "tweaking" my back. But he made me feel so at ease; he knew right away that I had jammed my back (like you would jam a finger) and knew exactly how to fix it. I was so excited!

It all happened so fast...one minute he said "you probably won't like me" and then (according to Lamar) the fear in my eyes was that of someone looking at a freight train coming strait at them. He jerked my leg so hard and fast that my heart nearly stopped. I don't know if it hurt that bad or it just scared me to death. He informed me that I was the first screamer of the day. Meanwhile Lamar is standing in the corner laughing and saying "I didn't feel a thing"!

After that, I was very anxious about the rest of the "adjustment". He almost stopped short due to my screams. He was worried I would scare the next patient...I covered my mouth and let him crack me that 4th and last time. No regrets though; I am confident that the adjustment scheduled for Friday won't be as bad and in the end it will all be worth it.

There was a picture that his daughter had drawn back in 1998 that said "I love you daddy...have fun cracking backs"...I thought it was funny until he cracked mine!

Shake it, don't break it...

Since Ellie was able to speak, I thought about starting a blog. I needed some way to document all of the ellie-isms that come out of her mouth. She's 5 now and I hope I am not too late. I hurt my back at zumba class yesterday and have been instructed by my doctor friend to stay in the bed for at least 24 hrs. Lamar says I should stay here the rest of today but I think by this evening I should be ready to get up and move around at least a little bit. I am planning to call the chiropractors office early tomorrow morning to find out if the injury involves muscle or spine. I have improved by about 10% since yesterday; I cried like a baby every time I had to get up or down yesterday. Today I can at least reposition myself in the bed without experiencing excruciating pain.

I must say that my friends are first-class. Ms. Jenni got on the phone right away to find out what I should do first. She talked to her PT friend and got a chiropractor on the phone ASAP. She brought dinner to Lamar and me which was flipping awesome! My nick-name for her is Betty Fu%$&^% Crocker, which is a huge compliment!

Without hesitation Elizabeth said she would take Ellie to Samantha's birthday party and from there would take her home, feed her and let her sleep over so that I could rest and Lamar could be my bi-otch...just kidding, Liz just knows how much of a Diva I can be...

Melissa called and offered an ice-pack thing, which came in handy since my home-made icepack made from a ziploc leaked all in the bed and I couldn't really feel how wet it was because my bottom was numb....of course the medicine Lisa gave me out the biggest dent in the pain and allowed me to finally get some rest last night. Rhea was ready to bring over some creme but I couldn't let her do that; she has 2 babies in diapers and Rakesh made me feel better by explaining that he had been in this situation and gave me the number for his chiropractor. For some reason I trust Dr. Patel; maybe it's becasue he is a scientist....and he has a british accent that makes everything he says the gospel.

I have to end this post with an Ellie-ism (the reason for the blog). As Ellie explained to Alli what happened to my back she said "My mom was teaching zumba and she hurted her back. All of the sudden it popped and she said 'holy mother of hot-wigs'..."