Thursday, November 21, 2024
Favorite Christmas Books for Kids // Part Two
Monday, November 11, 2024
Family Health Update
Many of you ask from time to time how everything is with Madeline and me and our health journies.
I realized it has been a long time since I've given an update on myself and my health stuff (probably because it’s not my favorite thing to do!) but you all have been so sweet to pray and check in on us and I did want to share a bit as I haven't really updated on my heart since this post.
As of summer 2023, I am now seeing doctors at what we feel is the best hospital in the nation. We have been 100% thrilled with my care there and are very thankful for their thoroughness and kind, professional care. The current plan is that I visit there regularly until it is determined that I need surgery. (open heart surgery) The doctors are hesitant to give a number since so little of my 33 years are recorded/monitored (since I had no idea there was anything wrong with my heart prior to Maddy's birth) but they have loosely floated the number 3-5years. (I’m hoping it’s more like 30 years!) When I am there each time, I get ekgs, echocardiograms, etc. In November 2023 I had my first stress test and everyone was really impressed with how well I did on that, considering how bad my valve is. I am confidant that my exercise played a big part in those good results. (In the 14 previous months, I did not miss a single day of walking 1+ mile a day)
I’ve continued my walking (after a break in December 2023 due to my appendectomy) and then started working with another doctor in January to help with some other random non-heart related health stuff. (Headaches, sleep issues, and weight gain) Since my heart issues were discovered in 2021, I have totally changed my perspective on how I view my health. I used to blow things off and just “power through” things, but now I pay attention if even the slightest thing seems “off”. Last year, I just wasn’t feeling my best and had that feeling that something wasn’t quite right with my basic health, aside from heart stuff. I had a ton of blood work done and based off information and results from a few of those levels being not great, (nothing crazy, just a few little things) my doctor started me on a batch of supplements and vitamins. I also cut out gluten and sugar, as well as implementing a number of other smaller personal changes, based off her recommendations. By May I had lost 14 pounds but more than that, my sleep issues were gone, inflammation was way down, and I haven’t had a single headache since. I also feel so much better just overall. It is incredible to know that not only is my heart is in current stable shape (for as bad as the valve is) but I also can feel energized and have amazing quality of life. After some of what I’ve gone through, I will definitely never take health for granted again, and I am super grateful to have had an amazing year of energy and vitality!
Madeline is fit as a fiddle and doing great. You would never know she was once a preemie. She is almost caught up to Elliot in size and is one of the spunkiest three year olds I know. Considering that neither of her brothers are even close to what I would call “laid back”, we have quite the little energetic little pack of “three musketeers.” They keeping me hopping and are such fun kids!
Her eating struggles have all resolved, with time allowing her swallowing/digestive system to heal and develop. She eats pretty much anything these days, in large quantities. :)
(took this picture of the kids the other night because seriously they are just the cutest and I want to freeze every minute of them being little!)
John and the boys continue to be in fabulous health and spirits and I really feel like we are living the dream. Nearly every day I look at my little family and can’t believe how absolutely blessed we are. This is truly a beautiful life we get to live!
Thankyou all again for your prayers and support. We are truly so grateful!
Have a wonderful week!
-Chels
Monday, August 5, 2024
Puzzles & Puzzle Boards - Our New Favorite Mama/Son Hobby
I'm including pictures in this post of most of the puzzles we did from January-April. I'll link the ones I can find, also!
Monday, July 1, 2024
December 2023 // Appendectomy, Christmas, & Traditions
Our December last year started out with our annual trip to the local tree farm to pick out our Christmas tree! The kids love this tradition and they talk about it all year. We drive past the tree farm every Sunday on our way to church and they love to say, "That is where we get our Christmas tree!"
When that above picture was taken the very end of November 2023, we had no idea how very different December was destined to look for us. We were all geared up for another Christmas and ready to party! As mentioned in this post, we got our tree, decorated the house, and prepared to launch right into a full holiday month.
It was Friday morning, December 8th. I finished the Christmas party gathering for the MOPS group I coordinated and came home to crash as I was exhausted from some late night prep, little sleep, and a very full schedule. As Friday afternoon wore on, I felt worse and worse and what started out as a stomach ache began to intensify. The kids and I went out to run errands and by the time we got back, I was barely able to stay upright long enough to grab a frozen pizza from the freezer and pop it in the oven. My kids are little troopers and they did a great job basically feeding and entertaining themselves until John got home from his work trip around 7pm.
Our kids had amazing care the 24hours we were gone. They love their cousins/uncle/aunt more than about anyone else on earth, and they had the time of their lives. It is always such a relief to me during these times to have such incredible care for our children; I do not take it for granted!
I ended up spending the next two weeks mostly on the couch, and I took it easy overall for a month. Apparently appendectomy recovery isn't too long, but I was told that for the hernia recovery, it was extra important that I not lift anything for a solid month. Subsequently, our December ended up looking completely different than what I was planning. I had scheduled a lot of fun stuff and we had a full calendar lined up. Instead, most of that got scratched and we were reading Christmas stories from the couch and staying home. And you know what, it ended up being fantastic. We had a beautiful Christmas. I think it was even our best one yet. As it turns out, I really needed the slow down time both physically and emotionally, even aside from the surgery recovery. I had some pretty big stress points over the prior month that had really built up towards the years' end, and being forced to take it easy also gave me extra time to work through some of that. Even though the timing was not at all what I would have chosen, I can truly say that it worked out for the best and I am thankful for it.
Our church and my MOPS group brought us dinners every night for two weeks straight. My nieces came over after school and played with the kids and did our laundry. My inlaws had the kids for extended playtimes at their house. My sisters in law brought freezer meals and stopped by to visit. We were so well cared for by our community of friends/family and I was able to rest well and completely, and be able to enjoy the Christmas holiday (although still at a scaled back pace) when it came just over two weeks later.
The following pictures are in no particular order, just a smattering of favorites from the month of December. The ones that have me up and about were either taken before my surgery or during the last week of the month. =)
I started reading the Little House series to Axton over the winter and we have both LOVED this addition to our afternoons! We are already halfway through the series and it is a favorite part of our day. I was thrilled to find the whole set minus one book at Goodwill last year, in mint condition!
My grandma read these books to my dad and his siblings when they were little, and my mom read them to me and my siblings when we were little! So it feels so right and so special to get to continue the tradition for a third generation!
Delicious!
Madeline has been enthralled with drums so we got her this little set and her face says it all. =)
I can't share just one picture. =)
Perfect little stairsteps, at the moment.
Somehow Maddy ended up in her beloved bunny ears and my apron and the combo was both funny and charming.
Christmas wrapping is half the fun of the present situation, to me. =) I buy my wrapping papered ribbon at stores like Marshalls, HomeGoods, or TJMaxx, where it is high quality but discounted pricing, and I always choose coordinating colors and themes.
Kids were here! And this little pile up of Christmas tree balls made me laugh!
Many many cups of tea, coffee, and hot chocolate were consumed in my beautiful Christmas mugs during December!
Every year we enjoy going to a local Walk Through Bethlehem experience. Some of our extended family members participate in this and it was a great guessing game to the kids to recognize various cousins and uncles/aunts.
MOPS party brunch charcuterie spread. I take no credit for this but my hospitality team did incredible putting this together for our December meeting.
The boys went with daddy to go to the nearby farm where we get milk, and while there they got to meet the newest litter of puppies!
Twas the night before Christmas! Our living room decor is a mixture of gifted, thrifted, repurposed, and other such randomness. It isn't fancy but I always feel in my heart, plus hear on the regular from guests, that it is homey and peaceful and that checks the only boxes needed for me. It is my favorite spot in the house around the holidays! The kids love it too and really enjoyed being a part of the decorating crew.
I am pretty minimal when it comes to decor and what I like to store, so I've found that removable pillow covers are excellent for switching out from season to season! Here are the links for my Christmas ones, here and here. Other decor pieces are the giving manger, a wooden star nativity scene, flameless candles, and lots of greenery and string lights! I also love to use leftover branches/clippings from the tree and strands of red beads and faux red berries. I have several red blankets that I have been gifted and I like to drape those over the ends of furniture to complete the look and also be readily available for use.
Anniversary date night with my favorite.
And that's a rather lengthy wrap on our December/Christmas 2023! =)
-Chels
Note: all of the items linked in this post, unless otherwise noted, are items that I own and love. Amazon links are affiliate links. Please read my affiliate disclosure here)