Weekend Recap

Good news and bad news…  Bad news first.  A ended up having an adverse reaction to the antibiotics he was on.  As he got further along with doses, he experienced intense itching and a rash.  He called his CF doctor who told him he could stop all antibiotic meds – at this point, he had already been on meds for 10 days.  I know A was so ready to be done with the antibiotics and the picc line.  Good news: the picc line was removed on Friday, 3 days ahead of schedule and A was so relieved.  I was elated too!!  A has experienced some occasional discomfort in his left side (opposite where the picc line was) and his nurse thought it may be related to the antibiotics so hopefully that goes away completely.

In other news, W had his final baseball game on Saturday (and it was A’s last game coaching).  I’m not sure W was super into it and I suspect that team sports may not be his thing.  All in all, it was lots of fun watching him and I’m proud of him.  S also had a game and did great.  Maybe A can be S’s coach next year… 😊

The rest of the weekend was spent cleaning the house and packing for our annual Maryland trip.  S has been a bit challenging lately (to say the least) and emptied out one of the suitcases I’d packed.  Ugh.  Some days it seems this boy is either a little monster or he’s as sweet as can be – it changes throughout the day with no in between.  This is four.  On Saturday, he asked me to marry him and brought me fake flowers to hold.  On Sunday, we had a dance party together.  He’s all heart and his emotions are big.  Thankfully, the sweet moments make up for the difficult and the sweet are what I’ll try my hardest to remember. 😊

We leave for Maryland tomorrow.  I’m nervous about being away since A was recently admitted and just finished his antibiotics.  We have lots of fun things planned, but I’m nervous.   Think good thoughts for us!

Thursday Thoughts

A and I were able to squeeze in a date night and we had so much fun.  I wasn’t convinced A would be up to it, but he assured me he was.  We headed to trivia night at a local bar, ordered appetizers, and had a blast guessing the correct answers to various questions.  Our team of two competed against teams of up to 8 people.  Amongst 20ish other teams, we finished in 6^th place and scored a free pitcher of beer.  And when I say “we” finished in 6^th place, I really mean A because I’m terrible at trivia (but love to participate).  Honestly, it didn’t matter to me what place we finished in; we were in desperate need of a night out and even though we were only out for a few hours, it was so restorative.

There’s one thing I didn’t mention about Disney and with A’s recent admission and the news that Vertex submitted an application for their triple combination therapy, my mind keeps returning to it.  We were in the process of checking out of the hotel and I was frustrated.  I was sad that we were leaving, the check out process was taking forever because the resort had mixed up our fight info and consequently, our reservations for the airport shuttle.  As a result of that, we were going to miss out on one of our Fastpasses.  I had to go back to the room and grab more of our luggage and when I returned, A was deep in conversation with a lady.  In the distance, I spotted a little girl attentively observing her mom talking to A.  I know Disney is super friendly, but this seemed like a different encounter.  Pretty quickly, I realized that they were talking about CF.  Don’t tell A, but he always gets a certain look when discussing the disease – it’s sort of timid/self-conscious expression.  It’s something he discusses with very few people.  I eventually learned that the little girl had spotted A’s Afflovest bag and immediately knew what it was for because she also has CF and an Afflovest.  I think it’s so beneficial for younger people with CF to see A and realize that they can have a very full life despite the challenges that CF brings.  While the two couldn’t get close, witnessing A wave to the little girl was one of the sweetest moments of the trip.

I feel like I’ve been talking about my new job too much (sorry!), but gosh, what a huge relief it’s been!  I realized that being in my former job for so long took a huge toll on my confidence.  Each time I was ignored or passed over made me feel invisible and I started questioning my own abilities and worth.  When coworkers and former colleagues learned I was moving to a new role, I received so many emails, messages, and well wishes.  Numerous people have told me my new department is really excited to have me.  I spent two years feeling unchallenged, excluded, and unnoticed and I finally feel appreciated!  Hallelujah! 

S Says...

S:  There was some stuff on the blue one that made me almost puke.

Me:  What?!  Are you talking about the monorail?

S:  Yeah, on the blue one.  I think it was a baby that made me almost puke.

S:  You DO realize you left me in the car?!

S:  I thought I was going to have a fun day, but you ruined it.

Teacher:  Come in guys.  You can start designing a cape or start playing.

S: We just wanna start playing!

Me: Shhh… time to go to sleep.  No more talking.

S:  Is it morning yet?

Me:  No.

S:  You said no more talking.

S:  I’m not going outside in the grass right now.  I don’t want to get lightning’ed on and power to my brains.

Me:  S, are you going to be a cook some day?  I think you'd be great.

S: No.

Me:  Why not?

S:  I don’t have a chef hat.

S:  Mommy!!  I sleeped so good!!  I closed my eyes and I didn’t even talk!

Weekend Recap

It turned out to be an uneventful weekend for us.  I think Friday was my favorite day.  My mom had to have a new air conditioner installed so she ended up coming to our house to cool off.  We ordered pizza and she helped me decide which of my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale purchases to keep.  I’m not in a hurry for summer to end, but trying on sweaters did make me excited for fall.

S’s t-ball game on Saturday was cancelled due to excessive heat.  A took my car in for an oil change in order to get out of the house and have a little quiet time.  I had a coupon for Dunkin Donuts and took the boys there.  S LOVES donuts and was excited to pick out a pink one with sprinkles.  After some time at home, S and I headed out to complete a few more errands.  Aside from questioning my driving (Why are you going that way??  Why are you in this lane??), he was really good company and we had fun together.  I also think it was beneficial that the boys got a little break from one another.

The rest of the day was spent watching movies and playing games while a storm rolled through.  I made one of our favorite instant pot pasta recipes and everyone ate it!!!  Miraculous!  W even asked if I’d make it for his school lunch… WHAT?!

Sunday was our usual morning routine.  I took the boys to a new park for a bit and then we picked up A and headed to lunch.  We went to our favorite chicken restaurant that has a basket of coloring books for the boys to enjoy and open windows that allow us to people watch.  The weather had cooled off and it made for a really great lunch experience.  I spent the remainder of the day cleaning out my closet and the boys played outside for a bit.

I mentioned in my previous post that this hospital admission/picc line experience has been so much better and it has.  BUT.  I’m sooo ready for this to be over.  I’m tired of scheduling all activities around dosing meds.  A hasn’t been doing much with his right arm so activities have been limited in that respect too – no baseball or energetic play with the boys, we can’t install the boys’ new car seats (I may try this on my own), no pool visits or anything that involves water, outings are limited.  And probably the toughest obstacle – I can’t sleep.  I have so much caffeine during the day to keep me going that I can’t fall asleep at night.  Then A’s alarm goes off at midnight.  We’ve had nighttime storms, S falls out of bed, A snores, S keeps waking up at 5:30am.  I. Am. So. Tired.

Friday Thoughts

How about some good news on this Friday?!

A was admitted on Tuesday and returned home Wednesday night.  One less day and night than his previous admission.  This admission was better on all accounts.  He saw his doctor right away, staff was attentive, he received his picc line right away, he actually received meals after ordering them, there is no IV pole to connect medication bags to (he has individual "pods" instead).  Isn’t medicine/technology amazing?!?  So far, his energy hasn’t really suffered as a result of the antibiotics – not sure if that will change, but since he didn’t feel awful going into the hospital, I’m hopeful.  The only drawback is the picc line limits his activity and he has to wake up at midnight to dose one of his meds (and consequently, I’m waking at midnight too).  I’m anxious for this to be over, but happy we’re in a much better situation than we were 5 years ago.  I also tried my hardest to keep things as "normal" as possible for the boys and I think that strategy was best.

I’m really loving my new job!!  The week I started, I just felt an overwhelming sense of relief.  I knew I needed a change, but I didn’t really expect the instant happiness and feeling of liberation that followed - like a huge weight was lifted.  My new boss is wonderful and will make a great mentor - an added bonus.  I’m so grateful for this opportunity and thankful things worked out the way they did.

Did anyone else do lots of shopping over the past week?  I’m having a bit of buyer's remorse, but also excited about some deals.  I tried to be practical and purchased a new doorbell (current one is broken) and car seats, but then my mom told me she’d gift me a few items of my choosing from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale for my birthday and practicality went out the window.  The mound of packages delivered continues to grow. 😊  

We don’t have much planned this weekend.  It’s supposed to be really hot on Saturday so we’ll likely be stuck inside.  Boo.  On the bright side, a low key weekend sounds ideal!

Weekend Recap

This weekend was a tough one for me.  After lots of discussion, A decided it was probably best for him to be admitted.  Since getting sick after our Disney trip, there have been days in which he’s felt completely fine and there have been other days in which his lungs have been sore and he doesn’t feel like himself.  It hasn’t stopped him from keeping up with the boys and staying busy, but to play it safe, he thought a hospital admission and IV antibiotics were the best option.  It has been 5 years since he was last admitted so it’s not surprising that he’d need to go.  I just remember how awful the last time was… The hospital is over an hour away.  A didn’t see his doctor until the following day, the picc line wasn’t inserted until the following night, he wasn’t given the correct number of enzymes for meals, the staff had no clue about CF, the food was gross.  I didn’t understand why he had to stay for 2 nights (3 days) – especially with mediocre care.  And the IV antibiotics made A feel much worse before he started feeling better.  It was a solid 10 days of A barely getting out of bed.  And given that my dad and my brother both passed away after being admitted to the hospital, the thought of A being there is a bit traumatic for me.

And there is never a good time for a hospital admission.  A will miss coaching at least one of W’s baseball games – W really loves that dad is his coach and I think it’s been a great experience for both of them.  We were supposed to have a date night on Wednesday and I was super excited for another trivia night – we’ve only been out together twice since March.  I’m sad we’ll miss that and won’t have another opportunity for trivia night for at least a month.  We’re supposed to leave for our annual Maryland trip in 2 weeks and we’re not sure if that will be impacted.  It’s disappointing to say the least.

Last week also marked a year since we said goodbye to Addie dog and I still can’t see a photo of her without crying.  A and I both cried talking about her yesterday.  She was such a big presence in our lives for 10 years and I miss her incredibly.  I’m fairly certain the boys weren’t around when we were talking about her (they were playing at the park).  But last night, when I went in W’s room to say goodnight, he was crying.  I asked him what was wrong and he said he missed Addie. ☹

It turned out to be a really emotional weekend, but there were definitely happy moments as well.  The boys did great at baseball.  I mean S did run off the field at least 3 separate times because he was tired or hungry or whatever, but when he actually played, he was great.  W wanted to play first base and played awesome there. 

Random, but my mom decided to dye her hair (for the first time since she was a teen) and she looks awesome!  We happened to be at the salon at the same time and it was so fun to have a salon buddy.

We had a picnic at the park yesterday.  The weather was beautiful and the boys had a great time playing.

I’m really hoping this week turns out better than I’m anticipating…

Stitch Fix Friday

I am so far behind with my Stitch Fix reviews, I’m going to share my previous two fixes.  I still really love the service and my stylist has been awesome.  I also enjoy looking back at these posts when I’m in need of outfit inspiration.  I love clothes.  I have a closet full of clothes.  But there are times my closet feels overwhelming and these posts are so helpful in those moments!  Here we go…

First, I don’t know what was up with my hair in these pictures.  It was soon after I cut it shorter and maybe I was still learning how best to style it?  Just needed to put that out there.

The first item I tried on was the teal Laila Jayde Bowie dolman top.  Dolman tops and I do not get along.  I think they work well on so many people, but they are just unflattering on me.  I think they’re too clingy in the mid-section and I knew this was an automatic no for me.  I did love the color, though.  RETURN

The second item I tried was the gray RD Style, Sonole open drape cardigan.  Do I need another gray cardigan?  Nope.  Did I keep it anyway?  Yes.  What can I say – I have a love for gray cardigans.  I don’t think I have any that are this cocoon style (is that what it’s called or did I make it up?) and I liked that this wasn’t too heavy - a perfect extra layer.  While I received this in the spring, I think it will be a great fall staple as well.  KEEP

Next up, the Daniel Rainn Bernal Split Neck blouse.  I really liked this top, but I already have a very similar top from a previous Stitch Fix!!  The top I already own is sleeveless so it is a slightly different style and I do really love the print, but didn’t see the need to have two extremely similar tops (with the exact same print).  I also think the sleeveless version is more flattering on me.  This was an easy decision.  RETURN

Finally, the Kensie Mally Ponte jacket and black Erica Taylor Karen Straight Leg pants.  This jacket was so soft and comfortable.  The material made me feel like I was wearing a tailored sweatshirt.  I usually go for items in bolder colors because I’m pretty pale, but I just loved this.  As for the pants, I kind of cheated.  I had decided that I probably wouldn’t keep them.  They were pull on, which I loved!  But I wasn’t sold on the fit.  And then I wore them to an auction, but kept the tags on so I’d have to option to return.  I know this is against the rules, but I couldn’t decide and figured it would be a good test.  Wearing them for hours made me realize I actually really liked them.  KEEP and KEEP

Ok, better hair in these next photos…

First up, the red 41 Hawthorn, Tulla Pintuck Detail Blouse.  I should note that I specifically requested short sleeve tops.  I have a ton of sleeveless tops and I don’t like wearing sleeveless at work without some type of jacket or cardigan.  I wanted a few short sleeve options to mix things up.  I liked the red and the pleats and thought this would make a great work top.  While red isn’t really a neutral, I think I can wear this with almost anything – even into fall.  KEEP

Next up, the green Pale Sky, Kiara Eyelet top and Liverpool Capri jeans.  I loved the green!  I had pinned quite a few green tops and was excited to see this in my fix.  I also thought the eyelet on top was such a cute detail.  This top was a bit pricey and I wasn’t sure about the fit.  It also wrinkles rather easily.  I had to think about this one and ultimately decided to keep it, but size up for a looser fit.  I think I’ll get lots of wear out of it.  The capri jeans were a definite no.  They just didn’t fit well and I wasn’t happy with the way they looked on me.  KEEP and RETURN

Next, I tried on the Market & Spruce, Amethyst Eyelet Detail knit striped dress.  I feel like the photo does this no justice whatsoever.  It was so comfortable on and I loved the style.  The fabric was a bit thicker, which made it more flattering.  When I pulled this out of the box, I thought it would be a no because I usually need dresses that are A-line or fit and flare, but this worked (at least I think so).  This was a definite keeper, I just feel like it’s cuteness is not exemplified.  KEEP

Finally, the yellow dress (I need to find the style card with the name of this cutie).  Everyone who saw this one loved it (except for A – ha!).  I was so torn.  I love the look of it in the box, but I don’t love it on me.  I just feel like yellow isn’t the best color for me and I also felt like the fit was a bit off on the top portion (you can see that in the first photo).  Ultimately, I decided to return this one, though it was a tough decision.  RETURN

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday… or something like that!

Did anyone else feel a bit torn celebrating Independence Day?  Like yay America, but also, we can do so much better.  To be honest, Independence Day has never been a favorite holiday for me.  I can definitely get on board with grilling and family time, but I couldn’t care less about fireworks and I’m definitely over hearing the booms of firecrackers all night long.  Nani and Papa kindly hosted an Independence Day gathering and I ate my weight in appetizers.  The boys loved spending time with their cousins and I think S sampled every sweet available (donuts, cookies, and popsicles!).  It was a great summer day!  We left with full bellies and the boys were asleep by 8:30pm.

This weekend consisted of t-ball and a belated Father’s Day outing.  T-ball was ok, but I think both boys were a bit tired after spending Friday at the water park with A (so nice to be a kid!).  Since we were out of town for Father’s Day, we invited Nani and Papa to join us for a hibachi dinner.  I was also excited for a redo since A’s Father’s Day outing wasn’t ideal (to say the least).  The boys had a great time and S laughed hysterically as we all tried to catch broccoli.

Sunday started off with church.  We have a new priest and he sings many of the prayers, which is a big change.  Not a bad change by any means, but I think the boys were thoroughly confused – ha!  We headed to the local amusement park in the afternoon.  The weather was perfect and it wasn’t crowded, which made for a really fun outing.

Weekend Recap

A fun weekend in the books!

Friday was a big day for us.  We officially sold our townhouse!  We’ve had renters for the past 5 years and the current tenants asked if we’d consider selling.  I think it worked out so well for all of us.  Had we listed it, we would’ve likely had to find (and pay) a realtor, replace carpeting, and replace appliances.  The current tenants really like the neighborhood and have plans of their own.  After too many extensions to count (we were supposed to close in March), it’s finally done.

I had the bright idea to take a selfie in front of the townhouse - it was hot, S didn't make it into the photo, but you get the idea.

 Saturday, the boys had swimming and then it was off to their first baseball games.  W had the first game and it was so cute seeing Coach A pitch to W (did I previously mention that A is coaching W’s team?).  S had the second game and it’s fun watching him play a sport.  This is his first team sport and he really seemed to enjoy it.  The only downside was it was warmer than expected and I forgot to put on sunscreen (at least the boys had their sunscreen on).  Ugh.

Sunday, consisted of our usual morning routine and then we headed to the Independence Day parade to walk with S’s preschool.  As soon as we arrived, my phone alerted me that there was a severe thunderstorm warning for the area until 1:15pm.  Great.  The parade was set to start at 1.  1:15 came and went and it was cloudy, but not storming.  I was waving and passing out bubbles, but ran out.  Of course, I had fallen way behind and the parade float was up ahead of me.  It looked like I was walking with another group and had nothing to pass out – parade watchers probably wondered what the heck I was doing.  As I tried to catch up to the truck that A and the kids were on, I realized the sky was getting really dark.  Soon, it was pouring rain.  Luckily, I had my umbrella and A and the boys were on the parade truck under an awning.  The rain started coming down hard along with thunder and lightning.  It occurred to me that the truck with A and everyone else was driving away and I had no idea where it was headed.  I had no phone, no car keys, just my wimpy umbrella and empty bubble bag.  Luckily, someone must’ve told the truck to stop and I ran after it and hopped on.  I rode on the back of it to the garage that owns the truck and was pretty soaked by the time we arrived.  The garage owners let us in and even let the boys check out the old cars they were working on, use the bathroom, and dry off in the shop.  They offered to shuttle us to our car too, which was so generous.  It turned out to be quite an adventure and despite the storm, we all had fun.

Before the rain and still with bubbles :D