Emily-ism

I've been keeping candies in a bowl since Thanksgiving and they are colored for the corresponding holiday.  Right now I have mixted Hershey candies in there, and I told her my favorite was Mr. Goodbar.  So, now she keeps wanting to eat "Good Mr. Bars."  Lol.

Best Day Ever

Emily said yesterday was the best day ever. She had a field trip to the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge with her class, and then a Christmas party during ballet class. She also found out what her costume for Rapunzel was going to look like (they are goblins). 

She cracks me up.

House of the Sickies

We are living in a sicky house. Monday David and I both had a cough, chills and aches come on suddenly while at work.  He also has fever and has gotten worse yesterday and today. I am fighting it out, no fever, chills and aches that come and go. Nasty cough.  I think having the flu earlier this year is helping me fight this - no fever as of yet and I don't feel bad.  David is off to the doctor today.

Eva went home sick from school with a stomach virus. Apparently there is a bad one going around.  She was sick at school and again last night and has a low fever. This stomach bug is supposed to last 2 days, so hopefully she is feeling better soon - she has 3 tests to take as well as an hour and a half writing prompt to do by Friday.

Emily is the only one good to go. I told her to stay away from everyone else.

No worries, Lisa. I'll have the house disinfected before you get here!

Christmas Picture

The Company

This is Eva's second year and Emily's first year in 'The Company.'  This is the performing arts group at their school. They perform a musical in early spring as well as sing at various places throughout the year. The picture above is a portion of Company after they sang at a Veterans Day breakfast at a local church. They also performed at a Relay for Life event the weekend before.

Last year they performed Once on this Island Jr, and this year they will perform Peter Pan Jr.  Emily is one of the lost boys. Eva is Aquata, one of the main mermaids (with lines!), as well as another part. 

They have a CD with all of the songs on it to listen to for practice. The other night they were in our bedroom listening and singing along. We could hear them from the living room, and we were just cracking up at how cute they were. 

I can't wait to see them together in February for the production at the theater in downtown Hammond.

Note: In the picture above, Emily is in the pink jacket in the front and Eva is standing in the back just left of center (in purple) behind the Asian boy.

First Dance - Neon!

So, we're doing this now. Dances. This was a dance for grades 5-8, and one parent for each kid had to attend. The dance theme was neon, but Eva didn't want any neon clothes. Instead, she went tie-dye. 

 

She had her clothes, including shoes, purse and earrings, out a few hours before dance time.  Lol. 

 

 

 Do you see the earrings hanging on the shirt?

Ready to go!

Group photo. They had a ton of fun, and they did dance.

Proof of dancing...

 

 

 

 

 

There was much complaining from Emily that she had to stay home, but she'd better get used to it over the next few years.  Maybe I need to arrange for a sleep over on these nights...

Volleyball

Eva is getting better every day at volleyball. Her serves now make it over the net, and she is doing much better bumping the ball. Her coach said she has all of the fundamentals down, and that she can't wait to see her play in a couple of years when she's bigger (stronger). 

 

She's a skinny girl now, but if she's anything like me she'll start putting muscle on when she's closer to 12.

 

 

I Have a Tween!!

This girl had two cakes, one for her Harry Potter party with her friends, and another for her actual birthday with the family. 

 

 I made this one...

 I bought this one... lemon doberge...yum!

Harry Potter (and Dobby) shirt from Emily...

Monopoly and Rush Limbaugh book from Mimi and Popsie...

Vera Bradley bag from Granny...

Lego Hogwarts game from us...

Plus all of her other goodies from her big party including Headbanz Act Up, gift cards, cash, nightgown, and various other things.  And to top it all off, this week is a short week at school where they are off Friday.  Nice birthday week, Eva!

Volleyball

Eva is enjoying volleyball this year. She played at her other school a couple of years ago but did not like it at that time.  She is on the JV team and gets better each practice, which is everyday after school.  Plus, David works on bumps and serves at home. 

 

 The team. Eva with a smile, as usual.

The girls get lots of play time in the games. 

 Ready!

 

 

David is working on her serve. He doesn't like her serving without taking steps (like the pic below).  He started teaching her to take two steps to get some momentum going behind those skinny arms, lol. 

 

Ballet

Ballet has resumed this year due to Emily's constant requests over the last year to go back.  Plus this year her friend from school is in class with her (that's her friend with the white bow and Emily with the pink bow).

 

She is so excited to dance in Rapunzel in May!

Destin

Destin trip was wonderful. The surf was calm all week, which is good for just hanging out in the water, but bad for body surfing.  The weather was perfect, not a drop of rain. 

 

 

 Our view.

 

There was lots of girls getting buried in the sand.

Hanging out.

 Eva and Natalie.

 

 

 Waiting on a wave.

 

 Got a little one, not many to be had.

 Hanging out in the hot tub.

 

 

 Relaxing.

 

Stud

 

 All of the cousins.

 

We rented kayaks and took the girls out along the shore. Kayaks might be a purchase in the near future.

 

Us. :)

Rash

So my biopsy results came in the day before leaving for the beach:  follicular mucinosis.  This is a rare skin rash that can be associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  The biopsy was sent off to a second opinion lab. I was allowed to ferment on the possible lymphoma outcome for a week before my second opinion results came back yesterday:  urticaria-like follicular mucinosis.  Better than lymphoma.  Light therapy is one treatment (see photos below) as well as steroid creams. 

 

This is my rash after 4 days in the sun (beach).  Much better!

 

The prognosis is obviously better than lymphoma, but I could still have this rash for years.  I will have to have biopsies if the rash does not go away entirely because it still could turn into lymphoma.  Next doctor appointment in 6 weeks. 

Interesting tidbit:  urticaria-like follicular mucinosis is very rare and usually found in middle-aged men. Hmmmm.  Wondering if this is hormonal in any way.

Year of the Doctor (for me, at least)

This year has been a doozy for me and doctors.  In February I had the flu. The flu, after it was done, turned into bronchitis.  Allergy symptoms lasted about 2-3 months. I finally had to see an ENT to get my nose straight.  During one of those ENT visits he prescribed Levoquin. After 3 doses of that I broke out in a rash, see this post.  A couple of weeks later, during my new rash research, I realized what I had was shingles!  Crazy.

 

I am currently in my 4th week of this 'new' rash.  It's all over my neck and jawline/chin.  In the beginning it was not red and did not itch. Now, it itches like crazy at night and in the morning and is red, as you can see below. 

 

After 2 weeks of self medicating with hydrocortisone, Benadryl, and an anti-fungal, I went to the doctor. She did nothing. A week later I went to the dermatologist. She said it looks to her like contact dermatitis, but she did a biopsy to be sure. I'm still waiting on those results. In the mean time she prescribed me Kenalog (steroid cream).  I am on the 6th day of using it and have seen no change in the rash.  I don't really agree with her diagnosis.  I don't put anything on my neck. I have not started using any new detergent, soap, makeup, lotion, sunscreen, perfume...anything.  She mentioned a perfume I purchased in April, but I don't think that's it since I had been using it for 3 months, and it should have gone a way once I stopped using it.  Also, that's not where I spray it. I spray more on my chest than neck.  Weird. It's gross and I feel like a reptile.  I just want it gone. 

 

 

 

She mentioned I may have to have an allergy test done, but she wouldn't recommend it until winter since I would not be able to shower for a week.  Can you imagine not showering for a week in Louisiana?!

 

I really need this vacation coming up on Saturday!  Calgon, take me away!!