I miss the days when mommies kisses would fix any and every thing. A smashed finger, a scratch, even hurt feelings, all it took was a kiss or two from mommy.
This morning Justice (will be 8 on Tuesday) came in crying because she shut the door on her finger. I kissed it and said I’m sorry. She just looked at me and said “thank you mommy, but it still hurts.”
When did mom kisses quit solving the worlds problems?
As a mom of two girls, I am constantly taking care of hair.
Here are a few (ok a lot) of pics of the girls hair through the years.
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I Started back running, jogging, jog/walking today. After dropping the girls off at camp today I decided to head to the gym and give it a try. Remember, I haven’t ran in over six weeks when I dislocated and broke my toe( you can read about that at Running a 5k), so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Even back then, I wasn’t much of a runner. I was working on running a 5k . I had made it to about 3 miles of a 2/1 run walk interval.
So, I get in the gym and make my way upstairs. Feeling pretty good, proud of myself, determined to get back running. I start with a 3 minute walk warm-up. My toe was feeling pretty good, so after the warm up I start jogging. I actually managed to do a mile at a 2/1 interval. Running inside was HEAVENLY on the shins. However, running on the lungs was not so nice. Once again, I felt like the first day I ran, well, not quite as bad. Only a slight burning in the chest that felt like I would never breath normal again. 
The trip down stairs wasn’t nearly as pleasant. My thighs shook a little and I wasn’t quite sure that I would make it down on my own feet. Of course I would attempt to do this as gracefully as possible. 
Luckily, I made it without any acrobatic landings.
As for my toe, I noticed walking to the car that it was somewhat painful/tingling numb. I am icing it now and it is not excruciating pain, but discomfort. I am stuck between giving it more time or just dealing with it. I am leaning towards dealing with it. My goal is to run a complete 5k by the time I turn 34 in Oct!
We’ve all seen and heard the jokes about PMS. For most of us PMS leaves us a little bitchy difficult to get a long with, cravings, and cramps. However, according to http://pmdd.factsforhealth.org/what/ 5% of women suffer from a severe form of PMS, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). PMDD disrupts your every day living. It is at its worst usually the week before you start your menstrual cycle and is completely gone a day or two into it. Symptoms of PMDD are similar to PMS, however the severity of them leave you almost unable to cope with day to day life. Women who suffer from PMDD often feel very depressed or helpless, extreme tension and edginess, extremely angry and often have trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
In an article in Journal of the American Medical Association (1999;281:368-374) one woman said, “I’m tired of these [PMS] jokes, too, because if you live in my body, it’s not a pleasant thing to have to go through every single month where you feel like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I don’t find it really amusing. It’s like making fun of someone who has crutches or is in a wheelchair. I wish people were more sympathetic. It’s a valid problem that needs attention.” For women affected by it, it can be paralyzing. They lash out and/or alienate their family.
One lady described her experience with PMDD:
My experience with PMDD has been very stressful, physically exhausting, emotional, etc. etc. I was diagnosed with PMDD only a year and a half ago, though my symptoms span before that. It was like every month I would become this bomb that was just ticking away until I blew up at someone. I couldn’t control myself whatsoever. I had to fight off those urges to just yell and blow up at someone every day for about a week. In the morning I’d wake up in a bad mood, mad about something little that happened that morning. I tried so hard to suppress my feelings however, so I’d try throughout my day keeping my mouth shut. But, by the end of the day, I just couldn’t take it anymore! It greatly affected my relationships with others too. I constantly told my family that I didn’t want to live with them anymore; that life was horrible. My boyfriend, bless his heart, was even more affected. SEVERAL TIMES, during my emotional outbursts I broke up with him and tried to leave for the most ridiculous reasons. I would eventually calm down but that broke a lot of trust in our relationship and even today when I get mad he says, “please, don’t end this again.” Sad huh? And what’s worse is that I trained myself into believing that it was okay to act like this. People dealt with it so why shouldn’t I just act the same way? I became accustomed to the way I felt during my period and began to act that way during the rest of the month. I’m on medicine now and am a lot better.
Of course, there is a reason I am discussing this topic. I suffer from PMDD. My family dealt with the symptoms of it for years before I actually talked to a Dr. about it. I could have written the experience above myself. About a week before I would start my cycle I would tell my husband I wanted a divorce, that I hated him, our life, everything. I would scream and yell then lock myself in the room crying and sleeping. A day or so after my cycle started, I would feel perfectly fine and act like nothing every happened. Talk about walking on eggshells for my family.
I guess my husband had enough and told me I needed to see a Dr. about what was going on, that he wasn’t going to put up with it anymore. Who can blame him? That is when I was diagnosed with PMDD. I was given Zoloft to take when the feelings started coming on. I was very against anti-depressants because of other side effects, but with PMDD Zoloft does not have to be taken all month. I can start taking it when the symptoms of PMDD start and it will start working in a couple of hours. The Zoloft helped tremendously, but I knew I didn’t want to have to take it the rest of my life. About two years ago, I had started exercising regularly and eating better and noticed that I didn’t need the Zoloft nearly as often. Life got busy, exercise and diet went down hill and I noticed myself taking the medicine almost every month.
How to tell if it is PMS or PMDD
How do you know if you really have PMS or PMDD? If you think you may, start keeping a PMS Symptom Diary. List the dates of your period, and which symptoms you have (and their severity) on the 10 days preceding, as well as following, your period. After tracking your symptoms for at least 2 cycles, bring this diary with you to consult your physician, along with a list of all medications you are taking (including prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbs, vitamins, and supplements). Your doctor will give you a complete history and physical exam to rule out other possibilities (such as hypothyroidism, hypoglycemia or depression); no specific physical findings or tests can confirm the diagnosis of PMS. http://www.drdonnica.com/articles/00001086-002.htm
*Disclaimer: This is my personal experience with PMDD, including medication and exercise. The information should not be considered complete and should not be used in place of a visit to your health professional.
Tags: pmdd, pms, women's health
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She was 18, homecoming queen, an athlete, the oldest of 5. She had a smile that would light up the world. Two days earlier, May 25, 2010, she graduated from high school. The world was hers. On her senior page she had written “live each day as if it was your last”, that’s exactly how she lived.
May 27th, was her last night. No one ever thought it would happen to Jewel. Driving down a dark country road, trying to get home before her midnight curfew, she was texting and driving. Jewel’s car ran off the road hit an electric pole, and split in half. She was thrown from the car and trapped underneath it as it burst into flames. At home, decorations from her graduation party earlier that day were still up. The unfinished cake, still sitting on the counter.
Let’s be honest, it’s not just young adults and teenagers texting and driving. Even as adults we do it. But why? What is so important that it can’t wait just a few minutes? What are we teaching our kids when we text and drive? How can we tell them not to when they see us do it day after day?
I’ll be the first to admit, I am guilty of texting and driving. I have luckily never been in an accident because of it. I have noticed myself swerving while doing it though. I am sure we have all been there. My husband and I have even considered purchasing a program that locks texting while the vehicle is moving. There are at least three that can be purchased, depending on the type of phone you have, you can find some here.
Every time you pick up your phone to text and drive, think of Jewel, and her family who will never see her smile again here on Earth. Then, think about your family, do you want them to go on without you all because you couldn’t wait to text?
Tags: texting
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