sweet home

Dads playing frisbee.

 We had a stake campout on Friday night.  It was so fun to be camping with so many of our friends.  The kids and Lewis slept in a tent and the babe and I slept in a cabin with 2 other friends and babies plus one young woman.  We had a great time and came back exhausted. A sign of a great trip.

Horseshoes. Go dad!

A in line for the ropes course and zipline.  She was amazing.

Cate being Cate.  How else can I describe this?

A climbing

She made it to the top!

Crossed the log like a pro

On to the planks.

Ready for the zipline. Pretty high, huh!?!?!

Weeeeeee!

Cate and Trent

More zipline. Hey, these are out of order.

I love this one of Lewis helping A unclip.

Kate and Cate.  Double trouble.  DO NOT EVER leave these 2 alone together.

Canoeing.  I think they actually liked it.

I love the kids' faces in the background.

 Last Saturday I woke up and my eyes were starting to swell up (they didn't itch or hurt). I have had these issues with my skin off and on for about 3 years.  While I was pregnant with Abs my skin was great and I thought maybe it was all over but it has been getting worse and worse.  About 2 months ago I had this outbreak where my eyes swelled up then got red then got crusty and sore.  It lasted about a week and then I was normal for a week and then it started again. This last one was my 4th round.  The first time it happened we asked a soccer dad who is an occuloplastic surgeon what he thought it was.  He called it blepharochalasis which means the swelling will continue to happen and stretch my eyelids to a point where I will have to have surgery to cut out the extra skin.  These 4 outbreaks have caused significant damage to the skin around my eyes.  They are wrinkled and stretched so much.  Anyway, I just thought this was something I was going to have to live with but several of our doctor friends (especially the dermatologist) convinced me that I needed to get in right away and see a doctor.  So I called and made an appointment with my doctor, the first one they had open was on June 29.  The next day my eyes were worse and I wasn't sure I was going to be able to open them (this was Wednesday morning).  So I called and asked if there was anyone else who could see me earlier and they told me someone had cancelled for that day at 4:15.  I said I would take it and got Sam to come over and watch the kids and drive them to soccer and tball (which both ended up being cancelled due to rain). 
Let's just say I'm glad I went in.  You know it's bad when they are bringing everyone in to see you.  I didn't realize how bad it was I guess but I'm glad they want to help me.  I had Abs with me and luckily Lewis got my message that I was heading in and was able to come grab her after he got out of the OR at about 4:30.  The doctor decided to put me on a large dose of steroids right away and an antibiotic just in case they were infected.  They are going to have me come in and sit in a room with special lights aimed at my eyes three times a week which is a huge pain but at this point I will do just about anything to not look like Quasimoto anymore.  I don't think of myself as beautiful or consider myself to be vain, but it is tough walking around looking deformed like that.  Very humbling and it made me realize that people don't mind telling you that you look terrible or offering advice even though they have no idea what is going on with you.  Anyway, here are some pictures of the progression.  Today I have been on the steroids for 2 days (it is a 20 day course) and have had to wean Abs overnight.  It has been sad and hard for both of us but there weren't really any other options.  My face is almost 100% back to normal, just redness on my cheeks that looks like rosacea or a sunburn or too much blush.  And because of all the crusting it is softer than it has been in years!
Enjoy! :)

Day 2

Day 3

Day 3

Day 4

Day 4

Day 4

Day 4

Day4 evening

Day4 evening

Day5

Day5

Day 5

Day 6

Day 6