My Uncle

A few weeks ago, i think it may have been mothers day? I was talking to my mom and she conferenced in her sister who was screaming, thefirst thing that popped into my head was that she was hurt and needed help(flashback to my parents robbery) but how were we suppose to help her she lives in Canada. I was so scared i couldn't even talk, my mom was calmly (she has middle child syndrome) trying to ask her how we could help her what was wrong and she just kept crying until she said Jose tiene cancer. My moms brother who lives in Panama. His name is Jose and he was recently diagnosed with appendix cancer after having an appendectomy. Please keep us in your prayers & thoughts, we will know more this coming week. He has four beautiful daughters, wife, and grandchildren and it hasn't been easy for any of our family especially my grandparents. Part of the Panamanian culture is to find natural doctors or "brujas" and knowing what I know today about plant based diets being able to reverse almost any disease in the body, my mom and I are on a mission to provide him with the knowledge and supplements along with conventional medicine of chemotherapy. He has already found a natural dr through a friend who had cancer, an has recommended to him a cocktail of aloe juice and other natural ingredients. Sometimes you can't help but wonder why. But then sometimes I know the things I have been through have made me stronger and appreciate life more. But still why.

I didn't mean to hit brother....

That's what I heard from Dreycin tonight as he was brushing his teeth. And he proceeded to say I don't want to sit in time out, I didn't mean to hit brother about 3x in a row. All day he was picking on Bronson trying to sit on him, pushing him, but in Dreycin's defense he has not been feeling good coughing & runny nose. I will be the first one to say I am not a nice one to be around when I'm not feeling good, and the other reason he may be a tad bit upset about is that his Daddy thought he would do something cool and give him a Mohawk for the summer well that turned into a full shaved head :( I was so livid and upset......after Derek shaved my dog a few months ago I told him not to go near him again I should have added the boys on the don't touch list!!!! So I will anxiously await for my baby's hair to grow back and well it's a good thing he is really into hats right now!!!!

In other news B man is standing up for a few seconds on his own, pushing a shopping cart around the house, walking all along the couches, and even trying to climb up the stairs (and can get up the 1st step but can't get down and the gate is on the second stair)!!! He also has a cough, but not much we can do for him, I'm just breastfeeding ALOT!!

We have had a lot going on in the last week/weekend, went to a music class farmers market and found some awesome local chemical free growers!! Went to a new restaurant called our daily bread where they sell local and organic produce! Tried a new non denominational church which was something we had been looking for but was hard to find here in a mostly Southern Baptist area! Dreycin wasn't too crazy about going to toddler room and even cried for a minute :( but Derek snuck by 2x to make sure he was ok during the service and he was playing away!! Ended up feeling like it was a very short weekend, and even shorter week! Derek has had duty, but we had our USMC company family day yesterday which I volunteered for. We are looking forward to relaxing this weekend, I'm almost done with laundry bring on the weekend!

Big Boys

I've got two little boys on my hand that are anxious to grow up on me!
Dreycin is potty trained no more accidents and is obsessed about being outside constantly despite the gnats! He is wearing 4t, and also currently obsessed with his crocs that have light up buzz light year and Mickey mouse! He still eats really good, lots of veggies and his new favorite food is blackberries(thanks to my mom). I don't buy them bc i don't like them but my mom gave him some in Texas and he was hooked! Dreycin loves to drive B around in his Ford power wheels truck and mustang! They have really just begun to play together! It was one day last weekend, and started at the train table then we moved to the water table! It's been really cool to see their play evolve! Now D gives B toys and says come on B crawl, crawl!
Bronson is around 23lbs still has grown a whole lot bc this boy is on the move!!! He is crawling everywhere, stands for a few seconds unsupported, has figured out how to climb up the first stair, walking with the shopping cart all over the house! He is so close to walking! Scarrrry! He is saying MAMA very clearly, Dada, dag(dog), he(hi), buh(bye and waving! Sometimes he says de de de and I think that may mean Dreycin but I'm not sure! He is definitely saying more since his 1st ear infection cleared up! He still has fluid but we are going to monitor instead of rushing into tubes. I declined to treat B with antibiotics and his body with a little of my breastmilk drops in his ear was able to fight the infection! We also used an ear oil relief by NOW foods and placed a warme up onion under his ear 1x while he was sleeping to kill infection. I couldn't tell you what exactly worked but on a Friday they told us he had a double ear infection and by Monday it was gone! I love homeopathy :))))
Bronson loves animals, we went to the Riverquarium last week and he loved seeing the fish, birds, & turtles! He starts blabbing away it's so cute! He does it with dogs too!! He has eaten
Pears, mangos, blueberries, rice, (asparagus by accident thanks to D) beets, peas, and organic rice rusks & sweet potato puffs!
We started a music class this weekend which was awesome! Both boys really enjoyed it and since it's on the weekend Derek got to enjoy an activity with them! Farmers markets have also started around here and I've been fortunate enough to find a few local farmers who grow completely chemical free + local = awesome! Got some fresh greens, kale, potatoes, zucchini, squash, bread, tomatoes, onions, and little pecan pies for the Dreycin! To top the weekend off we tried a new church ere in Albany called Providence church, it was refreshing from what I usually see around here. Nondenominational contemporary, newer worship music, Derek and I both enjoyed it, D cried when he went to toddler room at first but when Derek went to check on him he was fine (both times!) B stayed with us during the service, but I can foresee us having to utilize the nursery very soon! I guess you could say my mind was very preoccupied during sermon today, my mom's brother was recently diagnosed with appendix cancer and him and my family in Panama were weighing heavily on my heart....for a lot of healing, faith, forgiveness, strength, self control. All of which were mentioned in sermon today.

In other news I've been weirdly sick for the last 3 wks, I had this awful pressure in my head, at times stinging to the brain like when you go under water and it goes up the wrong way to your head but this happened when I would bend over. That accompanied by sore throat, ear pain, and drainage....I went to the dr a few times and finally when they said they didn't know what was causing it I went to my allergy doc who did an X-ray of my head and told me I had a really bad sinus infection and mucus was causing inflammation. Since I've probably had this since I was in Texas I'm taking the antibiotics they gave me but not the steroids. They wanted me to take the steroids for like 2wks, and I just can't do it. I can't do that to my body. I'm already killing everything good by taking the damn antibiotics :( but as I told my mom I am a totally different ball game when it comes to my medical issues I have to treat fast and efficient since my body does not like to fight infection. I will probably call allergy doc and see if I can take a 5 day pack of steroids instead of 2 wks! So in meantime we are still waiting for re enlistment package, Taking this place one day at a time. Derek has duty for two weeks....over the holiday weekend. BOOOO....oh well :/ it's a paycheck and our life for now!

Gnat City

So yesterday morning we r walking back to our house after playing with a friend Dreycin says to me, "mom I just ate the bug"! I calmly stop and say open your mouth spit it out please. The damn gnats have already started here in south Georgia. It's so sad because both my boys love to be outside but the gnats make both Derek and I kind of angry mean people......they buzz in your ears, in your eyes, and especially on your head. It's like they are attracted to sweat? It's awful. Please think of us we are still waiting on Marine Corps Headquarters about Derek's reenlistment package. In the meantime we have been working on potty training D, which has been going so awesome. We cut the diapers out cold turkey (best decision ever)the day after we got back from Texas. I had been telling D that when we got back to our house there would be no more diapers! He has had accidents, mostly #1 and a few #2 but one night he didn't make it for a #2 and Derek didn't see it on the bathroom floor and he got it all over his feet after he slipped in it!! Freaking hilarious!! Potty training is so frustrating yet so rewarding in the end. Derek & I also are dealing with a very crabby teething 8mos old! Poor kid seems like he is getting teeth wayyyy faster than D! I mean today he was so crabby I thought about finding a job.....yes I was seriously contemplating it. I need more time to sleep, rest. Right now it seems like I have been sick for 4wks, so I Went back to the doctor and they can't figure out why I have a sore throat, ears aching still?!?! It hurts to eat and swallow :( so I've been eating soft foods, and vegan powder superfood drinks. I think with the traveling to different allergy areas has really done a number on my immune system. I'm trying to boost it back up with some liquid vitamin c probiotics and aloe Vera juice. I'm easing back into yoga, not really concerned with my weight right now but I'm floating between 154-156. I feel really good about my progress especially after being home and people noticing. I even bought a size 6 shorts from Banana Republic while at home! And wore a dress from my master's degree graduation in 2008 to a wedding!!! If I haven't written about Texas, IT was AmAZing! I felt "recharged" coming back to Albany despite feeling crummy. I guess I needed a little dose of the city :) anyways, funny thing is this last weekend we took off to Tallahassee again. I had to restock on groceries and we went to Super Target and their mall at governors square which was nice! We also took Dreycin to an outdoor park called Tom Brown and the after grocery shopping we went by the mall so he could play at the indoor play area. Annnnnd we ate lunch at a bean restaurant called Sweet Pea! It was yummy :) we had a great weekend away from gnat city!

Kerbey Lane Cafe rocks my socks off

We made a day trip from San Antonio today to Austin, and we ate TWICE at Kerbey Lane cafe because they have an awesome Vegan menu. I could be the ultimate green mama in Austin....one day one day :)
We visited my close friends and their new baby girl, and Derek's Aunt and Uncle and two grandbabies! Dreycin had lots of fun with his cousins!

SA

We have been in San Antonio almost a week, and thankfully we are here because I have been so sick :( the only one who got strep?? My mom dad and Derek have all been helping with the kids as much as they can, except of course B's feedings. I have been in bed most days, long afternoon naps and lots of medication! I'm finally starting to feel better after a round of antibiotics. I think I had a combo of strep/ with sinus infection? I had so much pressure in my head until yesterday even to think hurt, i couldn't eat any hard foods, much less swallow! Today we went to natural bridge wildlife ranch and it was a really cool experience, animal drive thru, feeding animals from ur car! It wa fun but we did have a few funny/scary moments. The mountain goats were pretty pushy, so were the zebras and ostrich. Dreycin got a kick out of it, Bronson cried/shrieked when he saw the zebras mouth open for food! It was crazy fun for everyone. It's been years but when we lived in Oklahoma my parents took me to arbuckle wilderness, same concept but I think this facility is better kept! We have managed to keep up with storytimes down here! Hope to make it to sea world this weekend!

Yes that pic is of me with needles in my face at acupuncture :) love me some Dr Louder treatments when I'm in Dallas!!!!
The other ones are of my boys playing!

More Texas & B updates

Im going thru all of these 400+ pics from the beginning of our Texas trip. A few things make me smile :)
The first afternoon we were here I got to go to Gloria's for dinner and I had a margarita. During dinner we spotted a ladybug, something I always see prior to my big life events (night before wedding, night before birth of Dreycin). Good luck to come for us I hope! Dreycin, Bronson and I up until now have been filling our days with library storytimes and parks all over the Dallas area! Its been fun! Well except the tornadoes we had to sit in the closets for!

Bronson has successfully finished his first month of foods
1.banana
2.sweet potatoes
3.avocado
4. carrots
We only had blood in the stool 1 time and it was a mistake in my part. I asked several times at gloria's if there was anything in the rice or beans at all, even talking to the manager on 2 occassions and of course there was cheese in the beans and butter in the rice. Aaaanddd I didnt find out until my 3rd visit there :( That just goes to show you why I dont eat out. The only other place we have ate was Whole Foods/central market & chipotle....and I have cooked alot. Bronson has also gotten 3 teeth since we have been in Texas, that has made me 1 tired mama lately. Last night he only woke up 2x, it has been 4-6x a night for the last few weeks. Im so glad Derek gets to San Antonio tonight, ill have my other half/my co pilot to help with the kids again! we still have another two weeks in Texas and I cant wait to see more family and friends. On our agenda is sea world, austin, Oklahoma, and ive gotta get in some shopping this week here in San Antonio!