Back From Vacation

We came back from vacation on Thursday. We had so much fun during that week. There was a lot of swimming in the river for the kids and we played games together. My dad and I got a lot of fly fishing done. For the first time ever when on vacation, I caught the first fish on the trip. We didnt catch many trout, 3 nice size ones and a couple minnows lol.

I had a great birthday. My mom and dad gave me one of dad's plaques that I love that has John 3:16 scrolled inside of it. My mom got me $25 worth of flies for fishing and they got me a nice triple chocolate cake for my birthday. Also on the day of my birthday, my dad and I spent several hours in Smoky Mountain Park fly fishing and checking out fishing holes. We did quite a bit of climbing and lots of fishing. It was so much fun. We didnt catch anything that day but we got to spend a lot of time together and that was the best part.

My husband surprized me with a birthday present too. He is sometimes not real good about stuff like that. He gave me a Tennesse Vols Shirt and a Jersey plus two journals and he even signed the birthday card this year. lol

I have discovered how much my kids are growing up. While camping. we needed some stuff from Walmart so we all went there. Kaitlyn and my mom were walking around the store together when Kait had a young guy walk up to her and say " Hey Baby ".
Then we went to a store that was selling handmade fudge. Tyler was getting flirted with by the girl behind the counter. She kept working on getting his attention and giving me free fudge.
Lastly, in the camp ground, the day before we left, a camper pulled in a couple of spaces over from us and there were two young girls. The youngest, I say is around Tyler's age, blond hair and cute, kept walking by the camp site we were in and checking out Tyler. Tyler was impressed with her too and got the courage up to talk to her. ( Only saying Hi and then another time asking her if she was having fun.)

It was a great time together and we didnt get a lot of rain when we were there however the night before we were leaving, it stormed a lot for a couple of hours in the veru early moring hours.

Dad and I had a very close call with a skunk and I still dont know how we didnt get sprayed. I guess our angels had a little something to do with that.
It was after midnight and dad went to the back of the camper to empty some tanks. I walked around to the back and was talking to him. I caught the glimpse of something beside us between the back tires on the camper. I looked under the camper and there was a skunk. It took off running and dad and I were laughing and thanking God for not getting skunked lol.

Anyway it was a great vacation and as with any great vacation, it goes by faster than it should and ends before you know it. We always have next year.

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day



I want to send out a very special " Happy Father's Day" to my dad who is my fishing buddy and my friend.
You are the best dad and you are number one.



Oceans of my love,
Kelly

Reflecting On The Past Week

We just got back last night from a week in Calhoun wiht my husband's cousin. It was really nice and we had a lot of fun. The kids and I were in the pool almost every single day. We all got great tans though mine seems to be more or less an explosion of freckles on my face. We swam morning, noon, and night.
It is beautiful floating in the pool at night and staring at all the stars in the sky. It is so relaxing.

That is the good part although I think all that floating caused a nasty case of swimmers ear. I have never had swimmers ear before and I can tell you it sucks. My left ear feels clogged and I cant hear out of it real well and I have nasty jaw pain on the left side which makes it very difficult to chew.

If you don't know what swimmers ear is, it is an infection in the middle part of the ear. It is caused when water gets trapped in the ear and then bacteria grows causing an infection. The bacteria grows because the water trapped in your ear keeps your ear moist and the heat from your body becomes a bacteria sauna and helps it to grow.
It is very painful and I know I have been eating motrin like candy to bring the swelling down.

I looked up remedies on the computer but have to wait for the hubby to get home before I can go get the stuff to fix it. Apparently, alcohol and white vinegar is a great cure for swimmers ear. The alcohol dries up any water in the ear and the white vinegar kills bacteria. I will see later. ( Might have to go to the doctor anyway because my daughter is now complaining of left ear pain and it starting in the right)

As most know, a couple of weeks ago, the kids and I went to Florida to see my grandparents and while we were there to help them out a bit because one of them was in the hospital. During my time there, there was so much going on that I had quit smoking. Yes, really.
Now I have intentionally tried to quit a couple of times but always failed. This time however, I have maintained being able to quit. I dont have the urge to smoke and I have found that I dont miss it.
I have smoked for ten years and always enjoyed my cigs but now it just doesnt bother me. When you are a smoker, you dont notice the smell of the cigs in your house and on your clothes. Its weird because now I can really smell it.
It is crazy how not smoking changes simple things too. After I had quit, I was brushing my teeth one night and I noticed that my toothbrush tasted nasty. I ended up having to buy a new toothbrush because I realized the nasty taste was from me brushing my teeth while I was a smoker.
I also used to wake up every morning with a nasty cough and what I jokingly referred to as morning stuff. The first week after I quit, I still coughed up some stuff but now I am going on the third week and I dont cough anymore in the mornings.
I am not knocking anyone who smokes or anything because my hubby smokes and he is happy with that. I am just saying that since I have quit, I noticed some major differences.

We are a couple of weeks away from the big camping trip and I cant wait. I look forward to getting to spend some time with the folks and enjoy a relaxing week with dad's most excellent grilling and lots of fishing. The count down is on.

God Bless You Papa

Memorial Weekend and Papa's Resting Day

Today, my Papa, Joseph Kalish, was laid to rest in Ohio. He was such an amazing man who knew no strangers. He was inquisituve and loved to learn about so many things. He loved all his grandchildren so very much and always took time with them to teach them and share things with them. He has been and forever will be missed. I love you Papa and may you rest in peace and know that you are loved and missed by so many.

To all the famlies of soilders who have passed in recent and past wars. We love you and respect what these soilders did for all of us.


To my Nana and my dad and his family. I wish that I could have been there for you this weekend. I feel as though I have let you down and that I should have been there for all of you. I love all of you so very much and though I couldnt be there physically, my heart is with you.

Breast Health Update:

Yesterday, I had to be at the Breast Center at 8am. They took me back to ultrasound at 8:30. I met a radiologist who was going to put the wire in my right breast. The whole procedure was a bit uncomfortable. The radiologist used the ultrasound to pinpoint the tumor. Then she injected lidacaine into the breast. She inserted a needle that went to the tumor. She then injected a dye into the needle which burned and then fed the wire into the tumor. About five inches of wire hung out and was taped down.
Then I was sent to get another mammogram done. I will be quite honest in saying that the mammogram sucked. It didnt seem right to have to flatten the breast with a wire inserted and sticking out. I guess the lady doing the mammogram must have seen my face turn white or something after she was done with the last film because she rushed me to a seat saying she was afraid I was going to pass out.
I was then sent to day surgery and then went to surgery at 10:40am. After the surgery, I had to stay in day surgery for another hour and then got to go home. Everything was taken care of before the kids came home from school which was great.
Today, I get to remove the outer dressing and take a shower. I have to wear a sports bra for extra support. There arent any stitches but surgical steri type strips over the area. Pain wise, I feel like I have been punched in the right breast multiple times. It is a little painful but not unbearable. I can use an icepack to eleviate the pain and I have some good pain meds which I havent taken yet today but probably will after my shower. I am supposed to rest this weekend and not do any lifting, tugging, or pulling.

I have to make an appointmet for next Thursday or Friday to get the results of the biopsy. I will update that in my blog once I get the results.