Sometimes.....

So, checking out how the new flash works on my camera. Had lots of subjects to practice on this weekend. This is from the Potosi brewery museum. Highly recommend it--and I actually liked the micro brewed beer! Beautiful area of Wisconsin. Mom had been wanting to see it since she donated some original Potosi beer glasses--and a cousin of mine was once a brew master or something. Anyways, the brewery has been restored. Checking out the train at the museum.

There is a spot in the floor that shows the water running through it--that is used in the beer. Majorly cool! And of much interest to the children.

Ahhh, the main reason for the flash---to be able to take half decent pictures in the ice arena. And no not just of Julia. The hockey season is upon us--and Bucky Badger is just dying to be a subject of my new camera techniques.

Soccer started again. Posted some new pics on the facebook page--trying to get photos to the other families--but had to put this one up--outside, cloudy with the flash on. I'm trying! Practice makes perfect right?

More photos and a palate update

Ahhh, the life of playing flag football.

And the cutest football player there!

Julia and Allie (neighbor girl) walking back from the sandbox. Playground and....

ice cream afterwards. Makes for a perfect Monday night. Monday night football doesn't have anything on us!

Palate update. So, Julia needs her palate expanded. Ok, not that unusual in a cleft-affected child. But (there's always that but), first braces to straighten out some back teeth in order to hold the palate expander in place--approximately 5 months. Then to palate expansion--which hers needs to be expanded quite a bit--approximately 1 to 2 months. Then (and this is what makes me cringe) oral surgery to remove those extra teeth in her cleft area and since her 6 year old molar is stuck-a little gum removal to see if that will help bring it through. If it doesn't--yeah, more oral surgery. My poor baby--but she's tough. Then the mention came of jaw surgery down the line--since her underbite is fairly significant. We'll see. She'll have full facial growth by that time (ie late teens) and that will be her decision. Next up Rauan as his 6 year old molars come in. Our insurance company is going to love us! (said very sarcastically)

Moving on

To more important things: Janiece and her camera. Ok--I have the money saved for tuition. Wouldn't you think I would keep putting my HospiceCare money away? YEAH RIGHT!! (actually yes--but.....). Today I invested in the the fancy dancy 580EX Speedlight. I don't have the faintest clue how to use it--but give me time. Shhhheeeessssshhhhh---don't tell anyone--but Bucky Badger is going to be at the Polar Caps Fall Frolic. If you think I'm not going to use the camera for that--yeah--you know me better then that. My understanding, limited that it is, is that because the ice arena is a bit dark--the flash attached to the camera isn't enough. So--since I plan on doing this for a long time (or as Ted put it--if you don't I'm shoving that camera right up your a--, he found out how much the flash was)--I want something that will last for a while. Good thing I'm working that second job to pay for my new habit! So here are some photos before I bought the flash. Don't ask me why--but I love how the colors jump here.

Two of my favorite subjects--gotta say I love my boys! Chewie is loving kindergarten and Rauan--well, genius boy is thriving.

Oh Hell no! Here's my luck--guess who likes football?

Yeah--I've seen this pose before. And while he might be best quarterback ever--going to the Vikings did not endear him to me. Plus, Rauan is waaaayyyy cuter! All you girls out there--momma is first love and you've gotta get through the beautiful lass in the picture below (and those are some mighty tough standards!)

All I can say to this is damn she's beautiful! Both physically and emotionally. While my girl does have a bit of a temper (stop laughing Ted) she's is the most loving caring sweetest person ever. And I'm starting to call her the animal whisperer. Incredible.

In other news--God bless Unity health insurance and the wonderful UWHC. Everything with the palate expansion is covered. Bad news is major oral surgery ahead after palate expansion. Then the other news. Follow up on Chewie. They can't figure out why is voice is hoarse. No nodules, funny stuff on his voice box. Which does leave me to believe--yeah something was damaged there in his abusive past. Assholes--and other nasty words. Then--the ENT told me that after seeing the film--he most likely does have a submucosal cleft. This can mean a little or alot. He is going to do some speech therapy starting Sept 23 and we'll go from there. And every 6 months monitoring.

Ok--while I don't mean to bitch, I'm going to. This basically means every 12 days out of 14 I'll either be working or taking the kids to some kind of medical thing. I love my job and I love my kids--but this sucks majorly. I signed up for this why????

I love my kids--is there any more explanation then that? I would walk over broken glass and fire to help them reach their full potential.

Janiece is ranting

Ok I've just about had it with all this politic BS. At this rate I'm going to get kicked out of the Catholic church--but you know what, I'm not too sure that matters anymore. I'm a little sick of a bishop that "orders" us about. God gave us free will--time to use it. Jesus gave "lessons"--guidance--not orders. Yeah--some boneheads didn't listen--but again free will! And thank you our friendly neighborhood bishop--yes I am female and believe it or not I do have a brain.
First of all--what the hell is this crap about banning a tv broadcast by our president? I don't care about his right to life issues (another discussion people)--isn't he our leader and don't we want to know what he is doing about leading our country? I "get" having the 6th grade and under crowd not seeing/hearing it--but come on. Isn't this a great chance to help form those little minds and "guide" them--whatever your belief system is? Free will people! Yes all parents should have the right to say "Hell no my child isn't watching this" Ok--well Joe--Pollyanna is playing right down the hall and Joe Jr. can see that. I'm sorry, Bishop, but just as you believe you deserve respect, so does our president. And by you dissing him--you just dissed yourself.
Second of all--this health care shit is exactly that. Death squads? Give me a break. For the average person out there who lives in their Pollyanna world--ok yeah those don't exist. But the reality is--everytime someone needs healthcare--things are judged. And that isn't just an insurance thing--age, state of health, compliance--all of that plays into what can be done. Don't like--sorry. That's reality. We want health care improvement? Ok let's do it from the start--prenatal. And for you big businesses out there that want your tax credits and crap--blow it out your ear. These are your future customers and employees. Pay now or pay later big boys. It's cheaper to pay now. Every pregnant woman should have prenatal care. Period. End of discussion. All children should have adequate health care. Period. End of discussion. Once that issue is resolved--let's move on up. But we can't build a good health care system without setting up a good foundation--and that's our children. The children are being allowed to fall through the cracks. And don't give me that BS about doing the best we can. If we are doing the best we can I wouldn't be seeing some of the shit I'm seeing--and I'm not seeing the worst of it. Those ER nurses go through their own living hell and I don't know how they do it. You have my admiration.
Alright I'm sure this is enough to fire alot of people up. Good. God gave you a brain--use it. Time to put our big girl panties on and get to work. Or for another popular saying of mine (yes--I know its a cliche--and Ted hears it alot) shit or get off the pot!

Chewie's first day of kindergarten

So, he's off and I no longer have children in the house during the day. It hasn't hit yet--but I'm sure it will. After I get all the errands done, the house cleaned (finally!), etc. Of course in the next week, Chewie has 2 MD appts. One for his physical (shots too poor kid) and then a f/u with speech and ENT. Chewie was the hardest for me. I think I said the same thing last year--but then he was only gone for 2 hours every other day. I don't know--Julia was so excited to start school, plus then kindergarten was half day. Rauan needed to go--that mind of his needs more stimulation then we can provide. But Chewie--full day kindergarten and my last baby. There will be no more sending a child off to school for the first time. While he is thriving, momma is realizing just how quiet the house will be. Anyways, he LOVES school--loves his classroom, loves that he takes his lunch to school just like his big brother and sister and what made him the happiest--he got chocolate milk for lunch!!