Easter at home

We were going to try to visit Erie at Easter but it's too difficult with my physical therapy, Carey's infusion, Emma's orthodontist etc. We just can't fit it in. And Carey is not feeling well, she is complaining about rib pain now. I have called the doctor and waiting to see if he wants to xray or something else. It's just very frustrating and depressing they cannot get the disease under control. I don't know why we are even taking her to pamidronate infusion because it doesn't seem to be working this time around. The pain and how it slows her down is getting to her. I feel terrible that I cannot fix this! Keegan has decided crocodiles and alligators are the same so he has named them crocodators. He loves animals and loves going to the Zoo when we have decent weather. Feeding the ducks are his favorite and playing on the slide. He met another little boy the last time we went and he and his nanny were on the 2nd time around the zoo so we tagged along with them. Keegan loved having a friend to see the animals with. Usually we are there 20 minutes because he runs from exhibit to exhibit but this time we were there over an hour. Emma's soccer season started...well sort of. It's been raining a lot here and Derry Twp is obsessed with their fields..which is good but the kids never get to practice or play because if it rains the day before, there is not practice the next day. She did play one game so far, she scored the teams 2 goals and they won 2-1. Once she figures out off sides she'll be set...she was called for off sides at least 10 times during the game. :) Carey begins golf soon, and I'm hoping she can participate. With her limp and then altering her walk, ankle and back hurting do not lead to good golf. She's doing pretty well in school and her class will be going to the Hershey's Chocolate Factory for a tour which she's excited about. Well off to work. Have a great Easter! Jenn

March is here...that means Spring is just around the corner!

We are all patiently awaiting Spring to get here. We want the warmer weather so we can get out and play, take walks, ride bikes etc.

Well swim season has ended (though summer swim practice begins in April!) and Emma just competed today in her last meet (well maybe, there might be one more) of the season at Level 5 Sectionals. You had to get a 31.00 All Around at one meet this season to qualify for Sectionals. Not everyone on her team qualified so we were very proud of her. She did a great job today. She got stuck her beam routine and got an 8.75 and received her best floor score of an 8.7 today! At this meet you had to get a 33.00 All Around to qualify for States. Emma did not qualify but we never expected her to since she is still missing the "kip" on bars so her bar score always drops her All Around score. But it says a lot for her other there events that she could still qualify for Sectionals with only a 6 on bars! She was so proud of her floor score. The first thing she said to me when the meet was over was "Did you see my floor score?" She received a 7.0 the first meet of the season so it was a great accomplishment for her to increase her score by 1.7. This nice gentleman next to me at Sectionals took this picture of Emma during her floor routine. It was so nice of him to take some shots of her and email them to me.

Carey has had some difficulty still with her back and other ankle but she's hanging in there. She goes for her 3rd pamidronate infusion on the 24th. I don't know if it's helping yet but we'll see. This disease is so frustrating! She's itching to get golfing but her pain level has got to get under control. She alters her walking which in turn hurts her back. Keep her in your prayers please.

Keegan turns 3 this month and I can't believe it! He still is NOT potty trained. We had a good 2 week stretch of consistent peeing in the potty every day, multiple times a day but this week he's only gone once. Sigh.

I have been having neck problems and our lovely insurance company has denied my MRI saying it's not medically necessary. Well, I'm in pain, have to take muscle relaxers and cannot coach gymnastics right now. So I wonder what makes it medically necessary, if I'm paralyzed or something? So now I'll be on the phone with the doctor trying to get more muscle relaxers since my last pill is tomorrow and hopefully they can at least send me to PT which the insurance will probably reject as well. I can't even lift Keegan without pain or even bend down or look at the ground. Something needs to be done. Another sigh.

We plan to visit at Easter time, but the girls vacation days were cut due to snow so it will be a short trip. Hopefully it will be done snowing in Erie by late April!! :)

Take care,

Jenn

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! We had a very nice trip to Williamsburg, VA. We got there and they had snow from the Christmas Day snowstorm. I guess Virginia Beach had more than Williamsburg! But the snow didn't slow anyone down. Everything was decorated beautifully and they have a contest for decorations and we saw many houses with blue ribbons. The wreaths are made with fruit, pine cones and we even saw one made with a deck of cards!

We toured the Capitol and the Governor's Palace. Keegan was tired and wanted to run after being in the car for 5 hours so he lasted 10 minutes in the Capitol tour but was perfectly behaved (yes this is Keegan I'm talking about) at the Governor's Palace the next day. We did a lot of walking when we were there and Carey was a trooper since her ankle and foot bother her. We ate at two taverns which was EXPENSIVE for lunch! But the food was good and the kids enjoyed seeing how everyone dressed back in Colonial times and of course they had people playing music while we were eating.

It was in the 50s on New Year's Eve which was great since we spent New Year's Eve at Busch Gardens. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Each country was decorated differently and at one point we were walking through France and a Christmas song was playing and Emma stopped and said "Is this in a different language?" I said yes, it's French...lol. We lasted until 8pm there and then went to Applebees for dinner and back to the hotel for a swim. Keegan was asleep by the time Andy and the girls got back from the pool but the rest of us made it until midnight.

I have to mention that if you are in Williamsburg, you can find a pancake and waffle house every couple blocks. We ate at IHOP and the National Pancake and Waffle House. Carey wanted to eat at Mama Steve's but realized it was only a pancake house and she wanted a waffle that morning....so if you like pancakes and waffles, Williamsburg is the place to be!

Well now I've got to get back on the diet even though the Farm Show starts this weekend...potato donuts and milkshakes will be calling me so I better work out everyday this week.

Love to you all,

Jenn