Call in FEMA

We got 3 inches of snow and all of St. Louis is in an uproar! I went to the grocery store to get stuff for the best tomato soup ever and it was CRAZY! It rivaled the day before Thanksgiving! In every cart was milk, eggs, and bread. I was laughing hysterically! Don't they know that the weather is going to change tomorrow!

Anyway, in light of the nasty weather, I decided to post the BEST TOMATO SOUP RECIPE EVER!

Two 28 oz cans crushed Tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes in olive oil, basil and oregano
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 bunch fresh basil
1/2 cup butter
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes (or more for spicier version)
1 tbs sugar (or splenda for a lighter version)
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (or skim milk for lighter version)


Bring tomatoes, chicken broth, basil, butter, sugar, and red pepper flakes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add heavy whipping cream and simmer 10 more minutes. Serve with crusted Baguette or grilled cheese.

Zachary Dean's 3 Month Pictures

Pictures!!

Happy 3 Month Birthday Zachy Dean! (P.s. Thanks Stacy for the cute sleeper!) Talking to my Mobil! I love those bears and I'm starting to reach for them!

OH-MY-GOSH! You turn your back on a Tot for one second and she eats a purple washable crayon, decides it tastes nasty, spits it all over the table and then wipes her purple hands all over her face! The spitting is what got my attention!

I told Loren she "made a mess!" and I went to change Zach's diaper. Next thing I notice is she has brought me my handi-vac and is asking me to plug it in so she can "racoom" the kitchen. Okay! Sure! YOU GOT IT!

This picture still makes me laugh so freaking hard! I hid under the chair and jumped up and said "BOO!" with the camera. He was laughing! This time I guess I really scared him though!

Wazzz up in da Hood?

Again, my mistake! I turn my back on the tot and she pulls the spatula out of the sink that has the peanut butter on it and is licking it! Gag! I had used that spatula in the A.M. This picture was taken after she got home from MDO. Oh my! (p.s. this is my favorite outfit for her! Thanks Grandma Rozema)!

The kids like to help mommy cook! Sheri, this is what that chair looks like :) I adore it! I went to get a bumbo to do exactly this and the safety recall said that kids were throwing their weight backwards and falling off counters and tables. . .exactly why I went to get one! I got this one because it has rubber grips on the bottom and has a 3 stage recline. No matter how hard I tried, I could barely get it to budge by scooting it! Not to mention it comes with a tray PLUS it turns into a booster chair PLUS it has a reversible cushion for boy/girl PLUS the cushion can go in the washer PLUS it only cost $20 at Target! Zach likes to be a part of us at the table! He sits in this on the table with us and thinks he's big stuff! (I never leave him alone on the counter or table. . .not even for a second. I am always there!)

Perfect winter day! How about swinging! We don't have a swing set yet, the Easter Bunny is bringing that! But we do have 2 hooks on our deck and wrote the swing into the contract (dumb but I didn't have one!) Loren has a good time!

I kicked the ball over the fence (doh) and had to go get it. I saw Loren through the slats and I thought this was a cute picture!

I love this picture! "I CAN'T PUT MY ARMS DOWN" (Christmas Story)

Tummy Time!

Finally, my microwave blew-up! I seriously had sparks when I ran it! Eeeeks! So Mike bought me a Microhood Convection Oven. I LOVE it! Please ignore the putrid mint green walls and poop colored cabinets. . .those will go in time!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures! I had an hour to myself as BOTH KIDS ARE NAPPING AT THE SAME TIME! And. . .be proud. . .Zach napped in his crib! He was swaddled but hey, he wasn't being held! I wanted to thank everyone for your e-mails, calls, and cards! I am doing much better! I went and saw my Rheumatologist and he thinks my shoulder is severely sprained!!!!!!! I do have an MRI and X-Ray scheduled still. He said if it's torn, it's small and he won't recommend surgery just PT! HALLELUJAH! Thanks for the prayers!

When it rains. . .

So I had my first PT appointment last night. It felt amazing on my neck and I had such range of motion! Then the session was over and she asked how I felt. Well, I went RIGHT back to where I was. I told her I still had stabbing pain from my shoulder to my jaw line. She asked if I had muscle weakness or loss of function do to pain. I told her that I couldn't lift my son to burp him on my shoulder. I can get him UP to that point but when I get to my shoulder level, I almost drop him. So she told me to hop up on the counter and she started messing with my shoulder. I almost blacked out in pain! She thinks I have a small tear in the cartilage in my shoulder. SURGERY.

Everyone was like, "Why didn't they catch it at the hospital?" It's because everyone assumed that the origin of the pain was my neck and my shoulder was the result. Turns out it's the opposite! The origin is my shoulder and the subsequent pain is my neck!

I left last night not knowing whether to cry, laugh, or sock the dickens out of something. Of course is all I have to say. . .OF COURSE! My friend Tish said that oftentimes this doesn't need surgery so that's what I'm hoping/praying for. At least I know I'm not retarded (okay, but not in this sense ;) ) . I was like, "How can it be 20 days after the accident and I am NO WHERE NEAR better?" I just KNEW something was wrong. CRUD.

In all honesty, I'm just frustrated at God. I have a real problem letting others help me. It seems that God keeps humbling me to a point where I'm needing to ask for help an awful lot. It's embarrassing to me and it's a deep PRIDE issue (since my first lupus attack). I just don't know what lesson he's having me learn but I'm to a point where he needs to just write it in the sky because I'm not seeing it! Ughn. . .I'm sorry but I'm sure you can hear how frustrated I am with this.

So I'll just keep a hopeful spirit until I can get in to get an MRI and another MRI with an injection of contrast (gag). Please pray for my spirits. I'm really taking my frustrations out on Mike and the kids. I am just short with them and it's not fair.

Neurosurgeon Part 2

At this point he doesn't think my issues are neural. He thinks that I need 12 weeks of Physical Therapy. I am having trouble with muscle weakness. I can lift Zach to my shoulder, but no higher. I turned around in the van yesterday to give him his paci and literally could not rotate my arm/shoulder back around to the front. It was scary. Honestly, I really believe it's all muscular. Hopefully PT fixes this or he wants to have surgery to remove the herniated disk. I don't have time or energy for a surgery! Eee Gads!

FYI

Loren is still in her same pair of training pants and its 2:00!!!!!!!!!

Oh and the second thing . . . I have a date tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!

Observations at Random

Wow I have had nostalgia today. I was listening to my new iPod ( :) ) and I decided to put on DC Talk's Supernatural CD and I had this wave almost FLOOD of emotions come back! I just HAD to call Scuz (a college roommate) and reminisce about our road trip to St. Louis from Calvin to see Billy Graham and DC Talk. It was such a blast! Not to mention that Mike proposed to me using a few songs off of that CD.

Then I went to my Dad's basketball game. It was weird being back in a gym. I haven't been in a gym for over 5 years. The smell. . .the high-school kids and the obvious DRAMA that you could see, the boyfriend/girlfriend amore! Oh my!! Do I miss those days or not? It was odd because I kept seeing people that looked like high-school friends. A girl that I played basketball with and had been in school with since 5th grade, a guy I had a HUGE crush on, a girl who I did nothing but get into trouble with in study hall. . .it was amazing and such a huge time of remembering.

Then as the game started I just closed my eyes and could FEEL the basketball in my hands, feel the sweat, feel the floor-burns, the feel of a good shot leaving your fingertips. It made me want to don my uniform and jump into the game! (Then my mental image of a 3 month postpartum over-weight body in my high-school uniform had me laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. . .ahhhhh the loss of bladder control after two kids!!! What happens to the bladder after three? I digress. . .)

Needless to say I may have got a little too "testy" with the ref over this game. I was way too into the game.

Anyway, It was fun to walk down memory lane today. Now back to reality. . .laundry, mopping, diapers, picking up, bottles! I know some day I will look back on this day with as much fondness and remission as I did today. What a blessing!

I'm so frustrated

I work so hard in a day just to stay on top of the house and yet when I get up the next morning it's a mess again and I have to start over. It just gets old. I just can't wait for when the kids are more self-sufficient. Not that I want this time to go quickly. I am enjoying this time more than anything. It's just embarrassing when people stop over and there are toys, dishes, and laundry everywhere. Not to mention dust, spills, and general messes! Grrrrr!

Super Mom (edit)

Well at least in my own mind! Isn't it amazing how you feel such a deep sense of accomplishment on days like today? It's currently 9:00 am and I have

1. Got a shower (no makeup, no hair dried, no hair straightened) but I am clean and have clean clothes on . . . well except for the spit-up
2. Made pancakes FROM SCRATCH! I used a recipe from the cookbook Bonnie gave me called Deceptively Delicious by Jerry Seinfelds Wife.
3. Unloaded and loaded the dishwasher
4. Made coffee
5. Updated the blog and facebook!

Amazing and yet so sad. Pre-kids, I would have had the house scrubbed from top to bottom and have had the laundry caught up. Ahhh well. . .little victories!

Also, my little Bunny is in training pants! She went potty in her big girl potty today! I am so proud of her! She did great! It was hilarious though, after she went I had to go sooooo bad. I did my business and Loren started jumping up and down and going, "Mommy, you did it!! I'm so proud of you!!" It was pretty funny!

Okay, well I guess time's up, Zachy is waking up. . .he's not being held you know so he needs to scream! Any ideas on how to get this sweetie to sleep without being held or swaddled?

Oh, and I'm still in a lot of pain. I feel like the muscles across my collar bones and across my shoulders and up the back of my neck have been ripped up and just won't heal. Makes it hard to be a mommy of a tot and infant at home alone. Please keep praying for my healing. I am just getting so frustrated at being less than 100%.

Bethie I love the cookbook!

Okay his whole potty training is driving me nuts!! Loren will sit on the potty and will sometimes go but she will not tell me when she has to go. Plus she would rather sit in her own pooer than bother to tell me she has to go. Ugh. Plus I have all the experts saying not to get frustrated. Well I'm such a control freak that I want to just have a firm word with her every time she has an accident. I know that will do nothing but I'm just frustrated by the process. Plus I refuse to let her run around buck naked and pee and poop on the floor nor do I want to put her in big girl undies and have her pee and poo in her pants 24/7 as I do NOT have time to do that much laundry. Maybe if she's not potty trained when Zachy is older I will do those two methods but . . .YUCK-O! GAG-O!

Well Here's the Fun Part of the Michigan Trip

Here is Mike packing at 2:00 a.m. We were finally crawling into bed around 2:30. It was insane!

Here are the kids ready to go! Notice Zach is all smiles! We stopped at a McDonald's Play-land to play! Loren had a BLAST! I actually played in there with Loren. . .however those pictures are not allowed on the blog as they are not very flattering to me. Especially since most are of my backside :)!

Aunt Kelly meets Zachary for the first time. He was a bit stinky after a 10 hour trip.

Loren received a cute headband from Aunt Lisa. Loren would not wear it properly though! Every time we put it on the top of her head, she pulled it down on her forehead! She looked like an '80's dancer! She loved this puppy. It barked Jingle bells.

Bonnie and I gave Zach a bath. He loves his bath! Can you tell Grandma loves her Grandbaby?

Sydney Grace came to play with Loren. Sydney has to lay down because she has SMA (see Sydney Graces Blog) so naturally Loren had to lay down too! So why not lay down Zach too? Loren and Grandma, Sydney and Aunt Kam played Hide and Seek! They had a blast!

Mommy and Loren give Zachy his bottle! Loren is my big helper!

Like Grandpa like Grandson!

Loren's favorite 2 Christmas Gift! Grandma gave her a sled and Aunt Kelly and Uncle Josh gave her a Elmo Dr. Kit. Loren would not get out of the sled!

And she put the sled to good use! Daddy did a lot of running up and down the hill with her!

We did a triple-decker sled ride! Naturally we wiped out! Loren just laughed and laughed and laughed!!!

Mommy makes a snow angel with her angel!

Grandma was so tired after a day of sledding with Loren! She hauled her up and down, up and down for HOURS!

Zach was given this outfit for Christmas from Grandpa! It is so cute and cuddly warm!

In all it was a fantastic trip! We really had a fun time introducing Zach to Michael's family. Everyone was so happy meeting him! During his trip Zach began laughing and making two to three syllable coos. Loren also grew up! She learned to play Hide-and -Seek, go sledding and open everyone's Christmas presents!

In other news, we got our check from the insurance company for the 4-Runner. We were able to go and purchase the '05 Sienna. It is beautiful! I did a lot of wheeling and dealing and am very proud of myself :)! I was able to get the guy to come a substantial amount on the price! I'm still really sore and am really frustrated by that fact. It's been over a week and I'm still having a rough time even picking up Zach. I am so grateful for Mike and his taking over for me. He is doing everything under the sun. i am grateful for Mom who came over a couple of times and has watched the kids. Kris took a turn even! My friend Tish came over with her two kids today and helped TREMENDOUSLY all day with both kids. Please pray that this pain quickly goes away and I can get back to normal activities. I am just so sick of hurting.

Loren had her 2 year appointment today (never mind the fact that she's 26 months). She is 31 pounds and 30-some-odd inches tall. She is in the 80th percentile for weight and still does not register on the scale for females for height :)! Oh well. The doctor said she looks good! We are proud of her! She is such a talented two year old! We are still working on potty training. She knows her colors, shapes, ABC'S, numbers to 12, animals, animal sounds and her anatomy.

Neurosurgeon

I'm okey-dokey! Yipee! After waiting 2 hours we found out that I'm good to go! I do have a bulging disk. He said we need to "manage my pain" to see if it's the disk causing the pain or if it's muscular due to the accident (which I think it is). So I am on some heavy duty muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatory. He wants to see me back in 2 weeks. I think that I'm going to continue to just get better from here on out! Thanks for the prayers!

Here's the 4-Runner

Well. . .What's left of it! We are pretty sure they are going to total it. We have to wait until Monday to find out for sure. Mike and I went Minivan shopping yesterday. We found an '04 White Toyota Sienna, an '05 White Toyota Sienna and '05 White Dodge Grand Caravan. So we have some options. We were able to get the kids new car seats yesterday. We were able to get Zach the Britax Boulevard (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2738091) and Loren the Alpha Elite Apex High-back Booster (http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2452313). It was nice because they said that we could replace them and send in the receipts. So it was nice to be able to just get them the safety that they had before! I feel better having them in what saved their lives (if that makes sense!)

I'm still in a lot of pain. My neck and chest and knee are really bad. I have an appointment with the neurosurgeon on Monday to assess my neck. Right now I'm still on the percocet (sp?) every 4 hours. Mike is a bit sore and the kids seem fine. I will continue to try to keep everyone posted!

That's One Way to Get My Minivan

Mike, the kids and I were in a BAD accident on way home from Michigan. We were on Highway 17 between Highway 65 and 57. WE had just left Lisa Bearss's house and were outside Kankakee. Mike was driving. We were going 35 miles per hour. We were ticked because we were stuck behind this slow semi. Anyway, Mike was driving 10 and 2, he had no radio on, the kids were silent. . .all the sudden we were sideways in on-coming traffic. A mini-van hit us on Zachary's side. I saw it coming and I tried to turn around and protect Zach. Once we were hit I jumped out and tried to get Zach out. His door was impossible to open. I was able to climb back in my side and jump in the back between him and Loren. Mike was taking care of Loren who was crying and had bit her tongue pretty bad. She seemed fine from the off. Zach however was scaring the heck out of me. He was giving this whimper cry. I didn't dare pull him out though. Just in case he was really hurt. It happened that an off-duty fireman came over. He checked out Zach and told me he was okay to pull out. I don't think I've ever been so upset. Loren was so scared. Zach was just pissed that he was woke up. After I was able to get Zach in my arms I was able to assess myself. I was pretty sure I had broke my leg (it isn't). I hurt so badly. Also, my neck and chest hurt badly. The paramedics came over and took Zach out of my arms. That just made me SICK. They took Loren and Mike with him. They kept yelling at me not to move my neck but I kept thinking, "Loren needs her Elmo, Zach needs diapers, Where are the wallets, I need his bottles. . ." I wasn't about to stop Mommy mode until the kiddos were taken care of. They kept asking me how in the WORLD I got myself out of the car in the first place. Finally they were able to get me out with the Jaws of life. They strapped me to a board and took me in a different ambulance than the kids. I just started FREAKING OUT. I would not let them do anything until I heard how my kids were. My O2 stats were so low and I was in shock. Once they got me calmed down they took me into the hospital and got Zach a CAT scan. He was perfectly fine. Just very fussy. Loren was amazing for being 2!! :) I had to have a lot of X-Rays and CAT scans. They thought I had cracked a Vertebrate. So they admitted me and gave me a morphine drip. I was in so much pain and was so frustrated that I couldn't help Mike with the kids. Of course, Mom and Dad Johnson and Rozema came. We were exactly between Byron Center and St. Louis. They arrived within 20 minutes of each other. Mike took the kids to a hotel and Mom and Dad R. took care of the kids while Mom J. took care of me. Josh, Kelly and Kris came too. I had to have an MRI - THAT REALLY SUCKED! I was taken off of my Morphine drip and I started getting really sick. They gave me the wrong size neck brace and it was digging into my very bruised chest. So I started throwing up. Luckily they didn't find anything! I was discharged with some Percacet (Sp??). Mom and dad took Kris, Mike, the kids and I home. Bob and Bon took a lot of our stuff up north. You ready for the amazing part. . .not too much was broken!!! Not even the Christmas China Bonnie bought me.

So, in all, the car is totalled and I am the only one hurt! God was with us! I do have a picture to upload at some point. You guys won't believe my son came out without a scratch! Anyway, it really sucks. There was nothing Mike could do! Thank you God for protecting my husband and most importantly my children.

I'm so sorry if this post is a bit incoherent but I'm on a lot of meds for my pain.