Happy Thanksgiving!

This year for Thanksgiving we decided to stay home and just have an easy day!

My three turkeys

We had a simple lunch (I actually bought really thick cut turkey from the deli but I did make real mashed potatoes) and then were off to the movies to see Big Hero 6! I put Mike in charge of the dessert and he didn't disappoint!

Yum, yum! 

That's a whole lotta chocolate! 

After the movies, we did a a little Christmas decorating....but eventually the turkey caught up with us

This little turkey wasn't feeling well all day! :( 

Poor baby....I really don't like it when my kids are sick! 

Feast and Zoo!

This week of Thanksgiving was a really short one as the kids only had two days of school. Monday Owen's preschool had a Thanksgiving Feast.

His hat and placemat

His class sang a couple of songs for us! So precious!!! 

Then Wednesday when the kids were off school we thought we'd make one last trek up to the zoo before it got way too cold!

So it was a little chilly....

We ended up seeing this peacock just about everywhere....

Inside the fire place

Being a little silly

Owen and I were working on colds and not feeling totally up to par so we didn't stay too long but it was nice to get a little fresh air while we still can!

Snow Fun!

I still can't believe that we got real snow so early this winter! It's not even technically winter yet! I am happy to report that the snow is indeed gone and we will actually have temps in the mid 40's to mid 50's this week. But forecasters are calling for snow again on Thanksgiving so we'll see....my winter is not looking so hot!


Here is what we did this week in the cold!

First things first, I made beef stew. Pioneer Woman recipe which was fabulous! It even reheated well the next night! 

Second, I bought everyone warmer pajamas....why can't she look at the camera? 

We hung out upstairs more watching You Tube videos of a book called "Dumb Bunnies"....don't ask! 

Savannah collected two bowls full of snow so we could make slurpees

Really....

She was pleased! 

He decided that he didn't care for the watermelon flavor that we picked out but the good news is that he really enjoyed the chocolate Halloween candy he ate.....as you can see! 

Wednesday I got to go have a special holiday lunch with Savannah! The lunch iffy but she was great company! 

Owen fell asleep in my bed, on top of all my warm blankets, and the dog! :) I thought it was sweet :) 

By Thursday this was all that was left of the snow....just this one little pile on our deck

Owen has been joining me lately to watch Savannah at gymnastics but this time he got a little bored....can you tell? 

Here we snow again!

We got our first real snowfall of the 2014-15 Winter Season! Exactly two days later than last year (if you don't count the icy frost on the cars that started on the 1st of Nov). While it is super exciting to see snow again, I am very nervous for what this means about our upcoming winter. Numerous people told me last year was freakishly cold and snowy but lately I have heard that this year might be as bad or maybe worse than last year. I barely made it through the 13 snow days last year!!! It might be time for me to take up drinking.....

I just love the way our house looks covered in snow! 

We had a 2 hour delay so that meant the kids had a little time to play before school

Kate made a mini snowman

I did have a pic of Owen but I accidentally deleted it! Woops!!!

Just Call Me Ree....

So we don't have cable.....

Recenetly Netflix added Season 1 of Pioneer Woman! Yay! I have followed her blog and used several of her recipes but I have always wanted to actually hear what she sounded like and see what she acted like. So I watched the entire first season in the course of about 3 or 4 days....

And I was inspired to make a few of her dishes....here is my latest attempt to be Ree

Chicken, cheese, cream of mushroom, peppers, chicken broth all add up to...

He was my cutie pie assistant

A yummy chicken spaghetti! 

And on a totally unrelated note....my Savannie girl got a 100 on her spelling test and a great first report card! 

Boring...

So we have been pretty much boring for the last week or so....life isn't really slowing down but the weather has turned cold and we aren't doing as many outside activities. And Owen has finished soccer so we (thankfully) are spending a little more time at home. But that also makes us a little less interesting...

Our pumpkin this year! Markedly more creepy than we've ever done but I had bigger fish to fry that day....just don't ask me what they were because I don't remember! 

One Saturday after soccer Mike took the kids to the zoo and there must have been some Halloween thing going on because they ran into this character! The man in the yellow hat! Owen was impressed

One weekend recently, we made a trip to IKEA....just don't ask me which weekend because I don't remember....you getting the picture? We have been busy! 

I do know what day this is! Veteran's Day! Savannah dressed in red, white, and blue and Mike got to go to a special program at the school. Fun times....I was at work :( boo...

Answers!!!

For those of you that have been following my blog since the beginning, you will be almost as pleased as I was when you hear this news!!

We have finally gotten some REAL answers from Kaitlyn's medical situation!

Remember this?

I entitled her the Human Science Experiment

Kate was part of a research study at the University of Chicago

We sent this baby off two and a half years ago! Crazy!!! Just look at my cuties! :) 

Two weeks ago I got an e-mail out of the blue from these guys (after months of me e-mailing and e-mailing) asking if I had time to discuss Kaitlyn's findings! Ummmm.....YES!

The very nice Dr. of genetics gave me what is I am sure a crash of course "Genetics for Dummies" and informed me that they had in fact identified the genetic mutation that was causing Kaitlyn's abnormal blood sugars. He asked me about her symptoms and her numbers and said that based on her genetic test and symptoms that he could most definitely diagnose her as having MODY 2. So her original endocrinologist was correct in assuming that she had MODY but now we know exactly what kind of MODY she has.

And the good news doesn't stop there! MODY 2 is by far the best type of MODY to have because it doesn't require much treatment. Studies have shown that people with MODY 2 have increased blood sugar levels, but it is because their genetic mutation sort of sets their bodies at a higher standard. So what is normal for us (120 or so) isn't normal for MODY 2 people. They have a their "thermostat" if you will set higher (say 130 or 140). So basically treating the sugars with insulin is pointless. Kate's body is always going to fight to keep her sugars higher and the beautiful thing is that although they are higher than we would normally have they do not ever get high enough to cause damage to her body like a typical diabetics would. So what they have found is that treating the sugars with insulin or not treating them at all causes the same outcome for the patient.

Sooooo, after having Kate's current endocrinologist speak with this research Dr. they have decided to stop having Kaitlyn take insulin. Which means no more shots and a heck of a lot less monitoring and doctor's appointments! :) Yay!!!!

Her kidney issues seem to be completely unrelated and we will have to continue with that treatment but this is such a relief to know exactly what she has and that she can expect to live a completely normal life with it. I am so thankful that we became part of this study and even more thankful for the results!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween kind of got away from me this year! It seems like October went by really, really fast! There were a bunch of Fall Parties, Corn Mazes, Orchard Field Trips, and Savannah had strep for almost an entire week! But I did manage to snap a couple of pics of the kids in costume!

Owen's class at the preschool I run

Getting ready to go Trick or Treating! It was about 40 degrees out so we didn't last too long!

Savannah was Aurora from Sleeping Beauty 

Owen was a Ninja Turtle but there is quite the debate about which one he is....apparently Google is wrong and Owen is right and he is Raphael :) 

Kate, who I told last year would not be trick or treating anymore, luckily still fit into last years Duchess of Darkness! costume so she got to go another year! :) 

As usual, Savannah was frantic about hitting as many houses as possible to get the best loot but the weather even got the best of her! It was wet and cold!! 

Owen's Last Game!

Last weekend Owen had his final soccer game of the season and boy was he ever glad! I really enjoyed watching Owen play soccer and we had a fabulous time hanging out with our friends who were also on the team but Owen has decided that soccer is just not this thing! He wants to get back to playing T-ball in the spring!

Giving me the classic Owen thumbs up

Team Pic! 

With the Coach

This got a smile! Trophy!!