Sucky nerve disease awareness

So a few weeks ago, this challenge started going around facebook and pinterest to raise awareness for ALS or  "Lou Gehrig's Disease." I have heard of this disease, but there really are so many sucky diseases out there, it's hard to keep them straight. And forget about remembering their names or pronunciations.  Well, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed. Even if you don't know anyone affected by this desease, it's important to be a tiny part of the movement to at least raise awareness. If you can donate at least $5 to the cause at www.alsa.org.

Since we are on the subject of sucky diseases, I'd like to shine a light on another one, Leukodystrophy. This one also attacks the nerves by disrupting the growth or maintenance of the myelin sheath that insulates nerve cells. These disorders are progressive, meaning that they tend to get worse throughout the life of the patient. It is similar to MS. There are 40 different types of leukodystrophy:
http://ulf.org/types-of-leukodystrophy

There is the cutest family in my neighborhood, with 4 rediculously handsome little boys. 2 of their boys have this rare Vanishing White Matter disease. The motor difficulties of VWM are progressive, but the progression is often stepwise in association with fever or injuries. Prolonged periods of stability or even transient mild improvements lasting years are common. Most patients develop seizures (epilepsy) late in the illness that are easy to control. Life expectancy is reduced, though patients can live into their second or third decades.

September is Leukeodystrophy awareness month, perhaps awareness can be raised as it has been for ALS. The $6million would be helpfull, too ;) 

http://ulf.org/give-online-now

https://secure2.convio.net/alsa/site/Donation2;jsessionid=F445CAAD5F0BC3714ECF421ADD72DEC3.app296b?df_id=27420&27420.donation=form1

https://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/Donation2;jsessionid=597E5B36F3B418A5CFA08D689D93E0CD.app322a?df_id=51176&51176.donation=form1

I kissed a cop and I liked it

     First I said I didn't want to marry a hunter, then I said I didn't want to be married to a police officer. Well now all I have to say is that there is no way I am willing to be married to a millionaire...

     I have dead animals on my wall and a badge in my bedroom. At this rate, we'll be rollin in the dough in about 9 years. Kasey graduated from the Weber State Law Enforcement academy on the Febuary 24th, 2014. This year has definately been tough on our family, Kasey mostly, but I'm so proud of his dedication and this accomplishment. It has been almost an entire year of being a single mom and I'm sure it will only get worse when he goes out on patrol someday. Congratulations to WSU LEO #68

Also, a shoutout to the LEO class #69

Potty Training a 26 month old

*This may be one of those TMI posts, but I assure you, there are no offensive photos.

When I was 6 months pregnnt with Parker, I decided to potty train Phoenix. I had to get it done before Parker was born and it's best to avoid training durring holidays or major life changes, so I did it in November, just after Halloween. I found this 3-day method online. http://www.3daypottytraining.com/

It costs about $24 to download the e-book, but you also get an account that allows you to e-mail Lora, the creator of this method if you are getting frustrated or stuck and she will give you extra tips and advise. (Look up a coupon code and you can save a little, too)

So I started on Friday, and I am taking Monday off, as an extra buffer, because I am the only one who can be patient with him and I'd hate to send him to a sitter that soon.

Friday, Day 1:
      I noticed that it is both harder and easie to potty train my second child. This time, I was better prepared. I had sticker charts and prizes ready to go and the hall and Parkers room covered with towels. I also bought 20 pairs of underwear this time. With Phoenix, I only got a 7-pack and we went through that in the first hour. I think I changed Parkers undies 25 times that first day. He earned 3 stickers and he knows that he doesn't like to be wet. It's easier for me to stay possitive this time because I am expecting him to have so many accidents. When I was training Phoenix, I was surprised at how much untrained toddlers pee in a day. The hardest part about training the 2nd child, is trying to entertain the other child in the house. I can't just let her go outside, unattended and when I do let her have more freedom than Parker, Parker freaks out because he is trapped in the hallway. (I rolled the luvsac down the hall to block his exit. Also, (TMI warning) Parker has yet to go #2. This kid usually goes 4-5 times a day. I'm hoping he doesn't let it build up for a few days..

Saturday, Day 2:
      I changed undies twice in the first 17 minutes he was awake, but he had earned 3 more stickers within 3 hours. He is totally getting it! He still doesn't make it in time, but he totally makes a run for it when he starts feeling wet. I should've been carefulwhen wishing for #2. He finally let one go, which was ok. We dumped it in the potty and flushed it. We had given him a bunch of fiber ad prune juice and now he's shat down his leg....Thank goodness for the towels. Grandma Suzie is coming to pick Phoenix up for a sleep over. Hopefully we will all have a better day tomorrow. Thanks, mom for helping me out the very same day flying in from a week on vacation.

Sunday, Day 3:
        2 stickers first thing in the morning but no more all day. 2 more poo-running-down-the-leg episodes. He does not like the feel of that at all. Again, thankful for the towels, I still have not had to clean poo out of the carpet once. I just put him in the tub and rinse him off. Then it's clean unders and on carry on. I've opened up the hallway of doom and lengthened his leash to the kitchen. I just layed a trail of towels leading to the bathroom. Every time he starts to pee in his unders he gets excited and starts saying "again, again". So we run to the bathroom and get on the little potty, hoping for a drop to make it in so he can earn a sticker. Having the house to ourselves made for a little nicer day, Phoenix got to play at both grandma's and her cousins houses, but tomorrow, she's stuck back home with us. I took off 1 extra day just to be sure he's got it and I really don't want to send him to my friends house to tend until I'm a little more confident that he'll make it to the bathroom more often than not.

Monday, Day 4:
       Last day home with mommy!

Summer Bucket list

Summer! It's way too hot and bright...blah blah blah. I don't care. It means my anniversary (8 years) and my birthday (31) and a whole lot of doing stuff this year. I have compiled a summer bucket list to check off with my kiddos. We will not be sitting at home all the live-long day. My furlough starts on July 8th and while it sucks to lose 88 hours of pay, I am certainly not going to waste my wonderful time off.

Summer Bucket List
·      Roy Aquatic Center
·      Hogle Zoo
·      Planetarium / Discovery Gateway
·      Aquarium
·      Treehouse
·      Splash Pad
·      Street Paint balloons
·      Duck Pond
·      Nature Center
·      Park City
·      Camping
·      Weber County Fair
·      Roy Days
·      Hooper Tomato Days
·      Clinton Days
·      Layton Liberty Days
·      Bike Ride
·      Sleep on the trampoline
·      Play in rain puddles
·      Drive-in movie
·      Build a fort
·      Run through sprinklers
·      Make popsicles
·      Make soap mud
·      Picnic
·      Frontrunner
·      Surf n’swim
·      Theater movie
·      Glow stick bath
·      Make ice cream
·      Nickel-cade
·      Fishing
·      Ding-dong ditch (not what you think)
·      Glow bubbles
·      Yard Sales (all summer long)
·      Toads

So far, we can check off:                             Park City

 

Soap Mud

 

Toads

Also, Kasey has completed 8 out of 20 weeks of the SFO and BCO with the WSU Police academy. Almost half-way there :D

For their class project, they set-up for the Blood Run, a 5k to bring awareness to hemophelia. It was at Wheeler Farm, in Salt Lake and we had to be there at 6:30. I do not run. I am not good at it. I do not enjoy it. Kasey asked me to run this with him with 5 weeks notice. I was hesitant, but he used the "It's something that we can do together" and I was in. This totally counted as a date for me. I was the only significant other in his class to come run with them. I don't know how these guys and gals run this for PT twice a week. I could never be a cop. I can run kinda fast for about 1/4 mile, then I have to walk for a while. Anyway, my goal was to make it under 45 minutes. In all of my "training," the furthest I have made it is 2.2 miles. I finished this bad boy in 36.5 minutes and that's good enough for me. I even made better time than 2 of Kasey's classmates.

This was also the weekend of our Frandsen yard sale, so I had to get back to my mom's for that. At the race, I locked my key ring, minus the main key, in my car so I wouldn't have to hold onto them. Turns out, my key doesn't unlock the car doors....luckily, there was a gentleman from Search and Rescue that jimmied the back hatch open.

 

The kids did a drink and cookie table and they did pretty well, they made about $50. We also rocked neon shirts this year so that our customers knew who to pay :D 

Rylee started coaching Phoenix for soccer. Phoenix is starting in the fall and Rylee just made her comp team.

 

 

 

 

April 2013

Ok, so I have all but abandoned the pole. It's still fun to flip around on once in a while, but I have totally fallen for aerial silk. I am saving to make one to rig up at home so that I can practice more. Right now, I can only make it to class once a month, so I need to practice in between. I'd like to be able to choreograph a routine for competition or at least something to throw in a ward talent show, should we ever have one. I think it would be a little more appropriate than a pole routine, given the amount of clothing required for each apparatus.

 

 

Easter in Moab didn't happen this year. Sad. Money is getting tight for a bunch of the Scott's, I may be getting furloughed from work a for (as of now) 14 days. It wasn't a total bust, though. The kids got to do 5 egg hunts this year and the Easter Bunny was able to hide the real eggs we dyed since we were home to find them before 9pm. Next year though, we will go with or without the rest of the Scotts (Assuming Kasey can get the time off if he is a rookie cop with a new agency)

 

My Valentines present was Jazz tickets. Good job, Love.

                             At the HAFB museum

   

Parker felt the need to moisturize with diaper rash cream.

 

Next Friday, I am going to potty train Parker, despite the scepticism from Kasey. I am using the same 3-day method that I used on Phoenix. She threw her diapers in the garbage one day and has never gone back. He is not too young and I refuse to have a 3-yr old in diapers. It kinda makes me sad whenever Parker reaches a milestone because we are not having any more babies, but one of the things I want most to teach my children is independence. I won't baby them for my own selfish wish that they would stay little forever. I am terrified and excited for what is to come with my 2 strong, wonderful children. 

Our Little Family

What we are up to:

Kasey:

Well, it is hunting season. There's really not alot that needs to be explained here. When he's not at work, he is often on the mountain. No kills yet, but there is plenty of time for redemption. He said he's not living up to his self-proclaimed "Hunter-Gatherer" responsibility.

Randee:

Just hit my one year anniversary with Hill Air Force Base and I am loving my job! I am certainly not rich, but this job has made it possible for us to Phoenix in dance and our grocery budget is a little more than the $40/month that it was when I was at Fresh Market. Thriller is coming up in 2 weeks

and the Carrie Underwood concert in 3! Kasey and I have been doing awesome and although he acts like I am dragging him to the Temple each month, I know he enjoys it. I can't wait to take him up to the Brigham City Temple. He was working when we went to the open house with my family.

 

Phoenix:

Our little princess just turned 4! She asked me to let her cut her hair spikey again, so I said OK. However, the stylest tht cut it freaking butchered it. So 2 months later, it is long enough that I'm not so upset about it. It has to be styled though, otherwise she looks like a boy. Never again. I want her to have long hair at least once in her life. She has started dance again and is still doing Jazz/Ballet. I'm so grateful that we are able to let her do it. She loves dancing! She is loving Angelina Ballerina, Super Why, and Tom and Jerry on "Necka-flix." She got about 5 new dress up dresses for her birthday and loves to be in them. Of course, they are princesses and a new Tinkerbell dress. She will be Cinderella this year for Halloween.

Parker:

Our Parker Boy is 19 months old now and is talking so much! He can pretty much repeat anything you ask him to say. My favorite is "Happidy" for "Happy" His poor little head is a concrete/gravel magnet and he got over one gash on his head just in time for these photos, then, 2 days after, got himself another one. He won't let me put band-aids on him so I have to sneak into his room after he has fallen asleep and put them on him, so at least they'll heal a little faster over night. He loves his little buddy, Easton and wants to play with him when he sees him. I have to watch him cause he loves to high-five and give knuckles and if unattended by Easton, I'm sure he would piss Easton right off with a punch or high-five to the face. Soon enough, he will be old enough to run around with Parker and the big kids. I am trying to put together a police costume for him this year, so that is the plan for now. We'll see if I can pull it together by Halloween.

This is how we do it

Brigham City Temple open house!

 2 hours later, we finally got our cookies! Yum!

The Buddy Walk for Team Ryker!