Friday, November 29, 2013

Hopefully Done Soon!

Nick says the work is going pretty fast, at least faster than they originally thought.  So he should be able to come home soon. In the meantime, he's been able to visit and see some beautiful country in between collecting days.  Here's a couple pictures he's sent me recently.







Sunday, November 24, 2013

Vaccinate Addendum

So,

what led to my previous post was the fact that one of my FB friends (thank goodness that was all she was), posted an obituary for that young man, saying she was glad she and her family didn't get vaccinations because this was the outcome.

My response, because I am an advocate for vaccines, was it was an inconclusive case, and THAT WAS IT.  Which I was right, there was no evidence for or against it.  So to base your decision to vaccinate, or to justify your reason for not doing it, based an a bit of inconclusive information is silly.

Very suddenly, four women swooped in, all calling me a radical left winged vaccinator out to destroy life as we know it.  They called me ignorant, bloody crazy, and even at one point said changing my profile picture didn't make me look any smarter.  …….really?  A bunch of dung throwers in a cow pen.    They came at me telling me I was a horrible person for saying disliking vaccines was bad, which I didn't say at all.  Of course, when they accused me, I offered why I believed vaccinating was good, and then it got ugly.

Me against 4 emotionally charged women, obviously suffering from some illness for which they weren't vaccinated that had compromised brain function…..yes, that was mean.  But they just would not leave it alone, even after I explain again  my statement was not about vaccinating or not, regardless of my opinion, it was that you can't arrive at a logical conclusion without substatial evidence, for which there was none.  I made the mistake of saying we should all go back to birthing babies in caves (as a quip to be funny…) and that was the only thing they could debate about!  Probably because that was the only thing they were smart enough to debate about.

Example:

  • Andrea Tate Sara, just because you have worked in health care doesn't mean anything to me or make you an expert on anything. And the FDA is the problem! Not everyone sees eye to eye. It's OK for me to not agree with you and for you to not agree with me. I guess you could say we agree to disagree.
  • Sara-Helen Davis All I was trying to say is it was wrong of that woman to publicly blame something with no evidence. Vaccinations have saved countless lives all over the world, but if you look for the negative, you will find it. I don't care if you don't wish to be vaccinated, but I do think it is wrong to support ignorance.
    9 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Andrea Tate No one knows their child better than a mother. We don't know all the details but that mother does, and maybe there is plenty of evidence. It would be wrong of us to judge her or proclaim her to be ignorant. There are always two sides to every story.
    8 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Sara-Helen Davis Ok, obviously I'm not getting anywhere......but it is kind of a big deal to say something with no REAL evidence in the hopes to affect some "liberate the world from vaccinations" movement. It's tragic what happened, but because she elected not to have an autopsy performed, it will never be conclusive. You must agree with that.
    8 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Andrea Tate Sara, I would say I am somewhere in the middle on Vaccines. I have 2 boys who were "immunize by 2 it's up to you" so they are fully immunized, and a daughter who is not immunized. I don't think it is all together a horrible thing. But a person has to do A LOT of thoughtful research on BOTH sides of the coin and then make their best decisions. That's all anyone can really do.
  • Andrea Tate Sorry to blow up your feed Chelsea Lyman Parkin!
  • Sara-Helen Davis .......seriously? You didn't even address the real issue I had originally presented, and then presented again. Oh well, I'm used to it.
    8 hours ago via mobile · Like
  • Andrea Tate Yes, actually I did.
  • Sara-Helen Davis Uh no, you can't convict without substantial evidence. Mother's intuition is not substantial evidence. And like I said....she decided to not pursue retrieving evidence. So my point remains, you cannot blame the vaccination. Grievence is not a sufficient excuse. Thanks for making me seem like a monster mocking a grieving mother, which was not my intent, though you drove it there. I don't care if you vaccinate or not, but you simply cannot in good conscience agree with a scientific statement that has not been tested. I will not, though you will, and we will leave it at that.



Can you see how she COMPLETELY missed my point?  And it kept going, getting worse and worse, and yes, my claws come out and I fight dirty when people attack my character.

Its ok, I'm right, and I know it.  And I think not vaccinating your kids should be considered child abuse.  But that has nothing to do with what I originally responded to that post.

Like I said, thank goodness I don't know any of them.  I feel bad for their families and anyone unfortunate enough to associate with them.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Vaccinate!

I need to state my two cents here……

A longtime ago, a forward thinker discovered the world was indeed round, even though many people didn't believe him and thought it was still flat.

When I was in the 6th grade, I did a report on a man named Jonas Salk.  He was the man who invented vaccination, by the use of inactivated viruses.  This enabled the body to create antibodies to the disease without becoming infected.  The disease he was fighting was Polio, a crippling illness that took many lives, left many paralyzed, and countless others confined to an iron lung.  Because of Dr. Salk, the disease was virtually eradicated.  Many other vaccines were developed, removing the threat of illnesses such as small pox, measles, and typhoid.

Today, people living in a relatively disease free country, do not understand the threat of these deadly viruses.  Some people even opt to not vaccinate their children, concerned about things like autism, for which there is no discernible evidence that vaccines cause such problems.  Are vaccines made with multiple ingredients?  Yes.  Are cinnamon rolls?  Yes.  Will a person allergic to something in cinnamon rolls have a reaction if they eat one?  Yeah, probably.  So is it possible a reaction could happen to the recipient of a vaccine?  Of course.  Is this the norm?  Of course not.

Vaccines have saved COUNTLESS more lives than they have ever taken.  And there is not even substantial evidence vaccines take lives, or cause retardation in any form.  Send any one of these privileged hippy people to a place where malaria is prevalent and not allow them a vaccine?  I'm sure they'd change their mind pretty quickly.  There is a reason Church leaders require missionaries to be vaccinated before traveling abroad: it is to protect them.  Having assisted with many mission physicals, I know mission papers cannot be submitted without proof of vaccination.

I am sad that a young man died shortly after being vaccinated.  However, remember that the news article was done by journalists interviewing a grieving mother…..there was no indication the flu vaccine was the cause of his death, and the mother also refused to have an autopsy done.  So there will not ever be any evidence.  To blame something without any cause is ridiculous.

I don't want my children to get measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio….etc….and so that is why I vaccinate.  Having given MANY MANY vaccinations myself, I am a willing advocate for vaccinations.

Friday, November 22, 2013

A Tasty Mixup

Soooo, I had planned to make a nice thick white sauce to pour over toast or pasta for dinner.  I know Tristan will always eat sausage, so I had some ground pork in the freezer I decided to use.  But it turned into a soup…..yeah, didn't make enough roux for as much cream as I put in…..but, it was fabulous!!!!

1 lb groung pork
3 tbsp diced yellow pepper
3 tbsp diced sweet onion
a few leaves of fresh cilantro

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 can diced Italian tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Shredded mozzarella

Brown ground pork, add yellow pepper, onion and cilantro, saute a few minutes then set aside
in a sauce pan, melt butter and add garlic, onion powder, marjoram, salt and pepper.  Saute until garlic is not raw, then add the flour and whisk into a roux.  Let cook a few minutes, then add the chicken broth , whisking well until the mixture is thickened.  Add the cream, and it will thin out.  Add the Italian tomatoes and let simmer for a few minutes, just to blend all the flavors.

Add the sauce to the pork mixture and mix well, let simmer a few minutes.  Serve with toast or pasta and top with shredded mozzerella.

Sorry, no pictures, it was too delicious.  hehe

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Practicing for Christmas Pictures


Let's just say, I probably will never be a children's photographer…….I can't even get my own kids to sit still or smile…..or anything.  Tristan screamed and tried to run away nearly the whole time.  He's got some issues lately…..tried giving him a bath?  Yeah, had to drag him to the bathroom kicking and screaming and bathe him in a total or two minutes while he screamed, splashed water everywhere and knocked everything off the tub.  I am reeeeeeeeeeeally hoping this phase will end soon.  I am losing my sanity.  Other than that, some of the pictures came out ok.






Saturday, November 16, 2013

My Babies

Kids grow up too fast.  I keep looking at Aramis and realizing he is going to be as big as Tristan soon, and Tristan is going to be going to school.  I just want them to stay my little babies forever.  There will come a point where they don't need me anymore, and I'm not excited for that day.  Even though it is awful for him, I have enjoyed Aramis wanting to be held so much being sick.  He always wants to be with me, and I am savoring every minute.  I love when Tristan comes up and gives me a big hug and kiss.  He doesn't say "I love you" yet, but he does go "Okay, mommy?"  And that is sweet enough for me.  I've gotten to have a lot of "bonding" time, haha, I guess you could call it, with the boys since Nick left.  It's just them and me.  I thought it was going to be horrible, but to tell you the truth?  I am actually starting to love it.  I love my little guys so much, not that I don't love Nick!  haha, but this experience has taught me a lot about my children, and being a mother.  It really is the best job in the world.  




Friday, November 15, 2013

Stories

Tristan and I have been reading scriptures together every night lately.  You know, the kid kind with pictures?  I remember my mom reading them with me when I was little.  It's been nice, kind of establishing a real bedtime routine.  I get Tristan in his jamies, he grabs the book, we sit down together and read a chapter. He helps me point things out in the pictures and tells me who everyone is (Nephi is his favorite currently) and then we say a prayer.

This is my favorite though.  Sometimes, instead of shouting, Amen! at the end, he throw his hands up and shouts, Nephi!  Haha, it's so adorable.  At least he's learning, right?  There's just something about he gospel that brings a family together, builds strong ties and bonds as you read and pray together, for one another.  Tristan has been praying for daddy while he is away, and that gets me every time.  It's amazing how close children naturally are to their Savior, and how second nature praying seems to be.  I'm amazed by the faith of little children, by their example of trust and humility.  Tristan may drive me crazy, but when he gets down on his little knees before bed, I can see him how his Heavenly Father sees him, and my love for him grows.

I'm so grateful for the truths my parents taught me as a child, and I am grateful now to be able to teach my own children.  You know what they say, right?  The family that prays together, stays together.



Thursday, November 14, 2013

Chocolate Chip Cookies



I've never been able to make the perfect chocolate chip cookies.  I still, even after tonight, don't think I can make them as well as the dear people who bring them to me.  But this time I got pretty close.  So, I really like the soft, chewy, flat kind, because they are way easy for me to eat.  The super crispy or the super pillowy, aren't that easy for me to eat.  So here is the recipe I came up with tonight.

1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 small package of vanilla pudding mix
1/2 tsp soda
1/4  tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening and sugar
beat in egg and vanilla
add soda, salt and pudding, mix well
mix in flour and chips at the same time

drop 1" balls of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet

bake at 350 about 8-10 minutes, until slightly golden brown and a bit poofy.  Take out of oven, remove parchment paper from baking sheet and drop onto counter to help cookies deflate.  They are best gooey and warm!!!

Thank you to everyone who helped me to make these amazing yummy cookies!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Bread

Moving here has been hard, but I think it has been hardest on the little boys.  They have been sick off and on since we moved, and both have been to the ER.  I just got home with Aramis, and hopefully, he will start feeling better soon.

Thankfully, I was able to call our Bishop, who had so kindly offered to come and babysit in the middle of the night if we ever needed to go to the ER.  I had hoped to never have to take him up on his offer, but I am so glad he was available when I needed him.  Who is it that said every member needs a friend?  Well, I don't have just one, I have many.

A few Sundays ago, we had a lesson, on listening to the guidance of the Spirit, and I remember this story.  A woman who was dealing with a lot of very stressful problems in her life, began to suffer physically from all the strain.  It became very difficult for her to eat and keep anything down.  She started to lose weight.  Many of her friends and family tried to help her, and one day, one of her friends asked if anything sounded good to her.  The only thing she could think of was fresh baked bread, but there wasn't any available.  The next day, there was a knock on the door.  One of the sisters from the ward, whom she barely knew, was standing there with a loaf of bread she had just baked.  She didn't know why, but she felt the need to make two loafs instead of one, and bring it to this sister.

This Sunday, I stayed home because both the boys have been sick.  But, in the afternoon, there was a knock on my door.  And it was the Bishop's daughter, she was returning a plate we had given them a few weeks ago.  And in her hand was a loaf of bread.

It made me think, as I devoured a tasty piece, what my "bread" was.  What I needed.  And I realized, it was to know people cared.  I have gone through my life, often thinking no one cares about me, or what I think, or what I need.  I've kinda just been a loner in a lot of things.  But since moving here, I have been bombarded by the kindness and selflessness of people I hardly know.  People who are willing to drop everything at a moment's notice to come and help me, to watch my kids.  Who come over just to visit with me.  And people who will randomly come to my door just to bring me a bag of apples they had picked.    

That's my "bread".  To know I have so many people, family, here in Iowa I can rely on if I ever need anything.  Who are there for me.  I have never felt so humbled and grateful in my life.  I understand the meaning of Zion now better than I ever had before.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Another Nick Update

Nick says reseach is going well and fast!  He might even be able to come home sooner than he had expected, so I will just have to keep my fingers crossed.  We were able to talk for a little bit tonight, and it was good to hear his voice.  You never realize how much you love and miss your spouse until they leave you for a few weeks!    But I guess he got to go fishing today, and here are a couple pictures!  Love the beard, right?



Friday, November 8, 2013

Mexico Update

We haven't gotten to talk very much, but it sounds like Nick is doing pretty well down there.  He says the food is tasty, and even though the research is hard, he seems to be enjoying it.  One week down, 6 more to go.....hopefully!

He sent a couple pictures that he had gotten to take, so here they are.





Thursday, November 7, 2013

Sick again

My poor kids.  Iowa has it out for them, I swear!!  Never thought I would say this,  but I miss the dry, arid desert.  Tristan has a cold, flu virus as well as a double ear infection.  I took him to the doctor today and they gave him an antibiotic, but after his nap, his fever was up to 102.6 and he couldn't even walk.  He stood up, took two steps and fell flat on his face.  I felt soo bad for him.  It took a dose of tylenol and ibuprofen and an hour before he felt well enough to get off the couch and have a drink.  I was able to call someone in the ward to come over and give the boys a blessing, since Aramis has the runny nose and cough as well.  Hopefully he doesn't get an ear infection, but ya never know with kids.

I really hope this isn't how our next five years are going to be.......

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Week One

So far, it's been a nightmare.

I've had too much to keep me busy.....including late nights, early mornings, runny noses, diarrhea, sick animals and grocery shopping.

Tristan has woken up every morning at 6 AM with a pant-full of diarrhea.  Aramis will not sleep anywhere besides next to me in our bed, and I'm so exhausted I just let him so I can sleep.

Lilly got sick so I had to take her to the vet, and then pick her up with both boys in a torrential downpour.  We all got soaked.

Tristan got a black eye in nursery, and probably a cold because now his nose is dripping lovely green snot again.  This kid has been sick more in the three months we have lived here than in his whole life!

My big brown momma mouse is sick, and I can't get her to eat so she's probably going to go the way of the world soon.....

And we needed food, so I had to go shopping alone, which is nothing new, but now that Aramis can ride in the cart, Tristan walks.  Well, runs away and pulls everything off the shelves.

But, the sister missionaries came over for a visit yesterday, and it was nice to be able to slow down and chat with them for a little bit.  Being a mom of two boys, sometimes you can forget what peace feels like.  Being able to feel the Spirit, even for just a brief period of time, was just the break I needed.  Hopefully, I can make time for more moments like that to help me get through to when Nick gets back.

Sorry for the pity party, hopefully this next week goes better!!

Sunday, November 3, 2013

My website

For those of you who didn't know, I have a website for my pictures!  I call it photography, even though I'm just an amateur having fun.  That and I've discovered I like building websites (ok ok, most of it is building with a template, but it's still a lot of fun!)  And yes, I had one before, but I decided to redo it, and make it a little better.  And I made the name Arastan (combining the kids names, I know, original, haha, but it's cute to me!)

Anyhoo, here it is, check it out!



Saturday, November 2, 2013

Nick's Bad Date

So for those of you who don't know, Nick's older brother just got diagnosed with colon cancer and underwent some pretty significant surgery.  His doctors think he may have been developing problems since his mid twenties, and so it was recommended that Nick get checked out as well.

Nick always told me if he was going to have to have a procedure or any other typer of surgery that involved needles, he would rather just die.  So I was very proud of him for being brave and having a colonoscopy.

Now for those of you who don't know how it goes, before you can have a colonoscopy, you have to get completely cleaned out.  Meaning a day of no eating and drinking laxatives.  I told Nick I would rather die than do that…….yes, I know, we all have our silly fears.  Suffice it to say, Nick is a trooper about that sort of thing.  I mean, come on, he lived in Central America for two years!  Or at least that's how he kept making himself feel better, hahaha

Thankfully, my visiting teacher offered to watch the boys so I could take Nick in and just focus on that.      We arrived at the hospital around 8:30, got all checked in and then were taken back into a room.  Nick had to change into one of those super sexy hospital gowns, and then we waited for the nurse to come and start his IV.  The gal checking us all in later said to me, he's kind of a high strung kid, isn't' he?  Haha, poor guy, was biting his hand and talking everyone's ear off while they were doing it.  The nurse was student, so of course he missed, and someone else had to come in and redo it.  But it eventually went in, and Nick had a lovely bruise later.

We ended up waiting about 45 minutes before they actually took him away.  I got to sit in his room and watch "Wipe Out" while I waited for them to bring him back to me.  And when they did, I didn't even realize it.  I thought he was just another old man, haha.

The procedure went well.  Apparently Nick asked to be as sedated as possible so there would be no chance of him waking up.  He was pretty smily for awhile there, haha.  When the nurse was telling me how it went she was like, its going to take him a long time to come around.  It was too funny, he was just laying there smiling, saying he couldn't believe it was over already.

He said many, super funny things, especially when the nurses told him to "toot out" all the air they blew inside him, he said "fine, it's your wall!"  And as she was leaving, he shouted "I'm all out doc!" One thing he couldn't stop doing was hiccuping, like Dopy.  That was hilarious!  And he had the same short term memory as Dory, we had the same conversation several times.  He kept asking me to take out his IV, and when I told him they needed to leave it in in case there was a problem, he went "well, lah-ti-dah!".  Ok ok, one more!  When I asked him how he was feeling right when he started to come around, he said "the doctor had fun playing in my poop tubes".  Yeah…..no idea where that one came from!

This is the best part though.  He thought he was lucid, but was still ver absent minded after we got home.  After we took care of the animals, he left one of his cockroach tanks open…….and now I get to round them up.  yeay

We'll get actual results on Monday

Good morning, Sleeping Beauty!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Fishies!

 There is a park near our house that has a couple little ponds with lots of froggies and fishies.  Nick thought it would be cool to take Tristan over there and let him catch a few fish.  He had this small rod his mom had sent him awhile back, and it is perfect toddler size.  So we went and stood on the dock and let Tristan try his luck.  He caught a few, but mostly Nick would hook them and let him reel them in.  Tristan, needless to say, had a blast.  He is his father's son!