another part of the family.......never say never

Hannah has talked about getting her own dog for the last several years.  Even going as far as planning on saving enough money to purchase it and buy everything it needs...... Of course I have always dismissed it as "her dream", knowing that she would never be able to afford the cost of a small dog being only 9, 10 or 11 yrs old.   Plus, I wasn't about to get another animal any time soon.  She always talked about her dream dog being a chihuahua.  That wasn't in my plans at all. Never was fond of small dogs, but I am a vet tech and all animals have a special place in my heart, maybe just not in my home.

  I have my own house now, my own family and I loved the idea of being able to choose my own pets and told her that as well, when she is grown and has her own house she can choose her own pets.... HA!!
 I choose Lou, but wasn't able to name him, that was left to my 4 year old son and actually Lou's registered name is Bailey's Captian Lou. 
  My cats Keaton and Wylie are my babies, they were mine, I named them. Steve made sure I had Keaton for my own when he adopted him for me when I lived in an apartment.  Keaton was at my school when I was studying to be a vet tech, I was responsible for him my last semester, and I learned from practicing procedures with/on him.  I was also a part of his neuter and declaw surgery. I lost Keaton recently to kidney failure at age 18.  I got him when he was 2.   I miss Keaton dearly and there will never be another cat like him as close to my heart.   Wylie I got when he was 7 wks old and was born in a barn -- a neighbor of the veterinarian I worked for in Minnetonka.  He was such a wild kitten, thus how he got his name.
Wylie and Keaton grew up together and were buddies throughout the years, and he has changed since Keaton has been gone and spends his days upstairs in our bed. He is now 15 yrs.   He used to lay with Keaton in the sun on the top of the couch.   He will come down on occassion to eat, or to check things out.  He is more active at night, as cats should be I suppose, and keeps busy hauling socks, cat toys and whatever else he can carry in his mouth, either up the stairs and lays them in the hallway or down stairs and drops them wherever..meowing the whole time, I guess letting us know and seems proud that he has done such a thing.   I even had to hide all of Hannah's socks from a drawer under her bed as Wylie would be able to somehow get in there and there would be several pairs of socks hauled downstairs daily.
 Our other 2 cats, Stella and Bamboo are sisters that showed up in our garage 2 years ago as 8 week old kittens.  They were the cutest things ever, with polydactyl toes-- they have 5 toes on each paw and both kids were in love with them, despite their huge paws.   I insisted they stay in the porch at first , they had ear mites and a upper respiratory infection.   I said we were taking them to the shelter as soon as possible.  HA!!  Slowly.... or quickly, however you look at it,  after a vet visit and being treated for ear mites we allowed them in the house and  Hannah named them and that was that.
They are 2 very good cats, very easy going playful and they keep each other company.  I love how they snuggle, play, and look out for each other.  Sister's forever!!

Now, since Sat. we add into the picture Hannah's dream.  Remember--- chihuahua.   Somehow out of no where, I saw an ad for chihuahua's on the online sale site I visit often on Facebook.  I was drawn to the fact that they were "older" chihuahua's...meaning they weren't just weaned and ready to go as 7-8 week old puppies-- these puppies were 4mo-1 yr old.   This breeder typically keeps her pups past 12 weeks, and seaches for ideal homes for her "babies".  She said it's hard to find good homes.   I liked the idea of a several month old puppy and well..... the breed got my attention, and reminded me of Hannah.   These dogs looked so sweet , just like my daughter.  She has been through so much over the years with diabetes, and just wanted to seek out the chance to make a childhood dream come true.   Things happened kinda fast and the breeder wanted to know more about potential families that were interested, so I explained our family, including our pets and my daughter's interest. We talked back and forth on FB for awhile and finally a phone call.  Within 7-10 days of me seeing the photos we were meeting them half way-- in Alexandria, MN-- to see a few of the puppies that Hannah was interested in. Hannah could hardly wait when she knew we were going to look at them.    The breeder brought 3 of them with her.  2 girls and a boy.   Hannah fell in love with the small petite girl-- Cerena-- and it didn't take long for her to decide.  Hannah used her birthday money and the chore money she had been saving up to buy her puppy and I had to chip in a little extra-- but all in all a good deal for a small breed pure bred dog.  Was I ready for this...certainly not,  did I feel a bit crazy-- certainly did.   What did I get myself into.  I am a vet tech and a animal lover-- how can I go wrong.   It was a good decision and Hannah was so happy to finally have her chihuahua.  Seeing them together melted my heart.

Hannah spent Sunday with her, pretty much either holding her taking her outside or trying to get her to play.  She was pretty content in Hannah's arms and was pretty scared otherwise.  By Monday and Tuesday when I spent the mornings with her, I let her explore more and she opened up big time.  Her personality really came out. She is very playful, and was checking out everywhere.  The cats are all scared of her for now, but are slowly coming out to check things out.  She will bark at them and they will run away.  Lou and Cerena, are very tolerable of each other.  Lou just likes to make sure he doesn't miss out on attention, toys, or food.  He will let her cuddle by him or climb on him if he is resting. 

We do have to be careful though, if Lou is wound up and playful that he doesn't hurt her by accident.  The size difference is huge.   Wed ( today as I type this)  Steve spent the day at home and I got home from work at 1:30pm.  Cerena got used to Steve quick as he spent the morning with her. She really has a wonderful personality and am hoping that it sticks around.   She is doing good pottying outside, but getting her ready to go out includes a sweater, a halter and a leash.  It's not as easy as letting her out the door...she is way too tiny.  A bird of prey might think she is dinner and we are not taking any chances of that happening or loosing her because of her size.
We are very happy that she is a part of our family.

Hannah's Hair

 

Hannah's hair is getting long and she let me braid it today.  She is very particular about her hair and likes to do it herself.  She never did like me messing with it much, so this was a treat that she let me do it.  I musta did a good job, because she said she loved it.

 

Seasons of change

 I love the fall weather, but as the days get shorter and cooler, I do miss the warm sunny days of summer.  I hate freezing, which now days is the norm.  Steve won't let us turn the heat on just yet.  So sweatshirts and 3 blankets to sleep is typical right now.  There is alot of yard clean up to get done and usually I am on top of that and don't mind it.    Now that I work at the vet clinic every day -- half days-- I try to do a little bit every day, but it's piling up, literally....  leaves every where, and lots to be cleaned up and put away for the winter.  I have this weekend off, so if its nice enough, I will tackling some of my outdoor stuff.  I am just getting over a 5 week bout of something, bronchities or pneumonia.  It was pretty bad for a couple of weeks, lots of conjestion.  Lost my sense of taste and smell and breathing was tough, espically laying down-- did lots of coughing, and blowing for a few weeks, and slept on the couch propped up.   I never felt to terribly bad, and continued on with my daily duties.  Only felt maybe a little tired the days I wasn't sleeping well at night.  I got weekly adjustments at the chiropractor, and was on a couple supplements to help.  They worked really well and I took nothing OTC or Rx to help kick this thing.  It mighta taken it's own sweet time, but my body was able to fight it off without any help.  Still coughing some-- but I feel good and amazed and proud of the fact I am getting better naturally.

Kids are off to a good start in school, and havent had any issues with them adjusting to the high school or middle school.  Things have been going really well..... as far as I know.  Bailey likes high school life much better than the middle school.  More freedom, feeling more grown up, making more decisions...... and able to get ice cream at lunch is a plus for him.  Don't really understand the ice cream at lunch thing, since they are trying to serve them more healthy lunches, but yet offer ice cream and nacho's etc.  ( for a extra cost of course).    He is enjoying the football season and likes to go to the varsity games on Friday nights.  He is doing well in all his classes, but struggles in science-- he says he doesn't like the class, but hoping he tries his best, he is in high school now, and all his grades will affect his future. He is in German and is having fun learning a new language.  I took 2 years of German in HS too, so it's intersting to see how much I remember--which isn't much.   He also has a class called Wildlife and is learning lots of interesting things, even going to do a project of taxidermy of a bird in class.  Bailey started hockey this week and he will be going strong for about the next month with practices just about every day.  I think in the next month he will get maybe 2 days off. Tryouts are next week and games start early Novemeber.   They have a couple of scrimmages scheduled and the first one is tomorrow vs Hutchinson.   Bailey also had about a 4-5 week bout with some sinus , cold stuff before school even started.  I think that is pretty much gone and didn't get quite as complicated as my stuff, but he also was on a supplement ( vitamin) and we did the chiropractor once a week....... but now he has been struggling with some sort of hip pain.  It started when he got checked in hockey during one of his last games up in St Cloud.  Sept 6, I remember because it was Hannah's b-day.  He started with some hip pain, and that went away for a few days and then moved to the back of his leg, like hamstring area, just below his butt.  It hurt to sit.  That was his only complaint.  It was pretty severe for awhile, so I brought him to chiropractor.  He couldn't really figure it out, as he tried to reproduce the pain, by twisting and turning and rotating his leg/pelvis/hip.   It didn't hurt at all, and doesn't hurt to walk, run, skate etc.....just sitting hurts.  So we limited it to a pulled muscle, possibly a bone bruise, but there was no real swelling, so not sure what we were dealing with.  He had 2 adjustments with no improvement.  So he suggested gettting an xray of his pelvis/hip. So we did and that showed nothing abnormal, nothing broken.  So at least we knew we weren't dealing with a fracture.   It has been about 4-5 weeks now, and even though the discomfort comes and goes, he has always said there is not much change.  It hurts to sit.  I think it is getting better as time goes on.  He was so uncomfortable in the beginning, couldn't sit comfortably in the car, in class, in church etc.  Now it seems somewhat better but he still says it hurts.  We did another chiro adjustment last week, and we'll see how it goes.  Hockey doesn't bother it or so he says, so that might be some good physical therapy for it.  The clinic wanted us to get him in PT, but I know that's all they had to offer him, so with time I am hoping it gets better.


Hannah is doing well too and I think she likes the middle school although she will still say she dosen't like school much.  She is having fun being around her friends on a constant basis.  School in general is more of a struggle for her, she has a hard time staying focused, and remembering things, but in general is doing very well and I am not too worried yet.  I am just a big part of keeping her focused at home, so when she is at school away from me, she has to think on her own and that is teaching her to take some responsibility.  We've had to run back to school to get assignments she forgot one Friday, and another night she rememebered she had homework to do at 8:30 at night, which is basiclly bedtime, so I helped her, but didn't really have a clue on how she was taught to get the math answers, we got through it, but not without a tad bit of frustration, yelling, and crying and a few deep breaths and a late bedtime.    Math is her "hard subject", and at times just doesn't get it.  I think she follows me in that respect, where as Bailey has Steve's math skills.  Bailey is doing some pretty complicated algebra and getting a A so far.   Middle school is the first time grades are given, so we will see this year how well she understand the concepts of her subjects, math hovering around the C level right now, while all her other subjects are A's.   Hannah is in band this year and has choosen the flute to play.  It's a hard instrument to learn.....the first step is getting it to make a sound when you blow into it.....its not as easy as it looks.  I tried and couldn't get it to make a sound.  There is a certain way to blow.  She has been working hard at it, and can play a handful of notes now.  The 5th grade band and choir concert is Nov 29 , so they have about a month and a half to put together a few more notes and a possible song.  Hannah and I plan do some clarinet-flute duets in the future, maybe by christmas she will have learned Jingle Bells.   She continues to do the Just For Kix dance classes on Monday nights with her friend Elizabeth.  Since both us mom's/dad's work late on Monday nights, a friend of the family of Elizabeth's is taking the girls to Hutchinson and back-- which is VERY much appreciated.  I am so glad they can still go and they love it.  After about another month, Elizabeth's mom's schedule opens up and also Steve will have more free time to get the girls to dance.  Her first performance is December 15,  the Winter Show, come watch if you can.

I am enjoying my new job at the Annandale Veterinary Clinic.  It's a very busy place.  I have gotton into a good routine with it all and it seems to be working out fantastic for now.  I only work half days, but its a every day commitment.  Mon, Tues and Thurs I work 1pm-6:45-7pm or so.  I typically leave the house just before 12:30, and get home about 7:15ish.  I am the last one at the clinic those days, and most everyone else leaves between 3:30-5:30pm.  I close the clinic at 6pm and then spend about 45min- 1 hr cleaning. I start the cleaning about 5ish though, as the last appt is at 4:45pm, and then it's just wrapping up the day, clients can still pick up their surgery animals until 6pm, or pick up meds and food and such,  and still answering phones until 6pm.  On Wed & Friday's I leave the house about 7-7:15am and start working at 7:30-7:45am.  I am then done at 1pm.   I really like my schedule so far.  The hours there go by quick.  They are getting into a "slower season", after the fall hunting/ allergy season, I suspect the winter months they slow down some more, until it picks back up in March again for all the spring updates, and such.
 I have seen alot happen in the last month being there.  A Lab ate a golf ball and became obstructed, surgery required to remove gold ball from intestines, 3 new cases of Lyme disease, several new and continued cases of diabetes, I weighed in a diabetic cat that was 21 lbs...good Lord.  Have had a hand full of animals hit by a car, couple didn't make it.  A large number of euthansia's or PTS as we call them ( put to sleep).  Usually that doesn't bother me too much, but a few have gotton me choked up.  A 10 yr old golden retriever was one of them, just yesterday :(   We had a severe case of animal abuse, which involved the cops, the dog had to be put down in the end.  It had the clinic and those involved stressed for about a week just because of the threats and people involved in the case, lots of itchy dogs ( allergies), Lou is going through his own bout of it too, crabby cats, lots of lumps, bumps and tumors, dog came in with a torn ACL, ear hematoma's, lacerations, vomitting and diarrhea, IV fluids, 2 "plugged" male cats, as it's called-- no urine output and a bunch more stuff....... but I have seen a good share of kittens and puppies, and just plain ole healthy happy animals as well. It's been interesting getting back into the swing of things.
I am not a big fan of answering phones, but getting pretty good at it.  I am hoping to do more Tech things in the future, but as of now am busy enough keeping the clinic moving along up at the front.

Steve is still busy as always this time of year.  Thankful.  He has travelled up to north western MN for a few jobs and has been gone 2-3 nights, he still has plans to travel and to do one more coming up next week.  Otherwise, not much new with him, he continues to work hard and has stayed healthy....... besides his normal aches from roofing and aging-- ha ha.  He still avoids all doctors, dentists, chiropractors and the like. 

May God bless you as we change seasons and in all seasons of your life.

Our watermelon saga ends

Well, I left you last, with our watermelon growing.....it did grow and got really big.  See?!!!

 

It looks good and we were so proud of our ability to grow the thing, even though it looks good,  it was FULL of little white seeds, almost too many that it was really a hassle to pick them out.  I had a "cold" and couldn't taste very well at the time I tried it out.  After being frustrated picking out a ton of seeds to just give it a try, I was equally dissapointed when I did try it and it didn't have much of a flavor.  I do realize my cold had something to do with the flavor, but I wasn't impressed. I LOVE watermelon and can eat a whole one myself-- but this one was dissappointing.  Steve said it had a good flavor, but I don't think he was impressed either, especially with all the seeds.   So we will try again next year, hopefully with better results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our first watermelon grown by the Emery's

this is when I first saw that we had a watermelon growing,

this is our watermelon a week later.  Seems to be growing fast.  It's our first.:)

Struggling, yet thankful.

I have to admit, I have been struggling lately. I have been on this weight loss, getting healthy jouney for 16 months. I just wanna be done trying to loose weight, yet 16 months is nothing compared to trying for the last 20 years to loose weight on my own. I get it now, I have all the support, products and a plan in front of me, and am going to get these last 10 lbs off no matter what. I have let a few things go, when it comes to my nutrition and exercise the last few months. However, health and wellness has continued to be a high priortiy, and I haven't let it ALL go. I have been doing very well at maintaining my 60 lb weight loss, yet I have a goal that I haven't quite reached yet, so as soon as my XYNGULAR LEAN shake mix comes in the mail, I will start on the Ignite diet plan for the first time (I followed a different, but very similar diet plan to loose 50 lbs before being introduced to Xyngular products), and see if with a little help and determined mind set change, I can just be done and move forward from weight loss mode. Xyngular has given me more sustained energy levels, appitite control and mood enhancement. All in all, I feel great. These products have pushed me over a plateau period, where after loosing 50 lbs, with only a structured diet and exercise, I was stuck. With Xyngular I lost an additional 13 lbs in less than 2 months. The last 2 months or so, I have been stuck again, but I can see where my issues lie and and hoping with increased diet structure, Xyngular products and more exercise I can get over this last hill I am climbing. ( more like a mountian, it seems) I am hoping for a weight loss of 10 lbs by the end of June.....yup that's my goal.
My blood pressure is lower than it ever has been, my intestinal issues are clearing up and the last 2 months have been better than ever, I no longer get the 2 colds a winter I would get every year, in fact rarely get sick anymore, I have gone down approx. 5 pant sizes and am in size Med shirts ( I fit in my 14 yr old son's clothes, and he is on the small side) when I over do things or my body gets out of alignment, I get the source of the problem taken care of by chiropractic, and meds are not even an option for me anymore. I am very proud to say that I am on no prescription drugs and only supplemental chiropractic recommended all natural products for intestinal ( IBS) symptoms, a pancreatic enzyme (PAN) and a high fiber powdered mix with probiotics (FBR), which has seemed to work wonders, along with Xyngular to promote weight loss health. So that is my goal is to utilize these wonderful products to get me back on track, so that someday, a healthy lifestyle will have been learned, and that will be my only "drug". Xyngular is not a magic pill or even a drug for that matter. They have properities that allow your body to go into fat burning mode, give you increase energy, motivation, and appitite control but the sole purpse of Xyngular is a lifestyle change in eating habits.
If anyone wants to start trying Xyngular products, just let me know, there are many affordable options. In my case, things don't always seem affordable, life seems so expensive, but I decided to put my health on top and made it work. We all pay health insurance premiums and for alot of us that is a priority and it can get expensive, just so we can "afford being sick" and all the medical bills it covers just so doctors can use their power and make a diagnosis and "fix us" with drugs. They cover up symptoms, or help for awhile, until an unhealthy lifestyle makes you sick again and then the cycle starts over, back to the doctor for more meds and surgery, if the last drugs and surgery didn't work....... and on and on, plus all the side effects all those drugs have, can create a new health condition. Get your life on track with a true healthy lifestyle, and watch how drasticlly your health will change......no medical doctors needed. I look back at the path I was on, how I viewed healthcare, and am amazed at what loosing weight and utilizing chiropractic on a regular basis has done for my future health. Thank you Dr Chris and Xyngular for changing my life.

Not ready yet

  Our cat, Keaton, had been struggling.  It happened fast, too fast for me and now he is gone forever.
He was old I knew it would be coming, but not yet, I wasn't ready...I guess I would never be ready. He was my baby, he had a long life, most of it with our family.
 
 It started out as him loosing a little weight.  I figured that would happen as he get older.  He in fact he had just turned 18, according to my records.  I made his birthday January 1,  since I adopted him with an unknown birthdate at about age 2, I just thought it would be easy to remember. 
Within the last year I could tell he was slowing down, and loosing weight, but before then he didn't look a day older than when I first got him at age 2.

 At the beginning of the year, he started peeing next to the litter box not in it, sometimes he would go in and make it, sometimes not.  It was a hit or miss type of deal.  So I cleaned up messes off and on for awhile, until it seemed to be more misses than hits.  At least it was in the kitchen and he wasn't trying to go other places in the house., he really was trying to make it.    So I did some rearranging of litter boxes, and taking covers off, etc and adding another small litter box next to the bigger one in case he missed he might hit another one :)  Who knows what my thinking was.  It kinda worked for awhile.
 During the month of March he was also getting increasingly more weak....started out by still being able to jump on the counter where his food was, to bearly making it on the counter, to missing the counter and falling to the floor, to jumping on a bin to get halfway up and then jumping the rest of the way, to just not being able to make any sort of jump anymore and him realizing it, and waiting for me to lift him up to his food.  ( we couldn't keep cat food down on the floor because the dog would have it gone in a second).  For about a month or so, I was solely feeding him canned food, just to get him nutrition, as at one point, I finally realized how thin he was and he wasn't really eating his dry food good anymore. He still seemed REALLY hungry at all times, almost starving, he would want people food more often, and eat almost anything ( except his dry cat food).  I now know that was his body needing that extra protein,  he was no longer making red blood cells and his body was using up all his muscle protein to live...  kidney failure to be exact.  His eyes were sunken in from dehydration, even though he drank all the time or tried to anyway.  Towards the end he was just too weak to move more than once or twice a day.  The things that where always pink, like his nose, the inside of his eyes, his gums, etc were all white-- lack of making red blood cells.  

I finally made the decision and it was so hard.  That was the hardest part, making the decision to have him put down, and then waiting the 2 days to actually do it, thinking about it 24/7 and watching him struggle, hoping this wasn't real.


                                                             Keaton's last days---- "sick"

He wasn't doing well the last few days, I was bringing the food and water to him.  He ate and drank well that last day and the morning of.  The day before he did get up maybe once or twice and he seemed so disoritented and weak.  I knew it was time, but the next morning he ate and drank good when I brought it to him and was purring. It was so hard.

He was my baby, the best cat ever.

Came when I called him, every time.  He liked to sit on laps and just be petted. He loved it outside, even though he was an inside cat, during the spring and summer months, he loved to sneek out and explore for like an hour or so.  He never went far, just around the yard and maybe into the neighbors yard a little, but he always came back after a short time, and waited by our patio door. 

Keaton came into my life as a stray.  He was at the Ramsey Cty Humane Society  in St Paul.  Several animals from there came to my school for learning purposes.  I was attending the Medical Insitute of MN, in Bloomington to become a Veterinary Technician. I was in my last semester and we had actual animals to care for during the entire semester.  I was assigned a cat.  I was so hoping for a dog.  When I saw the cat I was assigned I instantly fell in love, this one was my responsibility.  I named him,  assisted with his neuter/declaw surgery, got him up to date on vaccinations, was able to practice drawing blood for tests, made sure his ears were clean, and gave him a complete physical.  I fed him and cleaned his litter box daily.  When it was time for him to go back to the humane society, I knew I had to go adopt him, I was way too attached, in fact many of the students ended up adopting their animal ....but I lived in an apartment that didn't allow pets.  That is kinda funny, cuz I had already inherited a large lop eared rabbit from a school friend, named Reggie, and I had him living in the apartment with me.   I knew I was going to move after school was done which was after a few months internship.  So I had my boyfriend at the time ( yes Steve) adopt "Keaton" for me.  Steve lived on a hobby farm in Waverly at the time, and so it worked perfect, it was a lie though, and Keaton came to live with me in the apartment.  It worked out fine until I had to move, and the silly rabbit did all the damage to the wall paper-- he liked to chew it off.  There was some white textured wall paper on one wall, and I let my rabbit out and about alot, so he would sit behind the couch and knaw on wall paper.  So I did have a hefty damage deposit to pay at the end.  Lesson learned rabbits are not good apartment pets and sneaking them in there when not allowed wasn't the best idea.

  Keaton was 2 years old back then, and he moved with me as I moved and we added a few pets along the way that he had to adjust to.  I then went to New Hope, MN to an apartment that ALLOWED cats/ and a rabbit, and we gained 2 kittens (Dusty and Wylie).  Keaton hated them at first, but grew close to them after awhile.  It sure was a full apartment.  Then we moved into Steve's parents basement in Howard Lake after we got married, brought the 3 cats, but decided to bring Reggie the rabbit to the humane society.  Then we moved to the duplex in Delano, and finally out to Dassel where he stayed the rest of his days.   He had to lastly adjust to the 2 new kittens we got 2 summers ago, that were strays that ended up in our garage.....and we of kept them.   Keaton wanted nothing to do with those things either, but it wasn't long and everyone was getting along,

Keaton spent his last weeks on a rocking chair in our family room, it was usually dark in that room, and more quiet.  It wasn't like him to be in there, he loved it in the sun on the top of the couch by the window.  We held him, and took pictures, and finally the time came to take him in.
Hannah came with me, it was during spring break. Bailey had his cousin over that day so he decided to stay home. We said our goodbyes and off we went. Hannah held Keaton on her lap in a blanket, we decided to stay for it all, and it was kinda unexpected for Hannah as I told her we probably wouldn't stay. We were both balling our eyes out, it was quick and painless for Keaton, and he was calm by having us there, I think. I will never forget that moment.....when he was gone. I wasn't ready yet, but he was gone forever. I wll never forget my blue eyed handsome fella. Best cat ever!!

                                                                       "Keaton"---  healthy