Life in a Blender

It has been such a long time since I have posted anything.  So much has happened.  I have thought about writing so often, but my biggest hurdle has been where to start and how much to say.  Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and all of a sudden I have no idea of how to start again.

I feel like my life has been put into a blender.  Everything thrown in and blended up to the point of no longer recognizing it.  There is no yummy drink coming out to enjoy.

Lets throw all the ingredients out:

Vane's cancer came back
Still can't taste
Many trips to Iowa
Lamar was offered a new job in Iowa City
Calum pokes my eye and damages the Lasik
Shianne went to Costa Rica
Shianne goes to Iowa
Still can't taste
Lamar moves to Iowa
Vane dies
Two girls in softball
I put house on market and get packed
More trips to Iowa
Costco Opens
Find new house in Iowa
Get Bulldog puppy
Drive to Iowa with three dogs and two kids
Move into new house while Lamar is at work
Shi arrives in Iowa
Volleyball starts
Shi breaks her leg
Still can't taste
Boba loses an eye
Oregon House sells
Gymnastics for NB begins
Constant PT appointments for Shi's leg
Holidays begin
Boba dies
Calum gets sick
Still can't taste

So...there is is.  A nice, neat condensed list of what has been happening.  Add a continuous stream of visitors and trying to get to know our new surroundings and you have a small taste of what has been on our plate.

Playing Catch

Calum has an obsession with cars and balls.  He spends most of his day driving a variety of cars around the house.  If you are not careful, he will take you out with his large dump truck.  He hauls all kinds of stuff around the house.  When he is not driving around the house or eating marshmallow fluff, he is playing catch.  He just loves to play with you.  Once you start, you are his hostage until he is done with you.  Tonight was Lamar's turn to play.

Look...I even got a rare picture of Shianne when she thought I was just paying attention to her brother.

Wordless Wednesday: Marshmallow Fluff

National Pancake Day

After school today Shianne announced that today was National Pancake Day.  Since I did not have any plans for dinner yet we decided to make pancakes to celebrate.  I did not want to make the same ones that I always make so we searched my Pinterest boards and found the perfect recipe.  Welch Breakfast Cakes.  These are more of a cross between biscuits and pancakes.  Sturdy little cakes that are made similar to biscuits except they are cooked on a griddle.  They puff up and have a fantastic flavor...butter and nutmeg.  I could not just leave the recipe alone and I used one cup whole wheat flour and 2 cups white flour instead of using all white flour.  We simply put some butter and cinnamon sugar on these.  Rave reviews from the kiddos.

20/20

I am one week out from having Lasik and each day gets better.  I am still having to put in eye drops on an hourly basis, but I am quickly getting over my fear of eye drops.  I went for my one-week check up and I now have 20/20 vision...WOO HOO!!  Some expensive sunglasses are within my reach now!

I still can't taste.  Bummer.  I can taste extreme salt, so Lamar and I celebrated by drinking margaritas.  Very appropriate  :)

Tonsilectomy...3 Weeks Later

I just got home from my post-op appointment with the doctor.  My throat is feeling much better and healing well.  Still a little sore, but I no longer need any pain meds.  My biggest problem is the loss of taste.  I said that wrong, a loss of taste would be great compared to what I have.  Everything I put in my mouth tastes like a combination of vomit and the sensation of chewing on tin foil.  EVERYTHING tastes like this...even water.  I did not notice it at first since I was in so much pain, but now I cannot get away from this taste.  The doctor said this is a rare side effect and it is caused from nerve damage to my tongue while they were compressing the tongue for the surgery.  What really upsets me is that he told me that it will be 3 to 9 months before the damage heals itself and I can taste like normal again.  I did not even know this could be a side effect!  I am trying to force food down but it is really hard.  I have already lost about 25lbs.  While this does not upset me, it is to much weight to lose in 3 weeks.  I can only imagine how much it will be at the 3 month mark. I am having problems with being lightheaded and no energy due to the lack of food. I also have no desire to cook since I can't taste any of the food.  This is hard since I enjoy cooking so much.  This is not a good combination for my family.  I feel like they will have a bunch of slacker meals over the next few months...sorry  :(

Wordless Wednesday: Sick Day Fun