Christmas Survey I received via e-mail fom my old neighbor/friend Dawnelle

1. Real tree or Artificial? Fake...we're all allergic to real ones and fireplaces...even if it is not currently lit...if it's been lit recently I get an asthma attack...that stinks

2. When do you put up the tree? Thanksgiving...usually that Friday after

3. When do you take the tree down? New Yearsish...when I can bat my eyes and ask sweetly for my husband to...before he heads out of town again

4. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't know...probably a doll or something..I usually just wanted to play with my youngest older brother

5. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail...although they will likely be late, again. I am not hapy with the 1 photo we took.

6. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I am not at liberty to disclose that information in this e-mail;however it would involve a men's size small shirt (twice)...which was ugly and NOOOO way it would ever fit....and they had torn the tags off of one so it couldn't even be returned . Yes I should be greatful...I'm sorry :-(

7. Favorite Christmas Movie? IDK...We usually go see a movie at night on Christmas. It's fun

8. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Decemberish

9. Have you ever recycled/regifted a Christmas present? Nope...

10. Favorite Christmas song? Breath of Heaven & I am taking an extreme liking to my children's rendition of "No Room" (I don't actually know the title, that is what they call it)

11. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas Eve...Santa comes on Christmas morning

12. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Crowds

13. Favorite food for Christmas? My mother's cooking, cheese balls and spice tea, too.

14. What do you want for Christmas this year? eh...IDK. I do need a Nike chip for my running shoes. I'd also like to be able to run again soon (sick and asthma have kept me down for over a week :-( ). To slow time so I can enjoy my children longer...minus the whining ;-)

The Nativity Scene

My sweet little children set up our nativity scene. They look forward to it every year. This year they did it all...they put Jesus in the center and everyone gathered around Jesus. It's not esthetically pleasing, but it is precious. The Scene changes daily; however Jesus is always at the center. This morning I noticed something different....Jesus was wrapped in toilet tissue. I just love how sweet and Innocent their little hearts are. I will take a picture soon and post it!

Another Random Post

Our Christmas Pic we took a block from our house. It use to be a horse farm. Up until just a couple of weeks ago you could walk out there and feed the horses carrots (we never did...my neighbor did). We did walk out and see the horses, though. It will soon be yet another neighborhood and a shopping center containing a 'Super Kroger." Whatever that is. When we first moved out here the road by our house was 2 lanes. The speed limit was 60 and it felt like we lived far away from society. Now, we can hear tons of road noise (outside not when we're inside thankfully). The positive is we will soon be able to walk to get milk. We were very disappointed when we saw the farm sold. We thought we should have sold our house before that happened. I figure there will be plenty of people who want to be near shopping...and we have a large backyard which is hard to find around here...All is good.

I have made a decision. We are going to have to change our carpet. We will have to put in hardwoods or something. Why I saw hardwoods, is b/c we already have it in the first part of our house. It would look funny to sap down some laminate right next to that. With all 4 of us having asthma, we will have to make changes. I am also going to get back on the health nut kick. I need to do some research about diet. If we can cut out some of the asthma triggers it would be very helpful. We already buy as much organic as possible. We buy milk without hormones. I am vegetarian and so most of the time my family also eats vegetarian. frequently. I do try to make a point to put some meat in front of them sometimes...they do like it.

I am probably going to stop running for a bit, just until I can get the asthma under control. Without a rescue inhaler that works I am "hosed" to quote the doctor. My son still wants to be a swimmer and that will be good for his asthma symptoms. I am also going to ask their peditrician to switch them from Zyrtec to Singulair. Singulair can be an allergy medicine as well as a preventative medicine for asthma. I am encouraging my husband to do the same.

We haven't been diligent about taking our asthma medicine b/c it is insanely expensive. Last week I spent $147 on rescue inhalers for us. Advair, which my husband I are both supposed to take is $175 (times that by 2 every month). Singulair is expensive as well. The crazy thing is we spend $900 a month on insurance premiums and STILL have to pay that much per month just on prescriptions to keep us alive. I am thankful that we have the choice to go to the doctor when we need to go. I am thankful we can choose out doctors and insurance. I just wish medicines would be a little more reasonable priced. I DO NOT want universal healthcare. That would be a nightmare.

Anyway, I didn't mean this to turn into some random post about Asthma and medicine...That is what is on my mind these days. I am going to take action to try to prevent my children from having the same degree of symptoms I am experiencing now.

Frustration!!!!!!

So I am frustrated. I CAN NOT breathe!!!! I am taking Prednisone, Singulair and Advair. I am inhaling the c-r-a-p-py Pro Air inhaler and it is doing no good. Apparently alot of asthmatics are finding that Pro Air and the other CFC free inhalers do not work. My husband's asthma has also deteriorated since we had to switch. So they are killing people to save the Ozone...great. CFC's in inhalers can not be the main problem...I would assume the problem would be more likely cars....so get energy efficient cars and put the inhalers that work back on the market. I bet if the air were cleaned up then alot of people coudl breathe easier.

I am sitting up in bed right now. I have been unable to breathe now for about 7 hrs. I get a good breathe about every 5-10 min. I have kicked the dog out. I am determined to tear up all our carpet and get hardwood floors atleast in my room and family room..and eventually the rest of the house. I am considering heading to my mom's tomorrow. maybe I could breathe easier there. I don't know. I do know I am fed up. I am fed up with the weight I gained since I was sick 2 yrs ago and fed up that without being able to breathe I will be ale to do nothing about it. The prednisone will only increase the weight.

Yes I am in a bad mood. Being unable to breathe is miserable.

I feel REALLY c-r-a-p-p-y. Sorry...there is just no other way to describe it. I didn't realize how sick I was until I went to the doctor. Fortunately she told me and hooked me up. I am running a 100.2 fever WITH advil. I ache all over, my chest hurts, my back hurts, I am exhausted and FREEZING. Fortunately I have Singulair, antibiotics, Advair, prednisone, and it seems like something else. I lose track. I just take it. I am so glad I went. I thought it was just an asthma attack. I thought I would get a steroid shot (which I did) and some new meds and be all better. I didn't realize I am SICK!!!

So anyway...we will hopefully take family pics tomorrow if I can get the laundry done and everyone ready, Derek and I are going on a date, too...I hope :-). It's our last chance...my parents are booked the rest of the month.

My Son the cook

My Son's Pumpkin Pie Recipe:

1 pumpkin

1 apple

alot of orange juice

Pour into a pie crust and bake for 10 min. It will be ready when it burns.

Christmas

Christmas is my favorite holiday. The season is cool and crisp, the music is cheerful and happy. We celebrate our saviors birth. I have always dreamed of working in a soup kitchen or helping the poor in some way. I am trying very hard to instill a sense of giving into my children instead of receiving. We are not nearly as "well off" as we use to be...not that we were ever rich. We actually have to live on a budget now a days. My point is I am somewhat glad we live on a budget, b/c it makes our giving more meaningful...

This year we made Christmas boxes early in November for Franklin Graham's organization. We always give to our family whether we receive or not, because we WANT to give to others. We also get an angel off the Christmas tree. Usually we get 1 per child...1 boy and 1 girl. Then we shop for them. I remind our children just how fortunate they are. We talk about how some children don't have toys, food sometimes they don't even have a mom or dad.

Today's mission will be to go get an angel off the angel tree. I haven't decided if we will get 1 or 2. We'll see. I want 2, but it depends on what types of items they want....and how much I think we can afford.