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!!

 

 

 



Wicked

We have started family reading at night.  We borrowed Wicked from David's aunt, and we are reading a chapter or two (depending on length) each night.  He and I are doing the reading, that way we can edit any material we decide should not be read, which has already come up a couple of times in the first few chapters. 

 

 David's turn to read.

The girls and me snuggling while he reads to us.

 

 

I heard the Broadway show was awesome.  Maybe we will have a chance to see it after we're done with the book.

 



Magic Show

Sonia took the girls to a magic show at the library this morning.  They have events most days of the week for kids during the summer, and she tries to take them when she can. 

 

Being the lover of life that she is, Eva volunteered to be the magician's helper. 

 

 Such a captive audience...

 ...and polite.

Can you see Emily in the very back (pink skirt/bow)? This was pre-glasses. 

Glasses!

Emily had complained about her vision being blurry, so I took her to get her vision checked back in October.  The eye doctor said she was a tad nearsighted, but not enough to warrant glasses. He said to bring her back in Feb.  Well, I finally got around to taking her last week so we'd be all set before school started.  According to this doctor, her vision is fine, she just has issues with focusing.  Her little 7 year old eyes get tired focusing between close up and farther away. When this happens her eyes just don't focus, hence blurry vision. Luckily, this is common and she should grow out of it. 

 

She only has to wear them at school or when looking at a tablet/book.  She can wear them when watching TV if she feels it helps her. She does not need to wear them at any other time. 

 

 Cutie!

 

 

I think she's most excited about the matching Vera Bradley case.  Yes, Very Bradley glasses.

Grand Isle

We went to Grand Isle with a group of friends and we all had a blast.  There was lots of crabbing, attempts to fish, running around in the beach, playing on the pier, eating and drinking (by the adults).   There were 8 kids ranging age from 4 to 14.  The 14 year old mainly hung out with the adults, so the other 7 had free range of the camp, pier, etc. 

 

We were able to catch crabs in the traps and in nets in the surf.  Unless you had a boat, there were no fish to be caught, but there was no lack of trying. 

 

The pictures are in random order.

 

 Fishing off the pier.

 

 Watermelon!

 

 

 Kids playing dominos on our last morning.

 

 

 Elmers Island

 

 

 Elmers Island

 

 

 Trying to catch something...

 

 Casting...

 

 

 Still trying...

 

 

 Sad, no-fish-caught face

 

 

 On the 3 floor of the deck.

 

 

 Elmers Island

 

 

 Kayaking

 The Magnificent Seven

 

 

The plan is to do this again next summer, but probably not mid-June.  We'll have to do some research.  The weather was pretty breezy, downright windy much of the time, and the water was very choppy.  Better luck next year.