Amanamongmommies

Well Another Monday and another weigh in.  I had high hopes to continue my nearly 3 pound a week average, but not this week.  I lost a half pound.  Still a loss, but at the same time discouraging.  I know it is a long road and nothing is easy, but a 1/2 pound.

Monday Morning Weigh In…

• 1st Weigh in 10/22/09 – 278.2
• 2nd Weigh in 11/02/09 – 271.2 (7 lb loss, week and a half)
• 3rd Weigh in 11/09/09 - 267.6 (3.6 lb loss, 10.6 Overall)
• 4th Weigh in 11/16/09 – 264.8 (2.8 lb loss, 13.4 Overall)
• 5th Weigh in 11/23/09 – 264.3 (.5 lb loss, 13.9 Overall)

I am still hoping for a 20 lb plus loss before my operation on December 23rd.  It should make my recovery that much better.

Lack of Posting

I try to post daily or at least every other day, but last week I was spent.  I was working on my computer too much and had so much to do with another sick kid and worrying about another with hearing issues.  The week was long and I did my best to stay sane.  So hopefully I can get some more posts in even if they are quick and to the point.

I have been working on a couple more articles like the Video Gae one and hope to have those up soon.

Hearing Loss

My middle guy at 5 years old has had some problems listening lately.  At first we thought it was just him being 5, but that is not the case.  He has become louder and all of a sudden was answering most questions with What?  Finally after getting too much of it I talked his peditrician again.  After the discussion we brought him to an Audiolgist yesterday for some tests.  He does have a loss of hearing due to fluid (not infection) behind the ear drums causing them to not vibrate correctly.  It is 100% correctible, but we will probably have to see an ENT for an approprate recommended treatment.  Worst case is he has to have tubes put in.  So today when I take my oldest in for a follow up after his long sickness I will let the peditrician know the results for the other one.  He is to a quick and simple solution.

The 5

1. Modern Warfare – I beat the campaign and it was short.  Some people complained about the plot lines, but it had a better plot then just about every TV show and most movies I have seen lately.
2. Fussy Boy- The little guy has had a long week with an ear infection and upset tummy from the medication.  I can not wait for us all to be healthy again.
3. Extra Long Weekend – The boys are off as of tomorrow so they will have a really long weekend.  Oh joy!
4. Sleep - I got some of that last night.  I feel asleep around 10:00 P M and slept until almost 7:00 AM this morning.  Still tired, but a little better.
5. Missed Class – The little guy has a little Pee Wee class on Tuesdays and he missed the last two with he and his brother being sick.  He does not get many classes so that was tough…

“Take It One Day At A Time”

Daily Picture: Gandalf the Goofy Border Collie

My youngest furry child “Gandalf” has become a very good, all be it goofy dog.  The night before last I went outside with him and our little dog and he tore off through the yard.  The older little dog look at him like WTF?  As I looked it was a rabbit and he was right on it.  If he had taken the last turn tighter he woul have had it… WOW is he fast!

Monday Morning Weigh In…

• 1st Weigh in 10/22/09 – 278.2
• 2nd Weigh in 11/02/09 – 271.2 (7 lb loss, week and a half)
• 3rd Weigh in 11/09/09 - 267.6 (3.6 lb loss, 10.6 Overall)
• 4th Weigh in 11/16/09 – 264.8 (2.8 lb loss, 13.4 Overall)

So another 2.8 pound loss which has me very excited.  The last time I lost signifant weight the first twenty pounds came off at a rate of between 2-3 pounds per week.  Then the next 15 came off at 1-2 pounds per week and then 1 pound per week after that.  My hope is by my next Dr appointment which is the first week of December I will be down 20 lbs. Then hopefully by the time I get my nose fixed on December 23rd I will be down 25 lbs!

Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360

Saturday with the mail my copy of Modern Warfare 2 arrived.  When I went to the mail box and opened it up I was like a kid on Christmas.  Yes I am a game geek, but in all fairness it is the biggest game to come out in a long time.  So I was able to play a little of the campaign and off course ONLINE MULTIPLAYER!!!  What a BLAST!  The graphics are amazing and it plays really smooth.  I guess I will not be sleeping much the rest of the year. (LOL)

The Plague

We just can’t get the house germ free.  With 5 people it seems like colds go on forever.  Last week my oldest was home from Monday afternoon until Thursday finally making it back to school Friday.  He had an ear infection and upper respiratory infection making him rather miserable.  This kept me from having the needed “Extra Time” to blog.  Well Thursday night my littlest guy was miserable.  I took him to the Dr on Friday with a nice fever and it is only a virus.  With him we can not take any chances since he has had fever induced seizures.  Saturday night was a LONG night with the little guy up almost all night.  I think the wife and I got maybe 3 hours sleep.  We were worried it might be moving back to his ears, but last night he slept GREAT!  Woke with a slight fever, but doing better.

The 5

• Modern Warfare 2 – What a BLAST!
• Star Trek – Walmart is having sales on all the biggest DVD’s as they come out. $9.98 Each!  So Star Trek here I come!  You must Preorder them online with FREE Shipping!
• Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – Preordered $9.98!
• ebay is my friend – Been selling old game minis on ebay.  Paid for Modern Warfare 2 as well as the above movies and much more.  Yeah!
• Magic The Gathering – Still looking for cards collecting dust.  If you know someone that has any taking up space let me know.  Oldest is learning to play and I want to find cards on the CHEAP!

“Take It One Day At A Time”

As a long time video game player my ideas and thoughts about video games sometimes seem to contradict my thoughts and views of video games as a parent.  Video games have always been an important part of my life, but as I get older and my children are getting older I have to really focus on a good balance for them as well as me.  For me my video game time is really only after the kids and wife are in bed.  My oldest is now 9 and is really getting into the whole video game thing, but we have to be extra careful on time and of course titles.  Most of his video game time is limited to the weekends and days off with a little time if he earned it during the week.  I am by no means a parent who is going to limit him to just educational games, but I will also be very careful on the titles I allow him to play.  He is a huge Star Wars fan so needless to say he has just a few Star Wars games.

Ratings

I pay attention to the ratings on all the video games as well as keep myself well-informed about what is in each game.  I know Grand Theft Auto, Left 4 Dead and many other violent games so those are off-limits to the kids.  I also know what is in the Halo series which is the only game rated M that I let my oldest play.  Yes there is gun violence and some language but it is all SciFi violence with limited to no graphic blood and gore.  Say what you will about Microsoft, they do know how to make a good game without the added blood and gore.  I find it very important to go over the games I allow my son to play as well as discuss which games I do not what him playing at friends houses.  While I am always vigilante and educated about games I can’t rely on other parents to be as vigilant.  The ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating board) has a system in place, but the difference between Left 4 Dead and Halo series are night and day for graphic violence, yet they carry the same rating.   As a matter of fact a couple of his friends were discussing Left 4 Dead and Grand Theft Auto which I found rather surprising.  Both games are rated M, yet have some Extreme Violent and adult situations which I have found way too much to allow my son to play, yet his friends play them.   While I do think the video game industry has done a great job at trying to regulate itself, I feel that too many uninformed politicians and ignorant parents create controversy when it can be avoided.  Looking at the ratings is not enough, a parent should spend a few minutes reading reviews and understanding the games before they purchase them for their children.  Too many parents ignore the ratings on the games and buy them for their kids because they want it.  Many parents ignore the fact that a large portion of the video game industry is focused on  adults and not children.  See the ESRB Rating Board Guide HERE!

Research The Titles

Most people would not see a movie or buy a car without checking at least a couple reviews.  Why is it that parents purchase games for their kids blindly.  Many of the parents of children under 18 grew up with the Nintendo Entertainment System which is a far cry from the XBOX 360 and Play Station 3.  With all the research available and a vast game community it is simple enough to read detailed reviews of games online.  the best places for reviews are not you local media outlets or even many of the parent groups, but in the gaming community.  Honestly many of the writers are parents too and understand that many adults do not understand the current video games.  You can find reviews at Gamespot, IGN and G4TV.  It is simple to just google the title for reviews.  In about the time it takes to drink a coffee you can have detailed information about the games your children play or want to play.

Be Responsible for Your Purchases

Retailers are not supposed to sell M rated games to children so most of the children playing the games either had someone else buy the game for them or their parents bought the game.  Don’t complain to the government or the game publishers that Modern Warfare 2 is too violent for your 10-year-old,  that there is too much blood in Left 4 Dead 2 or that there is adult content hidden in a Grand Theft Auto Title when the games are rated M and not intended for those under 17.  If you don’t know what your kids are playing the only one to blame is YOU!  If they have a shelf full of games take a few minutes to look at the cover and the ratings.  If there are ratings above your child’s age take the time to find out what the rating on that game means.  You do not have to be a game expert to learn about the games your children are playing.  Take responsibility for your actions or lack of actions if you will…

Video Games Are Not the Problem

I have seen so many uninformed politicians and overzealous parenting organizations preach the evils of video games.  If you have young children there are plenty of appropriate video games out there for them.  If you are chastising the publishers for making games targeted for adults consider this. 

• 50% of video game players are in the age range of 18-49
• 25% under 18
• 25% 50 or older.
• The average video game player is 35 years old.

So if the video game publishers are making games intended for the 18-49 age group don’t blame them if you let you preteen play them.  Studies show that playing video games can increase your hand eye coordination and many of the games require you to think and react.  Of course too much play is not a good thing for children or adults.

Educate yourself about the games your children play or want to purchase and both you and your children can have a positive video game experience.  You can always take it one step further and play the games with your children so you truly understand what they are doing.

Daily Picture: The Pancakes!

The Pancakes!

For a long while now every Sunday morning I make Pancakes and of course the boys prefer them with Chocolate Chips.  (I can’t stand them with choclate chips, too sweet) During the week they like to have them for breakfast as well, but I can’t make fresh pancakes daily.  So I make a GIANT batch of chocolate chip pancakes and freeze the extras.  The cost to make them like this is pennies vs the frozen store bought garbage.  My 5yo is especially happy about this considering he eats them just bout EVERY morning.  This is not a problem for use since th elittle skinny guy will get ready for school without a problem after a plate of his favorite things.  So if your kids like pancakes a good money saving option is to make a bunch and freeze them.  The “Nuke” quickly and come out just fine.  This also works with French Toast.  Problem is the two older boys not a big fan of French Toast.

Monday Weigh In…

So this is my second weigh in.  The first was actually not 7 days, but 11 since I started watching what I eat on a Thursday, but wanted to have Monday be the start of the week.  This also tends to keep me a little more cautious on the weekends since I do not want to eat a ton all weekend and weigh in on Monday.

• 1st Weigh in 10/22/09 – 278.2
• 2nd Weigh in 11/02/09 – 271.2 (7 lb loss, week and a half)
• 3rd Weigh in 11/09/09 - 267.6 (3.6 lb loss, 10.6 Overall)

So my total drop thus far is 10.6 pounds!  I am to the point now where the weight loss numbers are starting to become a little addictive.  I will have to make sure I maintain a healthy balance along with a steady loss.  The last time I lost a ton of weight the first 20 pounds came off with an average of 3lbs a week, then the next 15 or so came off with an average of 2 pounds a week and finally the last weight was about a pound a week.

The 5

1. TV – Is it just me or has the quality of the shows just gone down so much.  I would be hard pressed to find a show I truly care to watch.
2. Video Games vs TV – Has the increased story behind most video games affected the overall ratings of TV?  Are the 18-40 people playing more games then watching TV? I would say YES!
3. HULU- is probably one of the greatest online video sites there is.  I have really enjoyed watching some of the old TV shows along with catching up on a couple I missed.  Nothing like a little Buffy the Vampire Slayer to appreciate fun TV.
4. TV on DVD – The library has a nice selection of TV on DVD, but with sites like HULU the whole DVD thing will go away.  I can go watch old shows on my PC or run them to my TV from my laptop and enjoy for free…
5. Cable outshines Network TV – With shows like True Blood, Sons of Anarchy, Weeds and The Daily Show cable is really pushing the limits of the networks.  Not to mention all the great TV in the past like the Sopranos and The Shield.

“Take it One Day At A Time”

Pictures: Halloween Revisited.

My Little Fireman…

The Ninja Assassin

Good For Nothing Packer Fan…

The kids had a good time all be it VERY COLD TIME!  The little guy loved his hat and was wearing the costume for hours after trick or treating.  My oldest of course had to be a Packer Football player.  Might have to leave him out of the will (LOL)  The kids actually only trick or treated for about an hour and they were happy to be done.  It was so cold they had no desire to stay out.

November is National Adoption Month

I added a little tag to the upper right hand part of my blog advertising National Adoption Month.  I get request after request to post things on my blog, but this one is a little closer to heart.  Before number 3 was born we had some major troubles.  We had been looking into adoption all over and just when we were giving up and starting look more into adoption we had a little miracle.  This is still something that is dear to me and so I decided to do some promotion.  You can visit AdoptUSKids for more information.

Two Days off of school!

Well the to older boys were off because of Parent teacher conferences.  Both boys teachers said they are doing very well and are really good kids. (YEAH)  I guess however on the first day of school my oldest left something on the playground and ran back to get it.  He was the last person out there and the principal is the last one outside.  My son was asked his name and he “Growled it back” as he got the things he left behind.  From that day forward the principal remembered him and had asked his teacher about him on multiple occasions fearing he might be a handful.  His teacher assured the principal that he is a very good kid and by no means a trouble maker.  My sons teacher got a big chuckle out of this.   having the two older boys around for a extra long weekend really made life interesting.  They get bummed when apart, but when they are together they argue and treat each other poorly.  Go Figure.  I am glad school is back on tomorrow.

The 5

1. 3 Son Dynamic – The dynamics between the 3 boys is interesting.  The two older boys play well and treat the youngest really well.  They treat each other poorly, but the little guy is king.  The oldest bosses the middle guy, the middle guy bosses the little guy and the little guy ignores them and gets what he wants.
2. Magic The Gathering – Oldest is starting to play which is fantastic.  I used to play and stopped when I got married for the most part.  I was a big collector and started really early.  Now 14 years later I am playing catchup.  Anyone have any cards they don’t want feel free to send them to me.
3. Active Pee Wees – The class for my little guy was today.  He loves his little class at the local park district and today he had a special treat.  Both of his older brothers were off school so they had to tag along.  I think he really liked the extra attention.
4. Can’t Place a Finger On – More then once lately I have been in a class or somewhere and recognize someone, but can’t place them.  Normally after a few days I remember, but not this time.  Oh well I guess they were no that important.
5. 13 Days Down – I have been focusing on losing weight for 13 days now.  I bought a new digital scale and it works very nicely.  The old one was never very accurate and always seemed to be a little LOW.  When I weighed myself on the new and old scale the difference was 5 pounds.  This matches up to the difference the old one had with the scale at the Dr Office.  Not going to focus solely on weight, but with a bunch to lose need to keep track.

Weight Loss

I have been asked by more than one person to chronicle my weight loss and so I will be adding a new section.  Every Monday is my weight in and that will be my day to chronicle the previous week.  I will also post some of my highs and lows of the week as I blog.  My weight loss effort is based around the Weight Watchers Points System with Running and use of the EA Sports Active on the Wii.  I lost 55 pounds over 4 years ago doing the Weight Watchers thing without the meeting, but fell into a bad couple years emotionally and put it all back on.  Comfort foods, soda and beer…  now I am back at it and will post my weekly results or lack there of if that happens, hopefully not.

• Height: 6′3″
• Starting Weight: 278
• Monday 11/2/2009: 271

“Take It One Day At a Time”

Picture: Sitting with Stuffies…

The little guy loves to pile up his stuffies up on the couch with him.  There has even been times when he has piled so many you could hardly see him.  It remids me of the scene in ET when he is in the closet.

November is Here… Really?

I am having a hard time with November being here already.  Where did all the time go?  It seems like just yesterday we were getting ready for summer.  Sometimes time goes too slow and other times way too fast.  Thanksgiving is around the corner, then Christmas and then the little guy turns TWO!  Wow!

Weight Loss

A old High School friend has lost a whole lot of weight and has given me motivation to drop pounds again.  I was in the best shape of my adult life just over 4 years ago when my middle guy was really little.  Since then I put the weight back on after a series of events.  I have tried in the past to take off the weight again, but never really felt motivated.  I am now.  The first few weeks are always a big help to the motivation.  In the first Eleven days I lost 7 lbs, but that has to do with the major changes I made.  Eating better, exercising more and dropping the Soda and Beer for the most part.  Still have a long way to go, but am working in a positive direction

The 5

1. No Soda – Well almost no soda.  I went from a couple 12 ounce cans a day to 2 in 12 days.  That alone has dropped a ton of calories out of my diet.
2. No Beer – It has been over two weeks without a beer.  I tend to like the better beers which also tend to be a little higher in the calories.
3. Write It All Down – I have been writing everything I eat down.  This is a big thing for me keeping me in control of what I consume.
4. More Veggies – I am back to eating a ton of veggies everyday which help me feel full, make my meals look bigger and give me even more of that valuable fiber.
5. Water – I used to drink nearly a Gallon a day.  I am working my way back to that.  Ice Cold Water really does the trick.

“Take It One Day At A Time”

Daily Picture: The Boys Play in the Leaf Pile

Little guy running into the leaves.

Middle guy throwing leaves at Mom.

Oldest shaking the leaves out of the tree.

The Fun of Fall

With our tress finally getting bigger the boys had a blast playing in the leaves on a warm sunny Sunday.  Growing up we had a lot of big trees around so the leaf piles we beyond huge.  As a kid the leaves are fantastic, as an adult not so much. It had been cool and rainy for days when Sunday the sun was out and it was nice and warm.  Not many more days left like this so we need to enjoy.  The boys made the leaf pile with mom and my oldest climbed into the maple tree and shook it trying to get more leaves to fall.  They all had a blast playing in the leave and the little guys even buried the oldest.  Nothing like a warm sunny fall day.

Sick Little Guy

We took the little guy to the Dr over a week ago and he just had a nasty cold.  Well after a week he got worse so he was back again on Friday.  He had been up most of the night and spiked a fever.  The little guy and fevers are a bad thing due to the possibility of seizures.  Well he has an ear infection, slight sinus infection and borderline pneumonia.  He has been on antibiotics since Friday and today is doing great.

Dad Doing Well

Finally was able to visit my Dad after coming home from the hospital over a week ago.  I have been so sick and the little guy being sick made it difficult to visit.  My oldest and I went and spent a couple hours with him Saturday night.  He looks so much better and is recovering nicely.  Will take some time and is currently tethered to a 25 ft O2 tube.  He is tired most of the time, but that is to be expected.

The 5

1. Magic the Gathering – I started playing a very long time ago when it first came out. After getting married and life moving on I sold all my cool expensive cards which helped pay for our first house.  Now my oldest is getting into it so looks like I get to play again!  now I just need to get more cards and try to find stuff cheap as well.
2. TV Stinks – There are so few good shows that give you a true feeling of escapism.  Most are too serious for their own good or are just crap.  There are some exceptions, but stuff has been going down hill.
3. Xbox Live – True escapism… Fun and beats most of what is on Tv.
4. Stargate SG1 – I was watching some reruns over the weekend and my oldest was getting into it.  Looks like I will have to borrow the 10 seasons from my Brother In Law.
5. Little Guy Sleeps In! – My youngest actually sleeps until almost 8:00 daily!  this is a big change since middle guy is up at the crack of dawn everyday.

“Take It One Day At a Time“

Picture: The Silly Boys

Today about an hour after 5yo came home from school he and his little brother cuddled up in my big chair and watched cartoon for a while.  Little guy just woke up from his nap and 5yo was tired from school.

Dad Home

Well my dad will be home a week from the hospital tomorrow.  He is doing well, but I have been unable to see him.  The boys were sick with colds and then I got hit hard over the weekend and the Dr said I needed to stay away from him until at least Tuesday.  Well today I still felt like a train wreck so I will probably not visit him until the weekend.  He says he is always tired and sleeps a whole lot.  My younger brother is living with him until he is recovered and we are all taking time to go over and visit and help how we can.

The Plague

Well I was fine Thursday and then Friday was a bit congested.  Saturday morning I woke and struggled to actually swallow.  Called the Dr and went in right away.  After a quick look he gave me an Adrenaline shot to be sure.  He did not want me to be reacting to a bite or something.  After getting that I was rather jumpy.  No problems there, I just had a wonderful Sinus infection that settled down in my throat and chest as well.  Now I am on antibiotics and all sorts of stuff to clean this up.  I will hopefully be getting the sinus repaired on December 23rd which should stop mot of these issues.  Still feel like garbage, but a little better than yesterday.

Managing Editor

Well I am wearing another hat now.  I am now the Managing Editor of US Hunting Today an online hunting magazine.  I will be managing over 40 sites during the evenings after the kids are in bed.  So if you are a hunter and you would like to share pictures, stories, reviews of recipes let me know.

The 5

1. Being Sick – STINKS!
2. ebay is my friend – Just sold a bunch of old gaming stuff online.  Using it to fund my Call of Duty Habit.
3. Call of Duty World At War – Fun game, but the single player campaign is too short.  Online is a blast!
4. Nazi Zombies – The add on for Call of Duty World At War is a ton of fun.  What better enemy then a NAZI ZOMBIE!
5. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 – Pre Ordered it from Amazon today.  If you pre order the game they give you a $15.00 credit toward a future Video Game Purchase.  Cool!

Take It One Day At A Time!

Well the past week has been extremely busy. My father went in for Triple Bypass last week and had some minor complications. I spent a bunch of my free time there. He is expected to recovery FULLY, just a little delayed. I have some exciting news and items going up this week as well. Look for me to be back at it soon.

Kevin of Always Home and Uncool has asked me to post this as part of his effort to raise awareness in the blogosphere of juvenile myositis, a rare autoimmune disease his daughter was diagnosed with on this day seven years ago. The day also happens to be his wife’s birthday.

*Our pediatrician admitted it early on.

The rash on our 2-year-old daughter’s cheeks, joints and legs was something he’d never seen before.

The next doctor wouldn’t admit to not knowing.

He rattled off the names of several skins conditions — none of them seemingly worth his time or bedside manner — then quickly prescribed antibiotics and showed us the door.

The third doctor admitted she didn’t know much.

The biopsy of the chunk of skin she had removed from our daughter’s knee showed signs of an “allergic reaction” even though we had ruled out every allergy source — obvious and otherwise — that we could.

The fourth doctor had barely closed the door behind her when, looking at the limp blonde cherub in my lap, she admitted she had seen this before. At least one too many times before.

She brought in a gaggle of med students. She pointed out each of the physical symptoms in our daughter:

The rash across her face and temples resembling the silhouette of a butterfly.

The purple-brown spots and smears, called heliotrope, on her eyelids.

The reddish alligator-like skin, known as Gottron papules, covering the knuckles of her hands.

The onset of crippling muscle weakness in her legs and upper body.

She then had an assistant bring in a handful of pages photocopied from an old medical textbook. She handed them to my wife, whose birthday it happened to be that day.

This was her gift — a diagnosis for her little girl.

That was seven years ago — Oct. 2, 2002 — the day our daughter was found to have juvenile dermatomyositis, one of a family of rare autoimmune diseases that can have debilitating and even fatal consequences when not treated quickly and effectively.

Our daughter’s first year with the disease consisted of surgical procedures, intravenous infusions, staph infections, pulmonary treatments and worry. Her muscles were too weak for her to walk or swallow solid food for several months. When not in the hospital, she sat on our living room couch, propped up by pillows so she wouldn’t tip over, as medicine or nourishment dripped from a bag into her body.

Our daughter, Thing 1, Megan, now age 9, remembers little of that today when she dances or sings or plays soccer. All that remain with her are scars, six to be exact, and the array of pills she takes twice a day to help keep the disease at bay.

What would have happened if it took us more than two months and four doctors before we lucked into someone who could piece all the symptoms together? I don’t know.

I do know that the fourth doctor, the one who brought in others to see our daughter’s condition so they could easily recognize it if they ever had the misfortune to be presented with it again, was a step toward making sure other parents also never have to find out.

That, too, is my purpose today.

It is also my birthday gift to my wife, My Love, Rhonda, for all you have done these past seven years to make others aware of juvenile myositis diseases and help find a cure for them once and for all.

To read more about children and families affected by juvenile myositis diseases, visit Cure JM Foundation at www.curejm.org.

To make a tax-deductible donation toward JM research, go to www.firstgiving.com/rhondaandkevinmckeever or www.curejm.com/team/donations.htm.