No place like home

I took a quick trip to visit home over Labor Day weekend.... It surely was a busy vacation, so can you really call it a vacation? Probably huh? It was great. I did tons!

Scorpions - So, yeah, the last time I went to AZ I had the encounter with the scary scorpions. I was well aware and still slightly afraid to sleep, but I was successful and didn't get stung. Thursday night, when I got in, Eric picked me up and drove me to Dad's house. We ate dinner at like 10 pm and then I decided I wanted him to show me how to scorpion hunt. I would be sleeping with a black light and needed to know what to look for if I saw one. Well, probably not the smartest idea I've had... I did see them... but after I saw about 5 crawl out of the back wall of the backyard, I was feeling all creepy crawly and knew I would have nightmares. Amanda (we'll get to her) and I watched from afar as Eric spraid and killed them. The last straw was when #4 scorpion fell from above and probably could have landed on me - I was definitely done after that... hahah. Eww. Sleeping that night was rough to say the least. I woke up every hour and re-checked everything with the black light. Here's what one looks like with the black light on it. It's neon like the color white is in disco lighting etc...

Wakeboarding - I went wakeboarding with Lexie on Friday!! (YES, she happened to be visiting AZ too that week with her family!!). I learned how to almost jump the wake. I totally got a lot better though and had a blast. Boating in AZ was a lot warmer, and more enjoyable for some points. I wish I could do that more!!! We went to the Saguaro lake around 8 am and stayed till about 2. They let me wakeboard a couple times, and after watching all the pros - I figured out how to glide outside the wake and cut back and stuff. Lexie and Rob and his brothers and sisters went as well and they were just awesome. I loved seeing Lexie for the few hours that we could chat. And I think they all had a blast taking a few hours out of the kid life to play as adults. :) (the middle pic is Lexie, yeah I wish I was that good!!)

Lunch - Friday I went to lunch with Dad and Diane. I was able to spend some one on one with both of them a few times over the weekend seeing that I slept at their house, ate with them, taxied around with them, etc etc. I love my parents. It's so nice we can chat and laugh and just have fun together. The funniest part of the lunch, to journal, was when Diane was on the phone with Briand explaining that Max (we'll get to him soon!!!) will adjust to taking a bath soon enough. Her exact phrase was, well, new born babies aren't too comfortable being naked and all exposed. It was hilarious to me because right then I thought - and us as adults like our naked bodies all exposed??? Yeah right!! Hahah, it was just, well, you had to be there....

Mom's b-day Celebration - So I wanted to celebrate Mom's b-day since it would be on 9/11 and I was just missing it by one week. Eric and his girlfriend Amanda came with Mom and I to Teriyaki Kitchen for dinner and then bowling afterwards. It was a lot of fun. I was pretty exhausted, more than that, from boating, so I was pretty impatient but also feeling kind of silly and mom can always be like that, so we all had fun. Amanda fit right in - I love how she can laugh and have fun with us too. And I knew that I had to take advantage of Eric wanting to come - usually if he's dating someone, he's more likely to be outgoing and want to do stuff with his family, so hence, I put it together. I hope mom had a good time :) Eric won the bowling tournament. But we all did pretty good - well, they all did...hahah...

Saturday shopping - Mom and I took a quick trip to Chandler to get some stuff. I realized after about an hour that my body was even more sore, so clothes shopping was out. Sad! Instead I finally got my 24 HR fitness pass from Costco. I've been trying to get it in UT for like 3 weeks, and who knew that all I needed to do was go all the way to AZ to be able to get into Costco and them have the passes and everything... (that's another story I won't go into...)... Shopping just hasn't been my expertise this past month. Oh well...

Maximus Oviatt - So, finally, the reason I came to AZ in the first place was because Briand had her little baby boy!!! Max. He's the cutest thing ever. And I'm not biased at all. Okay, maybe a little. He is my nephew. The first! And so adorable. I'm not the baby expert, but I sure love being around them. He seems to have such a strong neck already and it was only his 4th day here! He has big blue eyes and was awake a lot. I thought babies just slept all the time when they first get here... Anyway, I spent all Saturday afternoon and evening at Briand's house. Dad and Justin left to head to the ASU game... so it was just us girls. I'm so glad I was able to spend a few hours there and get to see the after birth adjustment a bit more. Briand is such a good mom already. Her and Justin were pretty wiped out, so Diane and I tried to just hold and play with Max for the 2 hours he wasn't eating...and they would crash and sleep. Eventually Diane had to run some errands and was pretty tuckered out herself, so I got Max for several hours. And since it's my sisters baby, I felt okay if he would cry and I would still just hold him and try to calm him down. And I actually did!! Awe. Anyway, I could go on and on, but instead I'll post some pictures. Also, a funny story is that earlier yesterday at lunch I knew I'd be eating my words, but I said anyway, that I'm not ready for kids and they are just hard and stuff. But here I was holding Max and I want one!! Yep. Someday though, I'm not ready yet, but I will just have to surround myself with more newborns. I'm sad I won't get to see Max grow except only from afar.

Sunday - I wasn't feeling 100%, so I just went to Sacrament Meeting and then spent some time at mom's. I'm always at home at my house I grew up at.... Then Dad and Diane headed back out to Briand's and I was definitely there!! So, I got a few more hours with Max before I would be heading back to UT. It was so sweet to see my Dad hold him and put him to sleep and then both of them just sitting and rocking and sleeping in the chair. Awe.

Monday - I headed home and was pretty glad to just have a few more hours to take a break from my vacation and spend time with my favorite person David.

I loved visiting home and family. What a great vacation. Thanks everyone for making it such a great trip. I LOVE YOU!!

Almost Embarrassing

Ahhh... So, I appologize for the overshare again, but this was too funny...

You know what I mean when I say, I hate being a girl sometimes? Yeah, so it's that time when Aunt Flow comes. Yippie! Right? No way jose.

Today I visited the bathroom and while in there I realized that I got a little somethin somethin on the very top of the back of my pants. I'll save you from the details. Anyway - I have a white undershirt on and didn't want to mess that up, so I tried to just dab at the pants while still in the stall... Not working too well. Ladies were coming in and out and here I am taking up one of the 3 stalls for - way - too - long. Maybe somehow I can beam myself home for a minute to change? Or Maybe I can tell my boss and she'll say it's okay to go home?? Or I can just cover it up with my shirt - but probably ruin both pants and shirt by not getting them clean?

Finally - BRIGHT IDEA! Okay, I'll pull my shirt down far in the back, quickly wash hands and exit the bathroom. THEN - I'll run into the private bathroom/shower area. And I can take off my pants and wash them easier that way. So, I proceeded successfully. (Usually when I get any crap on my clothes I take it off, take it to the sink, wet that area slightly and scrub, and that usually does the trick). So, I took off my pants, got the area that I needed and basically tossed the whole pants in front of the sink. BUT - I forgot that this is an automatic sink. CRAP! Now all of my butt, front, crotch, and upper thigh areas are totally wet! And how am I supposed to get them dry?? Okay... so I scrub out the problem area - good to go. Next problem - I'm standing in the bathroom, my pants are wet and when worn it looks like I totally had an accident...and some! Oh dang. I can't sit in here for 30 min waiting for this to dry. People will want this room after lunch so that they can shower after their lunch run/exercise...(yeah, if only we were all guys and could just shower at work and be good to go in 10 min)... Can I cover it with my shirt?? NO!! Wait! - What is that?? NOW I am noticing another spot that needs cleaning on my pants near the knee. How the heck did that get there?? Yeah, stupid periods! So, I again take off the pants - but am smarter and grab paper towels, wet them, and dab the area clean. Okay - that spot is pretty bad too, but maybe I've taken enough time that the upper area is drying?? Not really yet. I put them back on again and check what I look like in the small mirror above the sink. Still pretty bad! Wait!!! - What is that now?? Oh yes - there's another crappin spot on the other pant leg - same area. Can I really do any worse at this moment? So, again like for the 4th time - I'm without pants in the bathroom and dabbing the area till it's clean. And by this time I notice that the upper pants are looking a lot dryer! Sweet! Actually it's a good idea that I did notice the other 2 spots before exiting the bathroom - that would have been embarrassing too! And the pants had dried a bit more from the time I was taking. Sweet!

Anyone ever seen HITCH? Yeah, I'm Albert Brennaman in the bathroom before he goes into the legal advisement meeting to meet his true love Allegra Cole. I think he had gotten something on his pants and was in the stall cleaning them. And blow-drying them. (At this point I'm wishing we had blow-dryers here in the bathrooms! Funny thing though - just last week our admin came and asked what we thought of that idea as a cost saving idea. But both of us here didn't like that idea - heck, we all like to dry with clean paper towels rather than have the germs in the bathroom just get blown around on our hands. Well...my mistake!) Well, at least I'm not totally Albert because I'm smart enough to put on my pants and then once I didn't hear anyone in the hall - I made a dash down the hallways and to my desk. I made it!!

So, actually... embarrassing moment evaded!

Behind

No, this is not about my behind or someone else's behind.... haha. I just have to say:

I'M BEHIND!!!

Yeah, I've got to post about NYC, but my life has been on overdrive this and last week and I just can't do it yet! But, it will be good, promise. Lexie's blog has it all already basically - the link that says Hogge on the right will take you to it. I don't even need to blog it... I have a few other things to write about too, and since they don't require pictures, they might get posted before the NYC trip does. But that doesn't mean it's more important at all.

My Uncle Richard has been in the hospital this week and we've had a few scares, but he's stable right now. I've spent the last week on and off in the Murray Hospital. If we weren't in there for a bad reason, I'd actually like the place because I get to spend all this time with my cousins and we go "out to eat" at the hospital cafeteria which is like our second home now. It's actually quite fun to hang out when we are on little sleep and very silly. If you're a praying people, please keep him in your prayers for us!

I've also been stressed about life and boys and everything and so I think I'm creating an ulcer for myself. Ahhh! That hopefully too shall pass soon. Or at least I've got to find a way to not feel so sick to my stomach and deal with stress and emotional things a bit better.

An apple a day...

This is probably an overshare on blog. Oh well.
I have stomach problems.
And I've had stomach problems since 2002. If you eat with me, you may be aware of my sensitivity. Sometimes I can go for weeks/months without even remembering I have issues. Other times it's like everytime I eat. In high school the only problem I had to deal with was stomach cramps after I downed a huge 44 oz Cherry Limade from Sonic. (ahh...I remember those days... I love that drink!!) - and I would still drink it even though I knew the after effects. Although, I haven't had that drink for years now. Then around college I'd just get stomach cramps if I went out to eat. Like Cafe Rio or anywhere basically. Then the stomach issues hit HARD on the mission. Dang those darn member dinners!! Who knew that sister missionaries sometimes dreaded the famous member dinners?? Well, actually MOST of us did. I could go on and on about that... But maybe this will sufice (Nope - I did go on and on below! Sorry...) - Since a lot of Elders can eat like there's no tomorrow, members got the impression that missionaries needed the "Thanksgiving dinner" every dinner appt!! Just recall how you feel after you gorge out on so much food and then try to eat dessert too. And try to fit that all into 45 min - inbetween running from appt to appt. And I was stuck sitting in a car all day - no exercise! And if you already have stomach issues - these dinners really didn't help. I'd have wanted a salad or fruit, veggies, and perishables that we didn't have time to buy or cook. But I absolutely HATED desserts and usually avoided them at all costs. I could sometimes get away with not eating them at members if I told them I couldn't eat sugar or something random. That would help. And I'd see the Mission doctor who'd give us Prilosec or something. But usually we'd be fed TONS of food and sometimes (especially the Latinos) would fill our plates for us and give us 2nds, etc. And pile on the dessert which we'd stuff in our face so as we wouldn't offend. And then - the rest of the night - I'd DIE. Really - stomach cramps, bloating, throw up, you know the rest.... Anyway, coming back from the mission I learned how to really control these episodes a lot. (Granted, I was pretty strange when I came back - I promised to never feed my kids desserts, the microwave was an enemy, I only ate fresh produce if I could, I had veggie shakes and stuff...) But sometimes I still have stomach issues. And I don't know what's causing it.
Once I told a doctor - but he said I'd have to have blood work done and tests and tests and it probably wouldn't help - and that I just needed to recognize what my stomach didn't like and to avoid those foods. Yeah, great advice. Plus - blood work? No thank you! Well, today I have a new food to avoid...
APPLES
Isn't the saying - an apple a day will keep the doctor away? Well, that's funny. And actually I do usually eat an apple everyday - for lunch at work. But today, was not the day for apples I guess. Strange that most days I'm fine, but every once in awhile - I die. And maybe it was because I had hot chocolate before the apple... Sometimes I think it's when I mix food or have too much sugar or fatty acidic food. My theories change a lot, but here's the most promising diagnoses that I have given myself mostly:
- Fatty acid/sugar break down problem
- Colitis
- Food intolerance (not allergy) - to dairy or gluten or food additives/preservatives
- Irritable bowl syndrome
- Acid reflux
- Stress - i think this makes it better or worse depending on how stressed I am...
That's basically the list. And I don't know if I'll ever take my mom's advice and really get this checked out. Until it gets BAD, I think I'll just deal. And probably continue to eat apples since they are supposed to keep me away from my doctor. And that was probably a weird fluke occurance...or probably really the fatty greasy cookies I had yesterday that also gave my stomach some trouble. Yeah, that's probably it. Didn't you all want to hear about my random stomach problems??? No?? Sorry! Next post - will be better - promise!

Doctor Doctor

I have a confession. I'm not a true lady. Or, at least, I don't sit very lady like. Especially at work. Usually you can find me with one foot propped under my bum. The left foot. I used to do this when I was younger so that I felt taller. At concerts, the dinner table, the couch, you name it... I did it. And I still do. Now, it's just such a habit and sooo comfortable. Who can sit at a desk for 8 hours a day with such classy posture? I totally need to - but somehow, I can't. Or I'll cross my legs - which is also very bad for you. At one of my previous call center jobs there was an older lady who would always tell me - don't sit like that! You'll hate yourself later when you're all full of pains and arthritis.

Is it later yet? I'm starting to think so. About 2 months ago I bent down in squatting position to pick up my cousin's new baby off the floor. Well, while squatting, a sharp pain came from the behind the knee, just below. I'm thinking it's the gastrocnemius muscles - from all my research on-line today. Yeah, at the time, Steph laughed at me for somehow pulling my calf while just squatting down. I'm just so fragile, huh....tear. :) Anyway - since that happened - basically EVERY TIME I go to squat, that spot shoots pain again. I don't know if I'm tearing something, pulling something, or anything. It's been 2 months now and it still hurts when I do this. I've asked a few of my soon to be medical friends - and since they are "soon to be" - I'm not sure they really know (sorry guys - i still asked you right?). Anyway - they say to rub it, massage it, ice it, stretch it, stay off of it, etc. Maybe I need to go to the doctor?? Doctor Doctor.... help!! Okay, so it's not that bad. It only hurts usually when I do the squat thing - so I can survive right? But that 10 second pain is pretty bad when it happens. And now it makes me wonder - what really caused that pain?

1 - Squatting to pick up the cutest little baby (Isn't Jillie just so cute!)

2 - Maybe sitting on my foot has created this spasm, arthritis, or something

3 - Maybe I walk weird and it's finally affecting other body parts

4 - My shoes - heck, stupid high heels

5 - Running - see, I also started this at about the same time too...

Man...I have no idea. And I have no idea what doctor to go to - or do physicians look at these things? Would it be better to go to a physical therapist? My knee isn't swollen, you can't see any lumps, or bruises from blood clots or anything like what I'm researching on-line. I've tried to see if I at least could figure out what the problem was, but if my medical friends can't - I sure as heck probably can't. But - it's buggin!! I think I've come to realize that I'm not as young as I used to be. I wish I was 17 again. (Okay, I just saw that movie yesterday and I loved it! I guess I love cheese and family friendly funny stuff... it was hilarious, for what I expected - Go see 17 Again!!)

Oh to be young again.

Bed Bugs

So, yes, if you're from the East, you know that there really are things called BED BUGS. Yup. I lived with a few but never was infested with them all over myself, other sisters were less fortunate. But, here in the West, it's usually a fun phrase your older siblings used to tell you to freak you out or something. "Don't let those bed bugs bite!!" mwhahaha

As a child I used to make my dad check my sheets every night before he tucked me in. I mean, come on, I hate...abhor bugs. I've successfully avoided the huge bugs and any biting during my life so far. Until now. Yup. So, here's the wonderful story. I even thought of my blog and took a picture for your all's sake :) (the picture below isn't the pictures I'm talking about...you'll see eventually)

So, as mentioned previously - I had to take 2 days of PTO - Guess where I went?? Yeah, the picture gives it away...I decided to spend it in the nice warm weather with my family. Arizona baby!! Funny because sometimes it's so stressful, but I had everything planned pretty well and time to see everyone and do all I wanted. Maybe I can tell more about the trip later... But Saturday night I woke up at 3:50 am and a spot on my bicep was hurting. I wondered if I had slept on it wrong, or something, but since it was stinging more and more, I decided to sit up, turn the light on, and take a closer look. So I sat up, trying to wake myself up still and try to figure out what the crap...when then the same paining feeling occurred sharply on my left bottom cheek butt. (sorry, but had to get technical). So, I jumped out of the bed and thought for sure, something BIT me. YES! I was shaking my body in the bathroom and ripping off my clothes etc. I thought it must be in my underwear, but nothing. I stood around the bed trying to figure out what it was... but my "wounds" were really starting to hurt. Give up Andrea! So, I ran and grabbed my dad - after I startled him, he was on the chase with me. He grabbed a flashlight and we proceeded for the next 45 minutes searching my room.

I was VERY DRAMATIC, I have to say. Not funny at the time, but my arm was really killing me bad. From my fingers till my shoulder there were shooting pains, etc. Dad saw the welt mark on my arm, but after 10 minutes, it went away and there was nothing, except inside. I totally knew what it was though. Totally. Dad hadn't given up, but I never even really looked too much for the little bugger. I was just running back and forth telling dad various things:

"My arm hurts. So bad! It hurts! Really Dad, it's bad. My arm is going to fall off. I've been poisoned! Help! I just want to sleep!! But it hurts. And I'm not getting in that bed!" And on and on and on... Dad was patient and kept checking my arm (but not my bottom luckily...haha). That bite didn't hurt that bad. It was just numb. My arm was getting the tingling sensation and I started holding it outward and I would take my right hand and squeeze the top of my arm/shoulder so that the pain/poison couldn't get to the rest of my body. Yes, Dramatic, I know.

Then after almost giving up Dad moved a pillow that we had tossed to the ground and I see a little orange funkie thing. The carpet is multi-colored so we hadn't looked too well on it... But, there it was.... - - - - a scorpion!!! - - - Yes, and not that we know 100% it bit me since it was on the ground, but I'm pretty sure. Oh man. I freaked EVEN MORE. And let me tell you, YES, my lovely warm Arizona has plenty of scorpions. And then moving out to the boonies, Dad's house has had a few visitors (bugs). And as a child I've seen tons, but NEVER ever ever have any of us been BITTEN. Especially in the night, in a newly made and cleaned room. But it was the visitors room and no one is there usually. And I now I hear that scorpions like the cool sheets and a warm body. Heck, he was probably just trying to get his zzz's on. But, no, he totally BIT me. RUDE!!
Anyway, back to the story! Dad decided that since I was still hurting and it had been over an hour, and since we'd never experienced scorpion bites... we better head to urgent care. Yep. I mean, depending on the scorpion, some are fatal, usually the small ones, and this one was about 1-2 inches including tail. Dad killed it and put it in a bag. We drove to urgent care, but they weren't open. Gosh - that's another thing - why is it called Urgent Care if they're not open during the night?? Great. So, next up... the ER. Yup. That's right. Hadn't been there in years! And my arm was still really hurting. I didn't want anything touching it, I didn't move it, but just kept it braced out to the side of my body. It was getting stiff and asleep and tingly, but better than the pain that shoots up and down.

2 hours at the ER. And let me tell you - the ER isn't really quick! Gosh, here I was, just with my little wound, and they were attending to me ONLY. A few others came in, and they just told them to wait. One old lady in a wheelchair... I wonder, what if she was having a hard time breathing or something, would they continue to tell her to get in line?? The things I'm learning while I should be asleep! First, urgent care really isn't open when it's urgent... and then 2, the ER really is on slow motion and they just help whoever is in line. And it still took me 2 hours there!! I got admitted, had to put on the gown, and sit there. I just wanted to sleep. Yes...this is my vacation, gosh!! Stupid scorpion! :) Then... the doctor finally comes in, and rather than examining my arm or bum (thank you again!) he examines the scorpion. So, he gave us a 10 minute lesson on them... I tuned out... but the answer was that he's not a fatal scorpion biter "most likely". And with my symptoms as I described, it probably wasn't fatal. And the hospital doesn't really have medicine that can help me. Great! And then also, my wounds will probably hurt and be tingly for about 2 days. And maybe I'll be able to feel the soreness for 5-10 years if I'm not lucky. Great again. Oh man. So, we drove home after I paid the $100 co-pay - yay again right?? We tried to sleep for the hour that was left, but you can bet I didn't snooze too much till I took some Tylenol to basically knock me out. I kept checking for bugs. And the next night I did too.To top it all off, Dad had to give 2 lessons in church the next day, and I went with him. Yes, I'm hard core I guess. So, I was the "wounded one" at church and he told our story, so at least if I'm gonna pay $100, I might as well get a story for it and a bit of attention right? My thoughts exactly! By 6pm Sunday we all were dead and just got home and tried to keep our eyes open. Poor Diane had surgery last week and also was interrupted in her sleep and knowing how not well she sleeps, she also had only a few hours rest like dad and I. I'm glad for my Dad!! Thanks for staying up all night with me and enduring my Drama. hahah. I also saw mom on Sunday and she said I was acting totally "weird" - I wouldn't let her touch me, and was just sighing all the time, yeah, tuckered out I'm sure.

Other scary highlights of the visit - both ways, my plane ride was bad. Either 50 mph winds that almost sent us crashing into AZ, or delayed 2 hours getting back to UT. On my way back to Utah I told my flight row neighbors that they might not want to sit or fly with me because I haven't been very lucky lately. HHAHA, yeah, totally not lucky this vacation!!

But on a good note, I saw my family, had dinners, watched movies, made a movie with Eric, shopped, and did all I wanted...plus crammed in the other little bugger incident. And the other good note - my arm is fine!!! It didn't fall off, it doesn't hurt, and now I have a good story to tell. Hope you all enjoyed it! I told Dad & Diane that for next time they'll have to keep their pets in line a bit more and keep them outside, ok? Good night to all and really, watch out, don't let those bed bugs bite!