Quick check in...
Today was last day of the soccer season.  It was a beautiful fall day - high 60s and no clouds.  However, within the next 12 hours the temps are dropping to mid 30s and snow is on its way.

My little therapy guy is doing awesome!  Even being around him every day I am amazed at the last couple of weeks.  Some of his 'G' and 'K' sounds are coming, without reminders!  This is huge - all retraining the brain.  I had to laugh the other day....one of the older boys woke up on the wrong side of the bed and as we were eating breakfast JB said 'someone sure has an attitude this morning'.  So fun to see him fully engaged!

My finger is awesome.  I have everything back except probably the last 10 percent.  I see the doctor for one final follow up visit.  While I am there he is going to look at my left shoulder.  It has been hurting on and off for a year or so and just want to find out what the issue is before my insurance changes.  I am hoping something that will fully recuperate with some exercises.

It appears the rocks in my head are now back where they need to be.  I was actually able to do a workout video recently and did not worry about having to bend over to touch the floor and getting dizzy.

JR has been out 2 days hunting and nothing yet.  With the impending snow though, the animals should be driven further down and make it easier to get to them and track them.

Not much else happening!

Just some more pictures....all taken by JR over the last couple of months....

By the size of B, this one was not too recent...but boys getting some good lessons on how to hunt and they are learning how to work as a team.

B recently learned about Dioramas at school. I can't remember which book/movie he created his diorama on, but here it is.

Last night (usually it is Fridays but we have Friday commitment this week) was pizza night. I made the dough and the younger two did everything from roll it out to put on all toppings.

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I recently had to have another conversation with one of the boys about how sneaky they had been recently and getting into things they knew not to. A few days later that same son came back to me and said "mom, about my sneaking...don't you think I am pretty good at it...like couldn't I have a job doing it some day?" Then we again had the talk about how his kind of sneaking is bad and does not honor God. Then I started brainstorming jobs and about all I could come up with for sneaky legal jobs was private investigator. Anyone else have any other ideas?

Our warm days are coming to an end pretty quickly. Here is JB waiting for the bus before school - did not want to flash his smile.....

One of the highlights of my day is walking down the street by myself to meet the other two as they come home from school. B will usually stay with me and chat about his day, while J rides for home. They both seem so excited and eager to see me...they are often calling out my name a block before they reach me.

Hoping to head out to a pumpkin carving tomorrow - if we get there early enough. They usually run out! Other than soccer, that is our weekend!

A few pictures..
These were some that B took during a soccer game....I love his perspective and angles...

After this particular soccer game, while my mom was still here, we headed out to a local pumpkin patch where they have hay bales for climbing and a tree swing.

You can see by this picture who was not in favor of the camera and who was just being silly

We also found a small corn maze, and there was quite a bit of corn to pick - although very dried out.

There was also a walking path that was decorated with all things halloween.

Just a swingin...

Very quiet days...have not really even thought there was enough to blog about.  Will try to keep the pictures coming to pacify my family :-)

Over the past 4 or 5 years I have dealt with periodic dizziness. It will last 2-3 seconds at very random times, nothing huge but just enough that I notice it. It comes and goes, mostly goes until about 3-4 months ago. Then I started noticing it more often. Shortly after I broke my finger, I got it really bad - where it was almost a constant '4 on scale of 10' dizziness/nauseated. Fortunately, it was a Tuesday morning and I was headed into physical therapy. I was familiar with a PT manuever that can be done to resolve dizziness. Upon arrival at therapy I quickly asked the therapist if she was familiar with the Epley manuever. She said yes and got to work. It relieved a lot of the constant dizziness, but there was still some lingering stuff. So two days later I went back and she performed the manuever again. This time most of the dizziness went away, with the exception of my dizziness that came with certain head positions (rolling over in bed, bending over and dropping my head below my waist, looking high above my head, drinking water). All the episodes were very brief in nature and did not think much of it. Until I was at the doctor and was laying on the table. As the nurse helped me sit up, she looked at me and asked if I was okay. I told her I was dizzy and she quickly referred me to a PT that specializes in vestibular stuff.

I went to the PT on Tuesday. Of course the day I went, I felt like my symptoms were not as bad. She asked me lots of questions and then put some rubber goggles on me. Things were totally pitch black from my perspective, but when the goggles were hooked up to a computer screen, she could see everything my eyes were doing as if it were broad daylight. Upon doing the Epley manuever on my left ear, everything looked fine, I felt fine and my eyes did not 'jump around'. Upon doing the Epley on the right ear, I got really dizzy and she commented that I had a 'good one'. As she finished up the manuever things were feeling much better. Thinking all was resolved, she waited a few minutes and repeated the process to see if things actually had settled down. The dizziness was much worse the second time and I heard her exclaim 'I don't see that very often'.

Well, 'that' was the 'rocks' in my ears. Let's see if I can explain this properly. Somewhere in the middle to inner ear is a little shelf, were there are little things that look like rocks. The rocks are so small that you can put 3 of them on the end of a strand of hair. Anyway, for whatever reason these rocks can come loose and roll into one of three connecting tubes, again very small tubes/canals. She is not sure, but either I had rocks in 2 different tubes or when she attempted to put the rocks back the first time, they ended up rolling into the second tube, instead of on the shelf. When the rocks become loose they can cause major dizziness. I left her office feeling normal but she told me I can only move my head for the next 48 hours as if I had a book on my head and not to sleep on my right side. I guess the rocks are very sticky, as is the shelf, so once the rocks are back in place, they need time to settle and re-stick. Clear? Anyway, I have felt pretty good, although with certain head movements I feel like I am on the edge of dizziness again. I go back to her on Monday for a follow-up. I am guessing if I can make myself dizzy again that I am not cured and the rocks are still rolling around in my head. We will see what happens on Monday. (If anyone else ever has a sudden onset of dizziness, call me and I can direct you in the right path.)

So, just so I don't get accused of marbles rolling around in my head, here is a picture I found online.  The loose particles is where the rocks are found.  I was also very intrigued that she was able to tell because of the way my eyes jumped (up and down or side to side) as to which of the three canals the rocks were in.  Then this determined how she finished up the Epley Manuever.

Why all the detail, because it reminded me once again of what an amazing piece of art we are.  That we are created in such a way and with such detail that microscopic things can come loose and wreek havoc on our bodies.  I was also reminded of things like kidney stones, of which I have never had and hope I never do.  What an amazing God we have.  I also wonder how man ever discovered all this about rocks.

One day I was talking with my physical therapist and she was telling me her most favorite class was anatomy.  She talked of all the cadavers they worked on.  Something I don't think much about, but thankful for all those that choose to donate their bodies to science so others can learn about rocks in the ears and other things.

Ramble....

Hunting season is still in full swing.  Still archery season.  Rifle starts in 2 weeks.  Nothing hanging in our garage yet.  We have about 3 packages of meat left, so something needs to cross his path soon.

JR and I have been having quite a few discussions lately.  After several years of contemplation, he has decided to give his notice at work and venture out on his own.  His last day of 'full-time employment' will be Dec 27.  As our accountant replied "Yahoo. Fee of Bondage".  So much to learn.  The great thing is, we have mapped out all of his current work.  Some months this is more than others, but overall, he has about 65-70% of his current income already secured.  The slowest months are going to be the off season, which is April/May and Oct/Nov.  He will be doing property management and then all kinds of side jobs - some of which have included staining decks, windows, cleans, landscaping, building fences, hauling trash/clearing junk and re-digging ditches to storm drains.  Will be interesting to see the doors that open up between now and his last day of work.  There are several clients in the wings that have been waiting for him to step out on his own.

Having computer problems this evening.  My main file folder has disappeared.  I did recently back it up thankfully, but I also put quite a bit of time into some files this morning and don't want to loose that work.  Hopefully I can get it resolved soon.

Off to unwind.

On Saturday Granny, B, Jbird and I headed to a local hay maze. Actually, being allergic to the hay, I dropped them off and browsed the local Bed Bath and Beyond. After the maze, I met back up with them and the boys did some 'bungee jumping'. They are hooked up to huge bands, with a trampoline underneath them. Here is B, did not venture out and try any tricks - kept it conservative.

Jbird on the other hand, got into the flips.

I love this photo...look at that hair.

There was a huge bin of corn and Jbird got buried.

Posing behind scarecrows...(see the recent snow in the mountains...)

Jbird, fortunately, was camera happy this weekend, so got some good pictures.

One last shot on the way out the door...he was just excited to jump on all the hay.