Bubbliscious

...just posting a few pictures...

What we've been up to...

We're back to school and work. Yippee!! I love my job and am so thankful I have it. Brant started back today. 2nd grade...Wow! ...and Evan... poor thing... he wants to go to big school, too. I think I'll start teaching him in the evenings... .... some evenings.

I started a Biggest Loser competition at church. It's great! We spent more time laughing at each other than exercising the first night. Now we're getting the Dances w/ the Stars workout downpat.

Terry shaved his head and it looks great. He told me, "Don't put any of the pictures (freshly shaven) on that stuff you do on the computer." ...guess that means this.

Nikki came to visit from California. When she emails me the pics she took with the boys, I'll post them. ...or maybe she'll post them on her blog (under my "links").

Cochlear Implant Mapping

This is what Brant looks like in "the booth." This is where his Audiologist, Suzanne, checks to see how well he hears.

Ahhh, the mapping. Suzanne's computer is hooked up to Brant's implant. She programs it so that he can better hear and understand sounds.

Evan had to have a turn in the booth after Brant. This is Brant helping Suzanne during Evan's turn.



Suzanne is so great! She even let Evan have a turn manipulating the toy animals (used for babies having their hearing checked) in the booth.



I'm not sure why it's taken me five years to take pictures of Brant being Mapped. Better late than never, I guess. Thanks, Suzanne for all of your help. Evan wants an implant, too. :)

Arkansas Vacation

After years of talking about it, we finally took the boys camping.









I need to figure out how to put a slide show of my vacation photos on my blog. If anyone knows how, please let me know.





We camped for two nights in Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas where we hiked four miles the second day. Of course I didn't bring my camera for that breath takingly beautiful hike beside Cedar Creek. We stayed at Wild River Country (photos to come soon) Water Park for almost the entire third day. Then we made the Econolodge in Horn Lake, MS home for two very relaxing days. We had a ton of fun and lots of worry free relaxation, but it's good to be home.

I'll add more photos later.

New pics of the boys

These are for Nikki in California. See...I do send you pictures:)

Brant's funny

Because Brant only has one cochlear implant, he can only hear out of that ear. The other day he answered the phone when I was outside. He came out and I heard him saying, "Hello!? Hello!?" Then the lightbulb in his head went off. He told the person on the other end, "Oh, I'm sorry. That's the wrong ear." It turned out that the person on the phone was a lawn maintenance company from Jackson. Boy was he baffled. And boy was that funny.

It did work

The 48 hour diet did work. No, not the whole ten pounds came off, but at least five did. At this very moment, I am one pound below my "magic weight"...you know...the number that I just can't seem to get below. The morning after I stopped the diet, I had lost 3 inches from my belly.

So anyway...much more walking, jogging, swimming, and pilates is in my near future.

Let's see if it works

So I've been dieting for a month now. Every time I lose 5-7 pounds, I fall off the wagon and gain it all back. I just can't get below this magic number that I don't want to be. I joined the "millions" who have supposedly tried this... the 48 hour diet. My plan is to lose atleast 5 pounds in the 48 hours (not really expeciting to lose all 10 like the ad says). Then, when the 48 hours are up, I'll start Slim Fast. It's already in the fridge getting cold. I've been exercising and keeping up with the calories burned on fitday.com. Yesterday, I walked and ran for thirty minutes around our yard. What's great is Brant and Evan walked and ran with me. Anyway... I'm working on the first glass of many. It really is pretty good. It tastes like grapefruit mixed with orange juice.

I need one of those groups to belong to that weigh in every couple of weeks. You know... like a "biggest loser" thing. That way, everyone else would be losing the pounds and I'd have to or they'd all know I cheated on my exercising or diet. That way I'd have to skip the angel food cake/strawberry/whipped cream thing I ate earlier. However, I did see it on a Eat Healthy show. I'm hoping to start one of those groups at church. We'll see in a few weeks if it happens or not. Has anyone tried this 48 hour diet? Just wondering...

VBS 2008

Doesn't this look yummy?!? It's just one of the snacks that kids at Poplarhead UMC's VBS made at "Backyard Food." Peanut butter, m&m's, marshmallows, marshmallow cream, and chocolate syrup on a tortilla...mmmmm.

I was this year's VBS director. I think it went well. Brant and Evan said they had fun. I had to bribe them to sing and do the motions for our songs, but hey, whatever works. They now have a basketball goal for our pool.

At "God's Big Backyard" the kids learned about service. They saw how easy it was to serve family, friends, neighbors, and Jesus...even when they are young. They filled four huge bags of clothes for the Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse (and a bag of toys, too). They also brought in canned foods that will be given to our local food pantry.

The Success and Saucier Volunteer Fire Departments came on Tuesday night. They were definately a hit...especially when they let some of the kids get sprayed with the fire hose.

Trent

Brant and Evan love their cousin Trent.

He's getting so big. Chasity said he rolled over twice the other day. Evan raises the pitch of his voice when he talks to Trent. Brant and Evan showed him how to play with matchbox cars last week. I wondered how long it would take. I guess they thought, "Yep, Trent is 6 months old. He's old enough now." Trent really didn't care about the cars. ...go figure.

Alopecia Areata

For those of you who didn't know already...

I have Alopecia Areata, an autoimmune disease that makes my body think my hair is foreign and, therefore, attack it. There is no cure for this, only treatments to try to regrow the hair. Typically, the Alopecia turns itself off after a few months and hair regrows by itself. I can only hope this will happen in my case.

This is the back of my head about a month ago. A circle patch that is above my ear is beginning to regrow. However, this area in the back is not.

I took Brant and Evan to a pool party on Saturday. I thought that I could handle strangers seeing my bald spots. When Brant quietly told me that he could see my "white circle" (the bald patch above my ear) I almost lost it. We swam for a few more minutes and then we had to go. Maybe my posting this photo and others seeing it will help me deal with it. We'll see.

Hula Hoopin' and Rock Band

Just a few neat photos...

Evan learned to hula hoop at a Cochlear Implant picnic a few weeks ago.

Brant played Rock Band at Aunt Chasity's. When he finished with the guitar, he took the microphone and sang. I tried to upload the video of him singing, but it was too big.

Brant's baseball pic

Brant

How are the boys?

Brant and Evan are great...health wise anyway. They fight constantly. Brant will be turning 7 in July, and he can't wait. He'll be in 2nd grade when school starts back. Evan is 4 and only about 2 inches shorter than Brant. They both played baseball this year and made me proud. I'll add a photo of Brant when I have more time.

Starting over

So I only posted once under "CI Mom." I had big plans to be a resource for other moms of children with Cochlear Implants. This blog has just become Keepin' up with the Jones', and I plan on updating it regularly with pictures and stories of our family. Brandy