Sunset at the beach

I love the beach.

We don't have those sun bathing beaches here.

That's perfectly fine with me.

When we go to the beach we have to bundle up, even in September.

That was when we took our last trip to the coast and I took these shots.

I'm ready to go back.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is near and dear to me.

Six years ago on Thanksgiving eve I was very pregnant.

I sat on our living room couch and complained to husband about how busy work had been that day. I was exhausted and didn't want to think about the next day.

We had promised more than one family that we would make an appearance the next day.

Husband joked and said "Could you just go into labor so we don't have to go anywhere?"

At 10pm contractions started coming hard and at 8:28am on Thanksgiving morning my little turkey made his entrance. My sister in law brought us up plates of food so we didn't have to eat the crappy hospital dinner.

I've never been so thankful than the Thanksgiving day my son was born.

So even though his birthday is Friday, tomorrow I'll tell him happy birthday and how thankful I am that he is here.

So did you get what you were looking for?

I love Google Analytics, the last position I had with my company was very analytical. I totally love me some good stats. Yea, I'm a complete dork.
But what I love the most about Google analytics is that I get to see how people end up on my blog. Usually it's a lot of poor saps looking for something that has to do with Autumn the Season and not Autumn the person. But recently someone ended up here by searching for "Autumn is a pain in the ass" Yes I understand that I am sometimes, but why exactly do you need to google that? I'm sure that search ended up on my pain in the ass post, click it .. you know you want to read all about the time I got horned in the ass by a goat.
There are multiple searches for someone that I went to high school with. Someone I did not know very well and who's name I will not mention in this post. The only reason they end up here is the fact that my dear friend Corey left me a comment telling me how that person has a blog too. Thanks Corey, whoever ended up here spent a good five minutes perusing my pages. Hopefully they found your comment and so it all made sense to them then.
Actually I thought about deleting it but I need all the hits I can get... it boosts my self esteem.
Other than those I seem to have a lot of gardeners ending up here, I'm sorry to disappoint. This isn't HGTV and I'm not a botanist that can explain what an alstermaria looks like or what ate your pumpkin.

Man do I feel bad...

I have been planning Bugs birthday party for a while. His first friends birthday party complete with invitations, pinata and goody bags. Then he got really sick so I held off sending out invitations until early this week. We were having it a week before his actual birthday because let's face it not many people want to take their kid to a birthday party the day after Thanksgiving. Yesterday husband found out he has Pneumonia!

We had to cancel the party. Bug is so bummed out.

When husband said " I'm so sorry son, I'm sorry I ruined your party"

Bug responded with "Oh it's not your fault daddy, it's the sicknesses fault"

My sweet compassionate boy.

So instead of a party Bug and I are going to a fun center place with his cousin.

I'm sure after a fun day devoted to him he'll forget about how much he wanted his first friends birthday party.

Did I mention that my baby turns six next week?

I'm in complete denial.

Trying something new

I'm going to stop pressuring myself to post several pictures and a story sequence. I think it's inhibiting me from posting at all because it takes so much time.
So I'm taking a queue from one of my favorite photo bloggers, Monstergirlee and I'm going to try one shot at a time for a while. Maybe I'll get back into the groove!

I know this picture is over exposed but I love it. He was having so much fun playing in the leaves! Oh yea and I'm back to black.... sorry to those that can't read well on a black background I just think pictures pop so much better with it!

One shot

A fall blooming begonia against my dads woodshed wall.

It's color was striking against the cool wall.

Bug is doing better but still on the mend. Now husband is sick... someone rescue me.

Riding the roller coaster

Thank you to everyone who left comments on my last post.
Things are much better with Bug this week.
We got the test results back and they were all negative for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Thursday was hell, Friday was a bit better and Saturday he was like a normal kid.
He was stiff Saturday night but by Sunday morning he was fine.
Sunday night after doing school work at the kitchen table he complained about his legs.
He has been stiff all day today and not wanting to walk around.
The doctor is pretty sure it is a virus at this point but said he would confer with a Rheumatoligist just to be safe.
Bug has a pretty big cough going on now along with a lot of snot.
I'm cautiously optimistic that he is on the mend.
I swear this parenting thing is not for wussies.

Sick with worry

We have had some serious issues come up this week.

Saturday Bug complained that his feet hurt.

I assumed it was from the long trick or treating walk.

Sunday night he didn't even want to walk his feet hurt so bad.

I gave him a bath thinking the hot water would help.

After his bath he cried that they hurt really bad.

As his dad and I watched his feet started to swell in front of our eyes.

We put him in the car and rushed him to the ER.

They took blood and urine samples.

Everything came back completely normal.

They told us to watch it and follow up with his regular doctor.

The next day I took him to his regular doctor.

He was stumped as well but also felt we should take a watch and see approach.

There was no rash and no fever.

So we waited and by Tuesday night Bug was feeling a lot better.

The swelling left his feet but he complained that his elbow hurt.

Wednesday morning he was feeling good so I sent him to school.

When I picked him up at daycare that night he complained that his ankle hurt.

Then this morning he started complaining his hand hurt.

It was puffy too.

Then he started complaining about his back, and then he couldn't walk.

His lower back swelled up.

I rushed him to the doctor again and he consulted with another pediatrician.

They feel that they need to rule out many things.

He has no fever, no rash.

Just the end of a cold and all of this swelling.

So they are testing him for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.

I'm kind of numb and in shock and very sad.

I want it to just go away like it came... suddenly.

My active happy boy is reduced to severe pain.

And I just don't know what to do....

Please let it be something that can be over come.

VOTE!!!!

If you haven't already,
Please get out and vote today.
We need some Change in this country.